Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-04-03

No. Only u lew UliuliS ~ N'~~~'
Within half an hour Darrel was luiiy |
rccuperated.
@We will try to leave the gully" he
by the way we came?' inquired
Inc. -
The vicinity of the canyon.
"But there seems to be no outiee th'S
way" .u
aThon VIC will remain hero until
night" ~
1t was late in the Afternoon wlen
thew gained narrow gulch which they
found led into the main canyon.
Two hours later, Just at dusk, aitcr
travelling cautiously for some miles, they
came out on a plateau A mic beyond
them the lights OF village showed
plainly.
"Mincr's Gulch, at last" remarked
Darrell.
They descended toward the settle
mont. but paused as at the edge OF an
intervening thicket thcy heard human
voices in the distance.
"Remain here for few minutes,
smoke Darrell. at may be our enemies
yOnder."
He penetrated the thickct by wide
| detour and re Onnoiter2d for some tlme
Dcspard and canton were c0nYerSing
near a largo tree, while their two com,
rados were at some distance. Sheltered
bv the darkness and the dense tollagc'
BARREL coull distinctly oycrhoar their
conversation.
"Nc had better leave here at once, 4"
Dcspard was saying ave .oSt two OF
our men at the train, but the girls late
is settled"
ayes, that is certain"
"Wc have learned one disastrous fact,
however, our worst enemy has escaped "
Ranger Ralph?"
~Exacty. He is at the village yonder,
wounded but ready to give ui trouble as
soon as he recoycIs We will get the
horses and !cavc. Then for the fortune
TO which | am now sJle heir. We arc
Ranger Rubcs two horses ahead any
way"
Darrell crcpt from the spot at these
words. He reached a place minute
later where six hor.cs were tied. Two
of them he recognized as the same ones
that had borne IEez and himself tC
safety. The bandits had evidently
found them in the canyon. Darrcl Sc
cured them and began to lead then
toward the spot whc;e he had left Inc
by a circuitous route. Suddenly he
starte |.
A wild scream Of arm echoe(
through the silence Of the scene.
"IIcr voice! She is in trouble again
Oh. why did | leave hc'" ejacu ate(
Darrc', wildly
He urgel forward tho horses. havin,
10 t much t me in cndeavOrlng to cyad
the outlaws.
He reached the spot where he had lcf
IncZ
She was gone!
His eve swept the sceno beyond th
thick t. Some distance away he mad
out a body of orSemen driving rapid
toward the hills.
From their midst second scream 70
help confirmed barrels worst fears
Inc, Tracey was again prisoner in tn
hands o, h r enemies.
For a moment he determ ned 10 star
in immediate pursuit AS he realize
his unarmed condition, however, he Sa'
the folly of such an undertaking.
81 will hasten to the vii a &c ndcr,
he decided secure he p, and start
, immediate pursuit Of those scoundrelS.
! Leading one horse and riding tn
other, Farrell Grey hast ned towards I'll
settlement. He did rot pause until i
had reached tavern before viii h stCo
dozen men cXcitcdly discussing SON
event, evidently of recent occurrence.
He caught the words "train wrcckcTS
- stDoroor Dol nlO coVQr1l I mos
J "IIcllo, the c." he cried, without d
j mounting. "Can | speak to some
you?"
His in 'cnt On was to arouse the me
. to instant pursuit of Hespard. Betol
| he could speak, however, one OF the me
,prang to the head of the horses al
/ seized the BRIDE.
where did you get those horSoS?"
0 | demanded, gru1ly.
1 81 found them
y "You did. ell? Boys, OR game ha
come into camp by miSta g
"What do you mcan?" demanded IL
astOnishcd Darrell
= "You know well enough. Down wit
him, boys. Here's q case for Jud!
: Lynch. for these are Ranger Ralph
G horses, and this man is one OF the ira
wrecEers
@ Without bcing able to SPEAK word
:, defense amid the angry, cXcltcd crow
l. Darrel Grey was dragged to the neare
tree.
c "A rope! A rope" shouted the lead
r Of the throng
: @One moment! You are making
terrible mistake ! am no thief or ira
;. wrecHer" -,
e ooh, no, of cour not" jcered t
crowd.
ID Ask him if he knows me-"
it ale is wounded-dying, for all '
le know. He's one of them boys. III
the very man the depot agent
le Scribed.
Amid that mad, unreasonable cro0
a Darrcl Grey struggled vainly 1t seem
lg all some terrible dream as the rope
circ,cd h S neck and was thrown over
ne limb of tree.
cl "Up with him, boys" shouted
leader of the men.
It. The next moment with chokr
As blinded sensation, Darrell Grey felt hi
on self dangling between heaven And car
" CHAPTER VII.
m AT MINERS GULCH.
"Hcld."
Ao Amid the confusion and horror of
supreme moment of peril, Darrcl GI
h" was dimly conscious that this word W
~ =, pronounced in tone that thrilled h
with fami lar accents
- Then. too in the fare of tOr,h c;