Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-02

Hldue Il ne RUE dppHeS TO almost all call
nss; it is by natural aptitude alone that
they well filled. Grace had been but
one year from the conventionalities, re-
finements and restrictions of an eastern
home where, to all appearances, she was a
thorough-goins society belle She had come
to Randall, one of the Texas panhandle
counties to keep house on the IT ranch
for her brothers. Jack and Theodore; and
she was more fearless rider, better
rustier and more complete all-round ranch
woman than most Texas girls who had
been born to the life; to say nothing of her
lively enjoyment of the whole thing.
AS she strolled down to the corral the
sun. which was low behind her. sent shaft
of light against the spent, painting side of
an unfamiliar pony tied so that 1t blocked
the opening to the corral and before she
could take another step voice from within
called fiercely:
who are you? Stop where you are, you
for you"'
Graces frst feminine impulse to flee
to the house ana barricadc herself against
lunatic. But the speech was that of one
pursued rather than an aggressor; then
there was a bit of rising anger at being or
dered out of her own corral.
who's in there?" she called sharply;
Il want to put my pony up
At the sound of the girlish voice a hand
with a long. bloody scratch across the
knuckles reached out against the strange
pony's side and pushed him back; and a tall
young fellow stepped or rather STAGGERED
out before her.
He was covered with both dust ana mud,
and the edge of a blood-stained handker-
chief showed beneath his cowboy hat, which
! hA do fpi.,
even in such plight. and despite the suspi-
cious manner of mis- Introduction, there was
the well-nigh ineffaceaDle indication of the
well-bred man about him.
| 20, I'm sorry; did i brighten you? But
( I'm at the end OF my string. I'm John
F'arris from over in San Miguel county
! over in New Mexico. There's a crowd of
cowboys from away up in The Strip after
me, for a horse thief. I'm not the man
| they want; but there's no reasoning with
them. They had me this morning. That's
| where l got this lifting his hand to the
| bloody handkerchief on his forehead.
| They'll hang me as sure as they put hands
| on me. IL they don't shoot me as soon as
they get in pistol range. You've only my
! word for it, but. If you can, help me-help
| me quick. You'l be glad of it,
Il know who you are" said Grace. This
is the Ut ranch. I'm the sister of Jack
| Pendleton. who was up buying cattle of you
last month. I'm the only soul on the place
| to help you. What shall l do-what can L?
/ Tell me quick"
| It's the tracks," said Farris; Il see my
| pony's got a broken shoe, and l haven't
| come across grass. I've been in roads for
! ten miles-ever since L got across Deaf
| Smith, and I've LETT them clear trail to
! follow. II there was any one here to ride
the pony on and get rio of him somehow.
and you would be willing to hide me.
| they'd so past, eventually.
! How much time have WEI" asked Grace;
| then. as she looked at him ciinging white
and faint to the corral gate. 20, come in
| the house and lie down. Ill do something"
| mo, I'll be all right" answered Ferris.
| I'm not much hurt They're about two
| hours behind me. Think threw them out
| that much this morning..
| Two hours" said Grace, looking at the
| pony: then a thought flashed across her.
| Il can do BOTH" said she. go and get
rid of the horse in a way TO blind them,
and get back in time to hide or disguise you
some way, safely. And l can talk to them
and get them away. Now so and rest,
and She jumped upon Rush once more.
caught his pony's bride. which he tossed up
! to her. and hurried away as fast as his
| tired little beast could go. All the guns
| are in the office ROOM" she called back, as
| Farris foot was on the doorstep. Then
| dust and distance swallowed her up.
Farris went in to find food. which he ate
| like famished man; then the guns which
| he inspected. loaded and laid handy, from
! time to time questioning with hasgard eye,
the trail up which he had come.
| 1t was a cruel. hard task Grace had set
! all the way: and averted her eyes from the
tired pony she was leading, lest the sight of
{ it should blunt her purpose.
| She rode. with all speed possible to the
| Punta de Aqua. four miles southeast of the
ranch, and now running bank-full and flu
rious, on red rise. Once there she tried to
| force Farris' pony into the creek, and when
: he refused to take water alone she guessed
| desperately at her chances, took her life
| in her hand, and drove her own frightened
| and reluctant horse in, with spur and quirt
| dragging the other after her.
When she had gotten them both into the
stream edge she held Rush back, and sent
| the other ahead with sharp lash of her
| quirt. When she was we'll into the current
| she drew her small revolver from her sad
| die pocket, aimed carefully at his head, and,
| setting her teeth in q sort of agony over the
cruelty of the deed. shot him.
The swift red, mutterng waters caught
| him, whirled him round and hurried him
| away down stream. Grace fought her way
| OUT; and 1t was all she could do. She rode
home across pastures at a hard pace, with
| the courage and tirelessness of a man, but
| with her heart aching and her eyes half
| blinded with womanly tears over the fate
OF the poor. tired little pony.
| No reasoning nor philosophiZng awaited
| to soothe her shocked and smarting sensi-
4 bilitieS. 1t was the act itself that hurt
| her so, the act, that seemed like treacher-
Gus murder of the willing creature that had
| helped you through thus far.
| But she had short time to dwell on the
| matter or grieve hers elf over it, AS she
| came laundering down toward the ranch
| house, at a full run, and bending low in the
/ saddle, she saw, above a slight rise that hid
| from her the trail up which Farris had
come. and hid her flying figure from any
one travelling IL, Il line of dust that indi-
Gated several riders, approaching at a mod
crate pace.
They were about a mile distant from the
| house, on the west, she the same distance
away on the southeast. Could she make it
| in time? She would-Sfe ul;.st.
! God help me-" she gasped; God defend
| the rigt! Come, Rush, and bending vet
| closer over him, bracing herself firnly in
| the saddle, she dug the spur deep into
! Rush's side, at the same time bringing
| down the quirt, again and again, with the
| whole strength OF her arm.
| The horse, which was a good one and
| whose ability TO make a splendid dash had
| given him MS name. at such savage ard I'M
| accustomed punishment sprang forward in
! pain and fright, and ran the mile that sep
! arated them from the man whose life hung
| upon their help in long, CONCLUSIVE LEADS
| like d wounded deer
| She dropped the rein on his neck and
| threw herself off him as he stopped at the
| door; and he wheeled and ran to the corral
| every limb shaking.
| They're coming" she gasoad IS she
staggered in to Farris, cramDcd trembling
anu dizzy from her terrible ride
| Il know it,, said he quietly. Go into the
| further room; I'll fight it out; this is cruelty
| hard or you"
| The food and rest had steadied him. his
washed his NDl,I ho,,y,, ~,