The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-11-28
ROYAL RANGER RALPH;i
The Vaif Of tho Western Prairles,
BY WELDON ]. COBB.
CHAPTER XIV.

occupant Of one OF the wagons the out
laws had secured from the attacked
emigrant train. :;
As has been stated, the scout believed
that his presence In the vehicle was not
known or even suspected.
He had crept thither, desperately
wounded as he supposed, and while un-
conscious the wagon had started on It's
Journey.
From what he saw and heard, the
scout reasoned that Danton had met Q
new section of Despard's outlaw band
near the emigrant train, and they were
ell now returning to the banott's head
quarters at Lone Canyon.
! The plight was not pleasant one to
the ranger. He discerned great peril
and trouble should Despard carry Inez
to his mountain home. More than once
the old scout had led the vigilantes to
the place, only to suffer defeat The
canyon was nearly impossible wnen
guarded by the outlaws
Even were the girl rescued. 1t would
be difficult to pass through the country
Infested by hostile Indians. Still, the
scout was glad the plot now centered at
g Lone Canyon. Here he knew the her
NIT Walford lived.
The scout found that his wound, re-
ceived at the onslaught on the emigrant
train, while painful, was by no means
serious He lay securely hidden by the
hay and straw in the bottom OF the
wagon, yet he could see his enemies on
the seat and behind the wagon.
- The course Of the outlaws during the
morning was over prairie interspersed
with trees Toward evening they d.
verged to the mountains, entered Lone
Canyon, and then followed the Pueblo
River through the hills 1t was just
about dusk when the cavalcade halted at
Q place we'll known to the scout AS ne
peered from his covert he knew that he
was in the vicinity of one of the hardest
taverns in the territory. 1t was known
rs aLone Canyon Tavern" and was Kept
by man named Ditmar, who, surround
ed by fugitives from Justice and crimi.
mails, safely de6ed the law in this isolated
place. ..... ... '....
The entire party had stopped here,
and their noisy tones and clinking glass;
es could be heard from the bar-room
few minutes later.
The scout was about to shift his
panied, cramped position, and even med
{tated taking advantage OF the gather
ing dusk to escape from the wagon, when
he paused and listened ,.... =.
Two men were passing the wagon and
going toward the saloon. They were
conversing, and he heard one OF them
say ......- -.
81 understand Despard Is going to d.
vide and leave the business
sYes, when we get up to the den, re-
sponded the other.
"There's considerable plunder to d.
vide" -'
aI should say so. He got lot from
the emigrant wagons"
ain gold?" .'..
"Clear money; yes"
@Where is it," -
aMaybe it's in this wagon"
@Not likely"
@Why not?"
sThey don't leave gold lying around
loose. 4"
One Of the men. as II impelled by
some whimsical curiosity, had placed his
hand over the blackboard Of the wagon.
Cropping among the hay, he uttered
startled ejaculation.
aHello!=
wv QdU is dshCu ulS Som p0AiSh'
@There's some one In here"
an the wsgon?"
Eyes"
@Who Is it?"
dunno, but it's some one"
aLet's have him out"
@No. That's Danton's business. I
wonder If he knows who 1t is?"
SMay be friend OF his. WeIl tell
him about it, anyway"
The man pulled vigorously at the
scouts arm. Ranger Ralph gave utter
ance to series Of incoherent mutter-
tEgs.
GDrunk!" commented one Of the men.
They walked away toward the tavern.
The scout foresaw that his discovery
was only question of time He glanced
toward th5 tavern, and observed that
several of the outlaws were hanging
outside the place in full sight OF the
wagon.
aIf I could only start up the horses
around the ledge of rocks there, would
be out Of range and could escape" he
thought
. Ranger Ralph chirruped to the horses,
and they instantly started. He had
miscalculated what would occur, how
sver.
The moment they turned the ledge Of
rocks the road led by a steep descent to
the river. Unguided, and borne for
ward by the impetus OF the wagon, the
horses dashed down this declivitous
pathwcy.
The scout sprang to his feet and start
cd for the seat. A swing Of the vehicle
dashed him against its sides, and then
he gave up all for lost: for the wagon
pitched from side to side, lurched for
ward, fell over the side Of the cliff, and
went tumbling to the rocky bed OF the
river, sheer forty feet below.
The startled outlaws hurried after the
wagon as they it start forward. They
saw the catastrophe, and heard the
horses neigh wildly In terror as they
struggled in midsir. Then the traces
gave &sy, The steeds disappeared
nnder the waters of the river
The wagon struck the water, was sub
merged, and then with its living freight
was borne from sight into the shadows
of the canyon, down the swift current
OF the Pueblo River.
CHAPTER XIV.
WHITE FAwN.
The smoldering campfire Of the Mo-
docs burned low, and the spot where
the triumphant savages had fired the
funereal pile few minutes previous was
silent and deserted.
At the place where Darrell Grey had
been tied to the tree its charred trunk