Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-20
IN NEVADA.

Certainly not"
But 1 must"
The superintendent statement flashed
across Burrows mind, but he put the
thought resolutely away,
NO" he said, you can't Nobody Is
going but myself and three others"
The boys face showed white and anxious
IN the fast darkening night
why shouldn't l go? l can shoot
will be careful"
After all, why shouldn't he? Perhaps he
would be safer than IL Burrows left him
alone, especially If the superintendent
statement got about.
Very WELL said Burrows shortly.
The boy regarded him wisttully. ITO
morrow perhaps, l can tell you. then YOU
Will understand why had to co.
tomorrow. repeated Burrows with a
smile that seemed to relieve the tension he
had been under. You evidently don't he
heve there is much danger in our trip to-
night"
1t was beautiful night. The silent light
of the full moon wrapped the little town IN
soft, white radiance. outlining even the
distant jagged mountain tops in pearly
hight; underneath. the dew almost frosD
ghttered on the grass like soft, white
spray.
The little cavalcade rode along at a swift
pace and turned silently into the mountain
pass; the horses hoofs sank no.selessly into
the soft dirt road; no sound save the oc-
casional swapping of a twig or the whis-
pering call of a whippoorwill broke the
deep silence of an autumn night. Now
and then gun barrel flashed in the moon
light as the horsemen picked their way
! along the narrow path in single file; then
| suddenly the darkness of the canyon
caught and engufed them. Occasionally a
horses foot struck sharply against the
stones, but the noise was drowned in the
rushing of the river. whose voice echoed
and re-echoed against the narrow walls
of the canyon.
In the thick dusk of the forest edge they
dismounted and fastened the horses, then
crept noiselessly through the tangle of
trees and bushes bordering the narrow
pass. Burrows. alert, Wig liant, slid through
the underground as softly and unerringly
as mountain lion, and dropped behind a
clump of laurel that commanded view
of the trail. The boy followed closely.
STOPPING and slipping through the bushes
like a shadow Out on the trail the moon
shone white and still; not even leaf
fiuttered in theclear autumn night.
Since his quick whispered Keep close to
| me- following his directions to his men,
Burrows had not spoken to the boy, but
some magnetic current had made him keen
ly alive to the others presence. They had
not talked; but once the boy climbed be-
side him up the steep path, his sombrero
reaching only little higher than Burrows
shoulders, Burrows had reached out his
hand reassurlngly. 1t was strange how
fond he had grown of the boy-how the
touch of the slim, brown fingers quickened
the blood in his veins.
Silently, breathlessly, broken only by the
sweet, scattered forest sounds, the minutes
dragged away. A quarter of hour-a
half-three-quarters-t suddenly the dis
tant boot of a night owl rose, clear above
the stiffness. A minute later answering
call came from the forests edge; then
other, farther away, almost inaudible in the
distance. Burrows fingers closed on his ri
fle and at the same moment the advancing
beats of a horses hoofs sounded distinctly
along the pass.
There was a rustic In the bushes nearby;
how fa1 lsad
ing along the edge of the moonlit trail.
His shapeless hat was pulled low, his face
was, covered, and only his mouth, cruel
and sinister showed below his black mask.
Another shadowy figure followed him-then
another, until there were five, crouching,
crawling, through the pickering shadows.
Nearer and nearer rang the approaching
hoof- beats, and man on horseback turned
sharply around the curve.
The sharp crack of breaking twigs-a