The Tupelo journal., 1909-08-13
XIII.
The Shot In tho Pass.

~ 9iOk bt NV 6Ss
Dicksie walked hurriedly through
the dining room and out upon the real
porch. Her horse was standing where
she had left him. Her heart beat fu
riously as she caught up the reins, bull
she sprang into the saddle and rode
rapidly away. The flood Of her tenn
per had brought a disregard Of con
| sequences; it was In the glow OF hei
| eyes, the lines of her lips. and the ire
NOR of her nostrils as she breathec
long and deeply on her flying horse.
When she checked Jim she had rid
den miles, but not without a cours
nor without a purpose. Where the
roads ahead of her parted to lead
down the river and over the Elbow
Pass to Medicine Bend, she halted
within a clump of trees almost where
she had first een McCloud. Beyond
the Mission mountains the sun was
setting in a fire like that which glowed
under her eyes. She could have
counted her heart-beats as the crimson
ball sank below the verge of the hori
zon and the shadows threw up the sill
yer thread of the big river and deep
ened across the heavy green of the al
falfa fields. Where Dicksie sat, strug
Cling with her bounding pulse ant
holding Jim tightly in, no n from
the ranch or, indeed, from the up
country could pass her unseen. Sht
was waiting for a horseman, and the
sun had set but a few minutes wheI
she heard a sharp gallop coming dowl
the upper road from the hills.
All her brave plans, tergor-strickel
at the sound of the h~oof-beats, fet
from her utterly. She was stunned
by the suddenness of the crisis. Sh'
had meant to stop McCloud and speal
to him, but before she could summon
her courage a tall, slender man OIL
horseback dashed past within a few
feet of her. She could almost hav'
! touched him as he flew by. and
horse less steady than Jim would hav'
SHE'D under her. Dicksie caught he
breath. She did not know this man
she had seen only his eyes, oddl.
bright in the twilight as he passed
but he was not of the ranch. He mus
cluded, down which she herself hat
just ridden. He was somewhere from
the north, for he sat his horse like
statue and rode like the wind.
But the encounter nerved her to he
resolve. Some leaden moment
Do,eoJ md MoC1OuH 0aI1op{nO NJ
far milder pace toward the fork of thu
roads, checked his speed as he ap
preached. He saw a woman on hors|
back waiting in his path.
"Mr. McCloud!"
Miss Dunning!"
Il could not forgive myself If
waited too long to warn you tina
threats have been made against you
life. Not of the kind you heard tc
day. My cousin is not a murderer
and never could be, 1 am sure, in spit
of his talk; but l was frightened at tn
thought that if anything dreadful
should happen his name would b
brought into it. There are enemie
of yours in this country to be feared
and it is against these that l war;
you. Goodnight"
surely you won't ride away with
out giving me a chance to thank you!
exclaimed McCloud. Dicksie checke'
her horse. Il owe you a double deb
, of gratitude" he added, "and l an
anxious to assure you that VIZ desir
nothing that will injure your interest
in any way in crossing your lands"
Il know nothing about those maj
ters, because my cousin manage
everything. 1t is growing late an,
you have a good way to go, so good
night"
But you will allow me to ride bacl
to the house with you?"
ooh, no, indeed, thank you!"
at will soon be dark and you al
alone"
mo, no! 1 am quite safe and 1 hav'
only a short ride. 1t is you who hav'
far to co." and she spoke again t.
Jim, who started briskly.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
M Gao. .