The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-10-25

he mechanically passed before the long
shed which served as temporary stalls
for the steaming wagon horses. At
the farther end, to his surprise, was a
tethered mustang, ready saddled and
bridled, the opportune horse left for
the fugitive, according to the lounger's
story. Masterton cast a quick glance
around the stable. 1t was deserted by
all save the feeding animals.
He was new to adventures Of this
kind or he would probably have
weighed the possibilities and conse-
quences. He was ordinarily a thought
full, reflective man, but like most men
of intellect he was also imaginative
and superstitious, and this crowning
accident of the providential situation
which he found himself was superior
to his logic. There would also be a
grim irony in his taking this horse for
such a purpose. He again looked and
listened. There was no one in sight or
hearing. He united the rope from the
bit ring. leaped into the saddle and
emerged cautiously from the shed. The
wet snow muffled the sound of the
horses hoofs. Moving around to the
rear Of the stables so as to bring it be-
tween himself and the station, he clap
ped his heels into the mustangs fanks
and dashed into the open.
At first he was confused and bewil-
dered by the half hidden powders and
snow shrouded bushes that beset the
broken ground and daZZled by the still
driving storm. But he knew that they
would also divert attention from his
flight, and beyond he could now see a
white slope slowly rising before him,
near whose crest few dark spots were
crawling in file, like Alpine climbers.
They were the Cinnamon he was seek
inc. He had reasoned that when they
discovered they were followed they
would, in the absence of any chance of
signaling through the storm, detach
one of their number to give the alarm.
Him he would follow. He felt his re-
Volver safe on his hip. He would only
use it if necessary to intimidate the
spies.
For some moments his ascent through
the wet snow was slow and difficult,
but as he advanced he felt a change of
temperature corresponding to that he
had experienced that afternoon on the
wagon coming down. The air grew
keeper, the snow drier and finer. He
kept a sharp lookout for the moving
figures and scanned the horizon for
some indication of the prospector's de-
serted hut. Suddenly the line of
figures he was watching seemed to be
broken and then gathered together as
group. Had they detected him? Evi.
IDENTIFY they had, for, as he expected,
one of them had been detached and
was now moving at right angles from
the party toward the right. With a
thrill of excitement he urged his horse
forward. The group was far to the
left, and he was nearing the solitary
figure. But to his astonishment, as he
approached the top of the slope, he now
observed another figure as far to the
right of the group as he was to the left,
and that figure he could see, even at
that distance, was not a Chnaman.
He halted for a better observation.
the fugitive himself but as quickly he
recognized it. was another man-the
deputy. 1t was he whom the China
men had discovered; it was he who had
caused the diversion and the dispatch
of the vedette to warn the fugitive. His
own figure had evidently not yet been
detected. His heart beat high with
homo To In 1ochaH ouI Of
the flying messenger, wi.o was un-
doubtedly seeking the ruined pros
pectors hut and-TriXit.
But it was no easy matter. At this
elevation the snow had formed a crust,
over which the single Chinaman "a
1.-THE, young fgure-skimmed like
skater, while Masterton's horse crash
ed through it into unexpected depths.
Again, the runner could deviate by
shorter cut, while the horseman was
condemned to the one half obliterated
trail. The only thing in Masterton's
favor, however, was that he was stead
lily increasing his distance from the
group and the deputy sheriff and so
cutting off their connection with the
ihSSSSlSSls bul lAe lTdll grew luOFe
and more indistinct as it neared the
summit until at last it utterly vanished.
Still he kept up his speed toward the
active little figure-which now seemed
to be that of a mere boy-skimming
over the frozen snow Twice a STUN
BILE and founder of the mustang
through broken crust ought to have
warned him of his recklessness, but
now distant glimpse of a low, black
ened shanty-the ruined prospector's
hut-toward which the messenger was
making, made him forget all else. The
distance was lessening between them.
He could see the long pigtail of the fu-
gltive standing out from his bent head,
when suddenly his horse plunged for
ward and downward. In an awful in
stant of suspense and twilight, such as
he might have seen in a dream, he felt
| himself pitched headlong into suffocat-
ing depths, followed by shock, the
crushing weight and steaming flank of
his horse across his shoulder, utter
darkness and merciful unconscious
ness
How long he lay there thus he never
knew. With his returning conscious