Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-26

where the jagged edge Of rock had broken
the skin, but suddenly stopped with q
quick intake of breath that left him pant
ing. The other man crept toward him,
leading his horse.
what is 1t now?" he asked gruff1y.
''Hev' ye got EN- agin?'
The dased old scout stared, pointing d.
rectly across the others shoulder, his arm
shaking desperately.
tits tharLan' it's his face! Oh, God!-
I know Fifteen year."
The man glanced backward into the pitch
darkness. but without moving his body.
There's nuthin' out there, less it's q
FREELY" he insisted, in a tone of contempt
You're plum crazy, Murphy; the nights
got on yer nerves. What is 1t We think
We see?"
His face, I tell We! Don't know? It's
all green and CHASTITY. with snaky flames
playin' about 1t! But know; fifteen year,
an I amt forgot"
my God! wus tibet you? 1 thought it wus
on his knees, his head craned forward. The
man watching touched the miserable,
hunched-up figure compassionately, and 1t
shook beneath his hand, endeavoring to
shrink away.
my God! was tibet you? I thought it was
him a-reachin' fer me. Here, let me take
yer hand. oh. Lord! An can't We see !?
It's just there beyond them horses-all
green, crawlin'. devilish-but It's him."
.Who?"
"Brant! Brant-lfteen year!'
"Brant? Fifteen years? Do you mean
Maj. Brant, the one Nolan killed over at
BethuneT'
The old man heaved forward, his head
rocking from side to side; then suddenly
he toppled over on his face, gasping for
breath. His companion caught him, and
he strobe savagely across in front of his
shrinking horse. tore down the fiarine pic
ture. and hastily thrust it into his pocket,
the light of the phosphorus with which it
had been drawn being reflected for a mo-
ment on his features.
"A dirty. miserable, ow-down trick" he
muttered. Poor old devil! Yet I've got
to do it. for the little girl
He stumbled back through the darkness,
his hat filled with water. and dashed It
into Murphy's face. "Coms on. Murphy!
There's one good thing bout spooks: they
don't hang round fer long at time. Like
ly es not this 'un is gone by now. Brace
up. man. for you an have got ter get
out o. here afore mornin'."
Then Murphy grasped his arm, and drew
himself slowly to- his feet,
Don't see nuthin' now. do yep
mo. Where's my-horse?"
The other silently reached him the loose
rein. marking as he did SO the quick
nervous peering this way and that, the
starting at the slightest sound.
Did ys say; Murphy, as how it wasn't
I'm D. II did. Who-else was it?''
why, I dunno. Sorter blamed odd
though, tibet ghosts should be a-hauntin'
We. Darn II 1t amt creepy 'nough ter
make Teller believe most anythin'"
Murphy drew himself up heavily into his
saddle. Then all at once he showed the
muzzle of>a ''forty-five" into the others
face. Eye say nuther word-'bout tibet, an
I'll make-a ghost outer ye-blame lively
Now, We shet up-if We ride with me-"
They moved forward at walk and
reached higher level. across which the
night wind swept. bearing a touch of cold
In its breath as though coming from the
snow,capped mountains to the west. There
was renewed life in this invigorating air,
and Murphy spurred forward his compan-
ion pressing steadily after. They were but
lation of plain and mountain, their horses
hoofs barely audible. What imaginings of
evil, what visions of the past. may have
filed the half-crazed brain of the leading
horseman is unknowable. He rode steadily
against the black night WALL as though
unconscious of his actions, yet forgetting
no trick, no skill of the plains. But the
equally silent man behind chung to him
like shadow of DOOM watching his slight
est motion-a Nemesis that would never let
go.
When the first signs of returning day ap-
peared in the east, the two left their horses
in a narrow canyon, and crept to the sum-
NIT of ridge Below lay the broad valley
of the Powder Slowly the misty light
strengthened into gray. and became family
tinged with crimson, while the green and
brown tints deepened beneath the advancing
light which ever revealed new clefts in the
Instant hills. Amid those more northern
bluffs a thin spiral of blue smoke
was ascending Undoubtedly 1t was some
distant Indian signal, and the wary old
plainsman watched it as IL fascinated But
the younger man lay quietly regarding him,
a drawn revolver In his hand. Then MUIR
ply turned his head. and looked back into
the others face
Go be Continued Tomorrow