, 1884-03-01

nOW-tOO late"
We mounted.
"Mother'll think we're gone to
ride" said Ted, as We galloped over
the plains. He was deathly pale,
poor little fellow, but he sat erect
and firm. 1 saw his fathers big
Colts revolver sticking out of his
pocket. He was a determined boy.
Even in my despair, in my wild
hope that could save Jack by beg
ging on my knees, that ] could cling
to him, and that they would have
to kill me first, / could not help a
smile at the eomical figure YiS Kee
PresRated on horseback. HisslOose
garments tapped in the wind, his
long pigtail flew out behind, and he
bObbed up and down like a kernel of
corn in cOrn-pOpper.
It.was a soft, warm night, lighted
only by the pale young moon and
the twinkling stars. We rode as fast
as our horses could gallop. Shep was
close at our heels. Way. ahead,
when we reached the top of a little
hill, we saw the crowd of hOrsemen.
They were riding toward Denver.
We gallOped on with renewed zeal.
They turned into a cross road leading
to Mead's ranch. On this road was
bridge over Dry Gulch, which was
in the spring a roaring torrent. Be
yond the bridge, across the fields,
was the haystack of Mead, where
was slowed sufficient to feed his do
mestic cattle through the winter.
We at last reached the turn of the
road. They were three miles in adj
vance, riding rapidly. Yik Kee
stopped at the turn. "IIump! Can't
catchee. Hangee at bridge. You
gocew lie turned his horse and
sped across the field, deserving US
| basely.
We rode on, Ted and I. He was
pale and still; my cheeks were
burning, We neared the bridge.
The high mound Of earth,before us
hid them from sight. We stopped
our horses and listened. The men
had lighted torches, some were pre-
pairing a rough gallowS under the
bridge; two were uncoiling a rope;
some held the horses of the others
beyond the bridge. The men were
masked now, and l could see by the
lighted torches that their number
was increased. Jack was very white
and sad, but he showed no Tear.
81 am innocent, gentlemen" he
said slowly, "but l refused to tell
you of whom l bought the hides"
| understood him. Could Harry
White be a cattle thief? felt as if
l were going mad.
"What shall we do?" whispered
Ted, cooking his revolver.
Suddenly a bright red light illu-
minated the heavens, followed by
clouds of black smoke, and a queer,
cracking noise. A yell from the
men, Gil Mcad's voice above the
rest. The haystack was on fire. 1t
seemed to me in the glare around
it that l could see foreign looking
human vanishing across the plain.
The men mounted their horses,
Gil Mead at their head, and set off
across the fields at a mad g,tllOp.
They must save the stack. They
left Jack hound hand and foot and
guarded by one man.
Shep, the wonderful dog, had kept
by us until now, sinking in the dark
shadows. Now gliding sideways
and still, he reached the man on
guard, whose back was to us, and
with no warning growl, caught him
by the throat with strong white
teeth that could choke a coyote in a
second. The man, who was in sit
ting posture, fell back with a groan.
Ted struck him over the head with
the butt Of the revolver, and pulled
off the dog. l cut Jacks bonds with
a knife. lie looked at us wonder
ingly, and staggered to his feet.
"Never mind how we came, Jack"
l said. "Quick, mount the horse
beyond the bridge, and ride to Dem
yer for your life. They will not
harm woman and child"
"Harry White" he muttered, the
loyal soul thai even could think of
anOther's danger.
81 will tell him."
"NO, no; not of this-Only say If
he stole the cattle to fly the country.
They will find out sooner or laler,"
He galloped down the road. Ted
and mounted, called off Shep, who
sat on his launches watching the
unconscious man, and then we, too,
sped down the road The hay-stack
was giving out great volumes of
black smoke, but thel fire was dead.
Ahead of us was a. a'riderless horse,
Dolly, who greeted her master with
a joyful whinny. Where was Yik
kee? Then Dot, my horse, SHE'D
from the road at a recumbent black
figure. 1t was the indomitable Yik
Kee, who had crawIed all the way
from the stack on his stomach, so
that he could not be seen, afterlying
in the ditch until the blaze had faded
out. "Hump! no catchee Chinee;
heap sore" he said, laconieally, rub
bing his stomach.
He mounted Dolly, and we rode
on to Whites ranch. Harry rushed
out at the sound of horses feet, at
midnight There, Under the twink
ling stars, looked into his eyes, and