Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-03-27
ROYAL RANGER RALPH;
The Waif Of The Western PrairiieS.
EY WELDON j. COBB.
CHiPTEH Nv.
THE PURSUIT.

to safety the intrepid Darrell Grey and
the courageous and lovely lnez Tracey.
Before them, milo after mile, spread
the broad, level prairie, in places like
an emerald carpet dotted with spangleS
OF flowers of the rarest hue and beauty
and again grown hi h with rank, heavy
grass.
The horses they 70 lc were rapid trav
elers, and within an hour as the!
glanced backward, they saw no sign o
their pursuerS.
'Your enemies have either abandoned
the chase, or the long grass hides them,
remarked Dafre, as he allowed th'
horses to pr9cce1 moro slowly ant
glanced over the fair mcOnlit picture
spread before them, and then at the gir
at his side.
Darrell Grey had led an adventurou
life and had seen many fair women il
many cAmcS, bat, he confessed, as ht
gazed at the lovely creature who wa
his compan on in fight mono so beauti
full as IncL Tracey.
Perhaps it was the novelty and excite
mcut of Their situation; perhaps it was
because two earnest, ingenious spirits
had met and recognize magnetic con.
geniality in youth and teauty;-but at all
events, as their eyes met love became
mutual though unexprcsSed
Inoz Tracey found an interested lis
toner in Darrell Grey, whom she briefly
related her past and the events that had
eliminated in tho adventure OF the
night
In return, Darrell told her who he
was-a surveyor sent WcSt On business.
He had become fascinated with wild
Western life, and had for some years
been engaged in tho law and mining
business in California.
He was about to return East in few
weeks, and quite by accident had como
to the little station at Ten Spot crossing
thither in stage coach from a mining
settlement lOcat in the mountains tn 4
day.
Darrell briefly related tho episode Ot
the wounded messenger, and mo testify
referred to his adventure at tho trestle
The doep blue eyes of lncA Trace,
looked into his own, as sho listenet
breathessly to his story of the attempt
ed signal to the train.
awe have been proceeding aimlessly
thanking only of cYading our foes" sai'
Darrell finally 81 am, in measure
unacquainte1 in this locality except a
tho mining camps in the hills"
81 wished to reach Miners Gulch, i
possible" said Inez, "but l am at los
TO locate it,"
Then you have been here before?
asked Darrell.
"Yes; ! came to sec my father abou
five years ago Since then have e
at school in California, which | left las
week when | received a letter diroctin
me to come here, and that a friend o
my dead faith would meet ami car
fer ne"
"And this man whom you call Despair
he is re atiye, you Say?' inquire
Darrel, CuriouSly.
"a very dist int one of my fath'r, wht
never liked Lin and warned n ayans
him La t summer he met me at
summer resort, whittier O r tea her
hal taken us for We ck's vacation.
had met h m at my IA hers ran h, be
yond Miners Gulch, and l never like(
him. He annoyed me with his att, n
C0ns, and le m very angry when
ayoi cl m, and tod him finally thai
dill not wish to con inue the acQuaint
ance, for l receiv, a letter from m!
father warning M aga nSt him, an(
telling m, th Dyke DeSpard was lot
ling against him and myself, and tina
Lie was a rene Iade and all outla V.
"Ani since than?" asked Darrol.
al have never met him until tonight
when you heard what he sai1 and know
that he must have some deep object II
preventing my going to the Gulch.
"Then he will be disappointed 10
once, Miss Tracey" said Darrell; "for W
can find the p ace by morning.. Oh, !
just occurred to me! You say you eX
pcctcd a friend TO meet you at tn
depot?"
ayes; an cd friend of my father;
man who has been known in this regio
for years as scout His name
Ranger Ralph"
81 have heard of him. DO you knoN
him-that is, well enough to recogniz
him from description"
81 have not seen him since ! was
child. do not think would. Why d.
you aSk9"
because have an idea that thes
horses belong to him, and that he Is tn
man who tod me first of TIC train
wreckers. If this is so, the horses prot
al ly came from Miners Gulch, and w
will allow them to proceed their Ow
way. They may lead us to the yer
place to which you desire to 60
Darrel loosened the rudcly improvise
lridle and allowed the SteedS to tax
Their own course. They now began t
leave the prairie and finally ento. ed
canyon, fol owing the course OF littl
stream.
There seems to be regular tral
here" said Darrell. 81 believe we ar
on the right road at last, Miss Tracey.
"You are taking great deal OF tIou
be for me-" murmured lne', gratefully
"Whatl in running away from tn
outlaw myself to place of safety?
laughed Iarrel, Eanteringly. "No, no
we were partners in peril at the railroad
train, and but for you l might have re
manned and been killed AS 1t is, a
soon as l have placed you out OF danger
will return and learn the fate of thoS
who wore attacked by the train wreck
orS."
AS they rode on, however, Darre
wished that such charming com Dan.on
ship could last always.
The dawn had come while they wer
riding through the canyon 1t wa
scarcely distingulshab'c from the moon
light as yet, but soon they knew the ia
day would break, enabling them NOR
accurately to determine their where
abOuts.
That the horses were leading thcm d
rect to Miners Gulch Darrell did no
10 10 n