Daily camera., 1901-08-12
ward over the low, rolling earth.wnvss

Fur away on either hand, the lumpy,
sandy barren, dotted everywhere with
little dull-hued tufts Of coarse heritage
or stunted sage. Ahead of him the tor
tuous, twisting, dusty trail, dented
with scores of footprints, the tracks OF
irafton's troop on its way to the res
cue. By this time Randy was burning
with thirst, but the water in his can
teen was warm and nauseating. He
raised the fclt-covered flask to his lips
from time to time and rinsed his mouth
and moistencd his parching threat, but
that did not allay the craving. lie had
still 80 miles to go before he could reach
Jcse's and exchange Brown Dick for n
| broncho, and have DR.. Gould renew the
dressing of his wounded arm. He
knew that Florence had failed to appear
there, but he knew her pluck and spir-
it, and believed he knew the reason
that there might be sojourners there
either from the Catamount or from the
post who would seek to turn her back
or hold her there; and he knew that in
her overwrought, half-maddcned state
she was starving for her mothers pet
ting and her fathers arms. lie knew
her so well that any attempt to dissuadc
her now would result, he felt assured,
only in frantic outburst and more de-
termined effort to push ahead
Then he had another and even better
reason for thinking he could quickly
find Mignon's trail, although it might
be miles to the north of Josc's. On
their return from their latest visit to
the Catamount they were having n
glorious run with the hounds one love.
ly November morning, and the jack
rabbits led them far out to the north
of the road among the huttcs and
powders that clustered about the
course of n little stream, barely yard
wide anywhere, that ripplcd out from
among the foothills only to be lost in
the sands of the desert to the east. One
vigorous old rabbit, close followed by
the hounds, had tackled suddenly and
darted up this narrow valley, and Eloy
and Mignon. all excitement, darted aft
cr him, while Randy, guiding Brown
Dick behind, watched with fond, proud
eyes his young wife's graceful, fear
less riding. Far up toward the head
of the brook poor jack had been tossed
in air by the pointed muzzle of his
closest pursuer and then bounced
upon by the painting hounds, and Ran
dy found that they were in little am
phitheater among the buttcs-found
the little spring In which the streamlct
had its birth, and there they dismount.
co and unsaddlcd and let the horses
roll; and here they took their luncheon,
and had happy, loving hour, nll alone
with the horses and hounds in this lit
tie world of their own; and Floy had
named the spot-a fond, foolish little
caprice, perhaps. and vowed that 1t
was TO be her refuge by-and-by. This
Is where l am coming to build my lone
ly cloister one of these days, when you
grow weary of me, SIR" she had laugh
!ngly said. And now, as he piled spurs
to Dicks heaying sides, Randy won
dered, wondered whether it might not
he that she had made that wide dctour
around Josc's purposely to find and re-
visit that romantic little nook and there
pour ont her grief TO the solitude of the
silent foothills.
At five o'clock Brown Dick was black
with sweat and dust and strcaked with
foam, but still pressed gamely on. and
Randy, with white. set face. in which
deep lines OF pain and wearincss were
craving, gazed tixcdIy ahead with burn
ing, feycred eyes, conscious that
strength was failing him and praying
for the first sight of those dun adobe
walls of Josc's sheltcring ranch.
just at seven o'clock OF the early win
tiers evening the dcEizcns of Josc's heard
the thud of horses hoofs at the gate
and the hail Of u feeble voice. J1se's
wife at that moment was in half-tearful
talk with Mrs. Ilayne, who from dawn
till dark had been on watch-hoping
lagninst hope for tidings of Florence.
and who now, wcaried with long vigil
and well-nigh worn out with anxiety,
was lying down in search of sleep.
Gould. veteran soldier and surgeon that
he was, could no longer bear the sus-
rcuse and inaction at the ranch. lie
had borrowed one of Jose's horses, and,
with q half-breed Mexican for guide,
had ridden away at dawn, hoping 10
strike Grafton's trail and follow him
into the mountains. whittier he was
supposed TO have ridden in pursuit OF
the Apaches. Gould was a skeptic. lie
said he didn't believe n dozen Apachcs
were OFF their reservation. He didn't
believe half n dozen had ventured over
the New Mexican line, and if any had
he was willing TO bet months pay
they were not hostile, This was COM
iorting to Mrs. Hnyne, but Josc's people
,iction. By the time the rumor reached
the ranch, brought in by stampeded
hcrdsmen, no one OF whom had seen an
Indian, but each of whom could tell
tremendous tales of their doings in the
ITalley, il was declared that at least so
of Victories old band were raiding the
Santa Clara and might be expected to
assault Jose's at any moment. The
corral was filed, therefore, with sc-ag-
gy COW ponies and swarthy men, and
the sight of an officer, one-armcd, pal
lid, exhausted, reeling earthward from
an equally exhausted steed, was all that
was necessary TO complete the panic.
Over half the Mexicans present made a
mad rush for the subtcrranean refuge
known as the 'dug-out," and but for
couple Of troopers who had put into
Jose's with lamed and useless horses
Randy would have gone headlong to the
ground. They caught him just in time,
land bore him inside the ranch, where
the sight of his death.ltke face drove
Jose almost frantic. But the troopers
knew what to do for their officer and
speedily brought him round, and when
he asked for DR.. Gould they told him of
his going, and Randy's next demand
was for coffee and a fresh horse.
And while he was slipping the coffee
and resting on bunk in the main room,
Mrs. Hayne came hastening in with out:
stretched hands and eyes still dim with
weeping. She was shocked at his