The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1911-08-18
CHAPTER HI.-(contlnusd.)

CHAPTER IlI.-(continusd.)
The trail. continually skirting the
high blum and bearing farther away
from the river. turned sharply into q
narrow ravine. There vas q consid-
cradle break in the rocky barrier
here. leading back for perhaps q hun
dred yards. and the plainsman turned
his horse that way. dismounting when
out of sight among the boulders. He
could rest here until night with little
danger Of discovery. He lay down on
the rocks. pillowing his head on the
saddle. but his brain was too active
to permit sleeping Finally he drew
the letters from out his pocket, and
began examining them. They yield
Cd very little information. those TAX
IN from the older man having no en-
,velopes to show to whom they hal
been addressed. The single document
found in the pocket Of the other was
. memorandum of account at the
Pioneer Store at Topeka. charged to
John Sibley. and marked paid. This
then must have been the younger
mans name. as the letters to the 9TH
Or began occasionally Dear Will"
They were missives such as a wife
might write to a husband long abb
sent. yet upon a mission Of deep in
,,esrest to both. Keith could not fully
Setermine what this mission might be,
p the persons evidently understood
zach other so thoroughly that mere
Ia1usion took the place Of detail.
Twice the name Phyllis was mention
ID. and once a Fred" was also re-
ferred to. but In neither instance
clearly enough to reveal the relation
ship, although the latter appeared to
b pleaded for. Certain references
caused the belief that these letters had
Deem mailed from some small Mis-.
sourf town. but no name was men,
toned. They were invariably signed
Mary" The only other paper Keith
discovered was a brief itinerary OF the
Santa Fe trail extending as far west
- the Ration Mountains. giving the
usual camping spots and places where
water was accessible. He slipped the
papers back into bis pocket with a
distinct feeling Of disappointment.
and lay back staring up at the little
strip Of blue sky. The silence was
profound. even his horse standing mo-
.tionless. and finally he fell asleep.
The sun had disappeared, and even
the gray of twilight was fading out Of
the sky. when Keith returned again
10 consciousness, aroused by his
horse rolling On the soft turf. He
awoke thoroughly refreshed. and
eager to get away on his long nights
ride. A cold lunch. hastily eaten. for
Q fire would have been dangerous,
and he saddled up and was OF. trot
ting out of the narrow ravine and into
the broad trail. which could be fol
lowed without difficulty under the dull
CLEAN of the stars. Horse and rider
were soon at their best. the ANNA
swinging unurged into the long. easy
1ope Of prairie travel. the fresh ail
tanning the mans face as he leanet
forward. Once they halted to drinl
from a narrow stream. and then push
Cd on. hour after hour. through tn
deserted night. Keith had little fea
Of Indian raiders in that darkness.
and every stride Of his horse brough
him closer to the settlements an
further removed from danger. Ye
eyes and ears were alert to ever
shadow and sound. Once, It mus
have been after midnight. he drew hi
pony sharply back into a rock shade
at the noise of something approach
ing from the east. The stage to SAINT
70 ratified past, the four mules tro
ting swiftly. a squad of troopers ri
ing hard behind. 1t was merely
Jumping shadow sweeping swift
past; he could perceive the dim on
lines of driver and guard. the soldiet
swaying in their saddles. heard Il
pounding Of hoofs. the creak Of axle
and then the apparition disappeart
into the black void. He had not ca
I'D out-what was the use? Those pc
ple would neve pause to hunt dov
prairie outlaws. and their guard W
suhicient to prevent attack. They Z
knowledged but n duty-to get {
mail through on time.
The dust of their passing still In {
air. Keith rode on, the noise dyt
away in his rear. As the hours pa
Cd, his horse wearied and had 70
spurred into the swifter stride. I
the man seemed tireless. The sun v
IN hour high when they climbed I
long hill, and Hoped into Carson q
The cantonment wal to the right,
Keith, having no report to make. re
directly ahead down the one 10
street to a livery corral. leaving
horse there. and sought the near
restaurant.
Exhausted by a night of high p
and deep drinking. the border to
was sleeping OF its debauch, saio'
and. gambling dens silent. the sue
almost deserted. To Keith, p
xU scoussntance With The place