Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-08-12
CHAPTER XIII.


nht IliN let MN. fl'I Itdll INdL Ia
riously as she caught up the reins. but
she sprang into the saddle and rode
rapidly away The hCod Of her tenn
per had brought disregard of con-
sequences: II was in the glow Of her
Eyes. the lines of her lips, and the ire
NOR of her nostrils as she brcathed
long and deeply on her flying horse.
When she checked jim she had rid.
den miles. but not without course
nor without n purpose Where tho
roads ahead of her parted to lead
down the river and over the Elbow
Pass to Medicine Bend. she halted
within clump OF trees almost where
she had first seen McCloud Beyond
The Mission mountains tho sun was
tetting IN fire like that which glowed
nnder her eyes. She could have
counted he" heart-bcats as the crimson
ball sank below the verge Of the hor-
,on and the shadows threw up the sill
YER thread of The big river and deep
ened across the heavy green of the al
.alfa fields. Where Dicksic sat, strug-
Cling with he" bounding pulse and
holding jim tichtl, In. no one from
iut ldlltn O!, lDUf-'I IiUUi Tue uD-
country could pass BE-: unseen. She
was waiting fer & horscmaa and tho
sun had SCI but & few minutes when
she heard a shar, gallop coming down
the upper road from tho hills.
All he: brave plans, tcrror-strlcken
at the sound Of the hoofbcats. fed
from her utterly She was stunned
by the suddenness Of the crisis she
had meant to stop McCloud and speak
to him, but before she could summon
her courage tall. slender mat on
horseback dashed past within a few
feet OF he's She could almost have
touched him os he now by. and Il
horse less steady than jim would have
SHE'D under her Dicksie caught he.
breath She did not know this man
she had seen onlj his eyes oddl,
bright in the twilight: rs he passed
but he was not Of the ranch He mus
have como from the hill road. she COZ
cluded. down which she herself had
just ridden. He was somewhere from
the north, for he sat his horse like a
statue ard rode like the wind.
But the encounter ncrvcd her to her
resolve. Some leadon moments
passed. and McCloud, gallcping at a
far milder pace toward the forl, of the
roads, checked his speed as he an,
preached. He saw woman on horse.
back wa ing in his path.
Mr.. McCloud!"
Miss Dunning."
Il could not forgive myself If I
tn
threats have been mado AGAINST your
HE. Not of the kind You heard 20
day NV cousin is not 4 murderer.
and move: could he. an sure. in spite
of his talk; bu wae frightened at the
thought that if anything dreadful
should happen his name would be
brough. into it There are enemies
or yours in this country to bn feared.
and it is against thcao THAI warn
you. Goodnight"
Surely you won't ride away with.
out giving m chance to thank YOU"
exclaimed McClcud Dicksic checked
her horse. II owe yoI double T. bit
Of gratitude" he added. and | am
anxious TO assure you that we desire
nothing that will iriu.c Your interests
In any way in crossin. your lands"
Il know nothing about hose mat
tors, because my cousin manages
everything 1t is growing ate and
you lave a good way to go, 50 good
night"
But you will allow me 10 ride back
to the house with you"
"Oh. no, indeed. thank yon,"
1T will soon be dark and you are
alone"
no, no! am quite safe and have
only short ride. i is you who have
far to co. ard she spoke again TO
Jim who started briskly
Miss Dunning. wont Won listen inst
, moment" Please don't run away"
McCloud was trying to come mp with
her. Won't you hear me a moment?
have suffered some little humiliation
Today; | should really rather be shot
up than have more put on me. am
! man and you are q woman, and it is
llready dark. Isn't it for me TO see
you safely 10 the house? Won't you
1t least pretend can act as an escort
and let me go with you? should make
poor figure trying to catch you on
horseback"
Dicksie nodded naively. with that
horse"
with any horse-I know that" said
McCloud, keeping at her side
But ! can't let you ride back with
me-" declared Dicksie. urging jim and
looking directly at McCloud for the
frst time. How could | eXplain?'
Let me explain. am famous for
explaining" urged McCloud, squirting,
too.
"And will you tell me what | should
be doing while YOU were explaining"
she asked
Perhaps getting ready a first aid
for the injured
II feel as II | ought to run away
declared Dicksie, since she had clearly
decided not to. ut will have 10 be a
compromise, ! suppose You must not
ride farther than tho first gate, and
let us take this trail instead Of the
road. Now make your horse 20 as
fast as yon can and III keep mp"
But McCloud's horse, though not
wonder, went too fast to suit his rider
who divided his efforts between check
ing him and keeping NJ the coa-orsa
tion. When McC!oud dismountcd to
open Dlcksie's cato, end stood in the