Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-03-27
"What Is it?" ,ked Darrell quickly.

11OCh.
He repeated hor OWN ejaculation Of
concern. as the advancing daylight show
cd am obstacle TO their onward progress
down the main canyon.
Coming rapidly toward them from the
direction in which they were going wcro
four horsemen.
They were some distance away, but as
Inoz shuddered and paled, her escort
knew that, like himself, she had reco9
nized the leader of the Quartette.
at is Despard and his men!" she gasp
cd, in torres of horror and alarm.
81 fear so, Misc Tracoy."
"And they are coming straight toward
US. Oh, what shall we do"
Darrell Grey had taken revolver
from his belt and determined Look
came into his face.
"Drive tie horses around tn
rocks yondcr so you will be sheltered,
he said, as he prepared to dismount
A trembling hand detained his own.
"No, no! Mr. Grey you must not meet
these men, they are armed and despor-
ate, and four to one
81 see no way except to meet and repe'
them," said Carr,l, stanchy; "thes.
men havo not come across us again by
accident"
"By design"
evidently. They know tho country
and knew we would probably come this
way, and have intercepted US by rca:h
ing the canyon here in advance OF U.s.
"Aro we discovertd?"
"They cannot but have seen us. Miss
Tracey, l beg OF you to obey ne, anc
leave me hero alone"
"But your perl-fOr my sake!"
81 will not invite any unneccs ary FISK
Ride as rapidly as you can down one OF
tho side canyons, and do not wat for me
nor delay Oh my account l will cover
your escape and, once satisfied you are
out of danger of recaptGrc, will rejolr
you unless you reach the gulch before
do So"
Darrell cut loose the connecting striI
of lasso as he spoke.
Inez cast an anxious, longing glance
at her bravo protector
"Heayen ant you may not be forcec
to meet Dcspard and his mem" she
breathod feryently
"F1y!" spoke Darrel, eXcitedly.
He cou d see that the horSemcn down
tho canyon were winding in and cut the
rocks as rapidly as they could, and
would soon reach the spot where he was
Darrell dismounted and led the horse
toward the shelter of small ump OF
high, thick bushes
Then he hi = self sele ted place o.
espionage and dc1ense behind som1 rocks
The four ridcrs came into view as he
cast qu elk glance down the canyon
,.rbo.a Tno7 had OOn0
To his surprise ho could observe nc
trace of her.
"She mu have reached SoTc diverg'
ing gu!ch AMI have pursued a new
! cOur. O." G decided. "At all events, she
is not in sight for the bandits to dis
cover"
Darrell le. O we'd to forcc no encounter
with the latter unless necessity demand,
ed it; for his single revolver would be a
10 r match for the full ac, outerments OF
his enemies.
The hoofs of horses rang out sharply
on the clear morning air, and The qua :
tette rounded the las of the rocks
which had temporarily shut out view
of the persons they sought
"Nowhere in sight DeSpard. " spoke
one Cf the men,
ave certainly saw them here" re-
markell Danton.
"rhen they have taken the SIDE can
yons," spoke Despard.
Eanton laughed. trumphantly. "They
arc our game if they have" he said
"N by sJ?" asked one If the men.
"Bccause evory last one of them ends
in blank wall"
Darrell Grey, from his place of con-
cealment, started vlOlcn,.y.
"What shall we do, Captain" asked
one of the men of Despard
"Divide. Here are four of these side
CANYONS Down one Of them our leo
pie have certainly gone"
"They are nowhere in sight.
"They could have gone nowhere else
Let each man follow one Of these side
branches, and signal when he discovers
them"
"They will be found, never fcar," said
Danton. "They tn ought to escape, but
they are in trap this time. Hold on,
Vance
The man he had addressed had started
his horse toward the side canyon down
I which Inez had disappeared a few mo
ments before.
"Why, what's the matter?"
"You needn't scar h that pass.
"Not search it?"
"No"
"Why not?"
at would be no use and dangerous to
yourself. That is QuickSand Gully"
81 never heard of it BEFORE" said
Vance.
"That's because you don't know the
country as l do. The man who rides
into The shifting sands at the end OF that
gul V never comes out again.
The heart of the horriied watcher be
hind the rocks stood still. An appal Cd
sense of peril overwhelmed the startled
Darrcl Grey
@Quicksand Gully! Great heavens" he
gasped wildly. "Can this be true? The
| ouicksands! Is that the meaning of the
sudden disappearance of lnez Tracey?
CHAPTER V.
THE QUICKSANDS.
"Help!"
The cry rang out wild and alarmeo,
but it met no responsive echo from the