The Forrest City times., 1908-12-18
CHAPTER xxX.-continued.


 The man ate hungrily, and finished with surly Thank you"
 Which way are you going?"
 West"
 Well take yo' weapon, an watch ye . piece out on the track. Shack. you keep an eye an a gun on him til he gifts to the turn. Ye needn't come back fur another meal O victuals,' she continued to the fellow. If ye 6o, yell find more'n one gun p'inted yore way. Skedaddle,"
 Hes ben layin' round the town fur weeks, that cuss has; but I missed him yisterday," Shack said as the man \ started of slowly. Thought he'd lit out"
 \Esther watched him with mingled Nsion and pity; but Sally B. was al- s.-dy in conference with one of the railroad office boys that "lettered sll," getting out Warning" to be
 'ted on one of the towns bulletin
 ces. Whatever the reprobate might
 undertake could not be done
 The town kept open eyes by
 las well as by day
 \iron train was two hours late, .-,nu the desert day so alluring that Esther decided to ride as usual. Im- mediately after the noon dinner her mount was brought to the door: but her kindly knight was missing. This was not alarming His memory often failed him in the daily routine, when he saddled his horse and wandered alone in the hills hunting for color" " but always returned safe; and on such occasions Esther patiently went without her ride. But today she was disappointed. She wanted to get away from the memory of the morning. Had any one seen him go?" she asked. And Shack. hearing her ques. tion. told her that Bill had saddled not quarter hour ago, an lit out west down the track"
 Il can oyertake him. then" she said to Sally B. as she mounted.
 T don't like ter see ye start off alone Sally E. said; yet she YVES too fearless herself to suspect danger; and her protest was perfunctory.
 'Tn find MT Bernard shortly; don't worry about me"
 Look out for that there breakfast guest of our'n. If you met up with him, he might take a shine to you. or yore mare
 My lungs are good. And section men are too plenty and Swift's heels too nimble for any man on foot to hurt me" Esther replied nonchalantly. Besides. he'll be far toward Wells by this time. That's his first chance Tor supper"
 It was good to be out in the open this perfect day. to be alone. She kept on the lookout for her cavalier, expecting momentarily to overtake him. Presently she spied him climbing high hillside 10 the north. It looked hot and breathless over there. She knew the succession of ridge and hol- low in that direction. No wide. level spaces for gallops, no open yistas She would have this one long afternoon to herself. listen for voices that spoke only to the solitary ear. She rode slowly. making subconscious notes of the smooth, trodden path beside the track. at places where she would give the mare her head when return ing in the cooler afternoon.
 A patch of brilliant desert flowers in small nook where the melting snow lad been gathered and held caught her capricious eye. She would be hid. den from the town here, yet not far from the track and passing trackmen. It would be- quite safe. Dismount.ng, she gathered great bunch of the sun :olored blossoms. and tucked them in hat and habit front. She uncollsd the