Cañon City record., 1902-07-24

mer checked Stanley when he would
have addressed R!ngwood. and pres
c,.ti,' father and soI SWUNG i::to their
saddles and gaIlOped down the road.
As they vanished In the fai [ ll-ht
R.ngwood rushed for the barn loosen
ing his pistols in his belt ns ne ran
The two servants watched him scurn
fully as he saddied his gray with in
credible swiftncss.
"AIarse Ringwool scared de f..ht run
down dis way" muttered Sam. .TIc
des nuttin' but trash. fo' all he so good
looliln. Cord Almighty. l wish all d!
boys wasn't gone. Whar ebberyboLy
Leo"
"Nllee samee time of 'cept hunt
hills" was the brief return. which
meant that some of the men had an
afternoon and the rest We're after some
refractory cattle in the hills
"Marse RiuGwoOd gone like de deb
Bile after him." growlcd Sam. And In.
deed the gray was dying at terrible
speed
The far. dim starlight sifteS rcIuc-
family down. and the horses feet
reached the ground more by instinct
than sight. Ringwood bent over his
neck. Jockey fashion. For scant two
miles they kept TO badly marked
road. then before them yawned the
mouth OF Sewer canyon. the broken
trail merely gray pencil mark among
Jagged powders and treacherous wave
washed stones. rounCed by old world
floods.
\ second the gray hcSituted. and in
that second Ringwood distinctly heard
again Morris voice:
To ride through that trail at speed
means almost certain deathr' And he
exultcd that the words flowed in his
soul like wine. Then he drove the
rowcls in his horses tanks. and the
gray IN generous anger plunged down
the canyon way at top speed, every
beat Of his steel shod hoofs strIh'u-
fire from the rocks. Now they crossed
a bed Of clay worn slimily smooth by
the soft tapping of the low stream. and
here a goat might have fallen and TAX
EN- no shame to himself. but the gray
had that superb and rare quality which
carries through evcrTthing$ he believed
in himself Presently nine-tenths OF
the canyon were behind them, though
the frowning walls yet hung above.
Once panther hissed like an infuri-
ated cat In their way. but the oncom-
ing might OF the two daunted her. and
she fed ANONYMOUSLY to the recesses
OF the cliff sides and mouthed resent
fully after them. dragging behind her
q tail twice its natural size.
But now open woods. the canyon was
In the rear. and before Ringwood
tiny fire. with crude half tent hug
ging It. and in its shelter four men.
Thanks to the half mile Of soft earth
between them and the canyon, thanks
to quarrel already bred among them.
they did not hear Ringwood until he
was bearing down upon them. not fifty
yards away.
Then they acted In unison. -Four
rifles were cooked. n challenge rang
out:
"Stop or
II might he n harmless passing stran.
ger. and they did not care for the noise
OF Il fusillade just now.
The answer came clearly on the
wind: "D-n you. Throw mp your
hands, II command they thought un-
y.
their rifles in them. They answered
with fourfold vollcy OF shots. In the
next instant the gray was on them. and
IN the chaos that ensued Ringwood was
only conscious that he got In several
shots. that the butt Of his pistol had
proved quite useful. that two forms
had clung 10 his knees and had gone
down. that the badly scattered lire was
catching the edge OF the tent, and then
he and the gray went down In their
turn together. Ringwood oddly thank
ful. in spite OF the fact that sparks
(perhups from the tent fire. swan be-
fore his eyes. that the nearest robbcr
made soft cushion. Then fire and
sparks went out blackly.
When light came again, the moon
was pouring down her full spcndOr.
Over him bent two anxious faces while
his own reeked Of the whisky used to
bathr his forehead and temples. A
sigh of relief hailed his open eyes.
THANK Godr' sobbed Stanley. 81
thought he was gone! And after set
Ting the four of thcm"'
NO. only stunned" returned their
patient, rising obstinately TO his feet.
but glad to cling to the nearest saddle
TO steady himself, the earth whrlcd
round so strangely. 81 am all right.
MIR. Morris. Don't trouble yourself any
further by coddling-the son Of cow
ard"
Stanley stared, then said nervously:
by love. he's off his headw But his
father answered by taking the tall fig
ure in his arms.
Lad" he said brokenly. 1--WE learn