The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-08-31

] stone walls; and there are others who
have suffered with me. 1t has cost me
love, home. all that a man holds dear.
The very least o can do in ordinary
decency is to speak the truth now. It
will not hurt you but it will lift me
out of hell"
"Well-maybe 1 might. Anyhow,
I'll go on-with We. Kin 1 sit up?
I'm dog tired-lyin' yere."
"Unbuckle your belt, and throw that
over first"
I'm damned-if I will. Not-in NO
Injun-country."
ct know it's tough" retorted Hamp-
ton, with exa~sperating GOODNESS, his
revolver's muzzle held steady; but.
sust the same, it's got to be done. I
know you far too well to take chances
on you gun. So unlimber."
"Oh, Iguess not" and Murphy spat
CONTEMPORARY. D We think-Tm
afeard o. yer-shootin'? Ye don't dare
fer I'm no good ter ye-dead."
you are perfectly right. You are
quite a philosopher In your way. You
would be no good to me dead, Murphy,
but you might prove fully as valuable
manned. Now I'm playing this game
~ IAC AAAAAl, dAQ ludI 1l1ult II JUST
about reached. You unlimber before
both your hands!"
The hooking, sardonic grin deserted
Murphy,s features.
"Unlimberi It's the last call"
With a mari the scout ~unclasped
his army belt, dropped it to the ground
and sullenly kicked it over toward
Iono nfnn II -~--
eyed-devil, kin I-sit up?"
The other nodded. He had drawn
the fangs of the wolf, and now that
he no longer feared, a sudden, unex-
plainable feeling of sympathy took
possession of him. Murphy %sputtered
and swore, but his victorious compan-
ion neither spoke nor moved Their
were several distant smokes out to
the northward now, evidently the an
swering signals of different lands of
wages while far away, beneath the
shadow of the low bluffs bordering the
stream, numerous black, moving dots
began to show against the light brown
background. Hampton, noticing that
Murphy had stopped swearing to gaze.
swung forward his feld-glasses for a
better view.
4hOy Il AuuAdAo, lShb OAO05ht hC
said, at last. Here, take a look, Muir
ply. l could count about 20 in that
bunch and they are travelling nortn."
The older man adjusted the tubes to
his ayes and looked long md steadily
at the party.
They seem-to be a-closin' in" he
declared, finally, staring around into
the others face, all bravado gone.
fsTharo'c onnfhnr 0f-htrcES oil ~ sou1
out west yonder-an' over east a
smudge is-just startin'. Looks like
we wus in a pocket-an' thar might
be some-harraisin' fore long"
well, Murphy, you are the older
hand at this business. What do you
advise doing?"
me? why. push right '1ong-while
we kin keep under cover. Then-after
dark-trust ter ull luck an make
'nuther dash. It's mostly luck. any
how.
you mean we should start now?"
"Better-let the cattle rest-1rst.
An-if ye ever fee prisoners-Td
like ter eat a bite-mesilf."
They rested there for over two
hours, the tired horses contentedly
munching the ~succulent grass of the
SO0ACOt G1CAA WV 9(9AS0A "a
changing a word. Murphy, after salts
flying his appetite. rested fat upon
his back, one arm flung over his eyes
to protect them from the sun.
At last they saddled up and passed
down the coulee into the more precip-
ftous depths of the narrow canyon.
Their early advance was slow and
cautious, as they never felt certain
that hidden ona~fnc MIGHT InrE ha.
hind the sharp corners of the winding
dehle. and they kept vigilant eyes
upon the serrated skyline. The saw
ages were moving north and so were
they.
It was fully three o'clock when they
attained to the bank of the Powder.
and crouched among the rocks to wait
for the shades of night to shroud their
further advance. Murphy climbed the
bluff for a wider view, bearing Hamp-
toms aeld-glasses slung across his
shoulder, for the latter would not
leave him alone with the horses. He
returned finally to grunt out that there
was nothing special in sight. except n
shifting of those smoke signals to
points farther north. Then they lay
down again, Hampton smoking. Muir
ply either sleeping or pretending to
sleep. And slowly the shadows of an
other black night swept down and
shut them In.
It must have been two hours later
when they ventured forth. Silence
and loneliness breoded eyerywhere,
not so much as q breath of air stir
ring the leaves. Murphy continued to
lead. the light rea of his horse bare
" audible, Hampton pressing closely
behind. revolver in hand. the two pack
horses trailing In the rear.
Midnight and they pulled up amid
the deeper gloom Of q great. overhang-
ing blur. having numerous trees near
its summit. There was the glow of q