Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-10-05

horses had slowed down to walk.
the heavy sand retarding progress It
was a gloomy. depressing scene In the
spectral gray light, q wide circle Of
intense loneliness. unbroken by either
dwarfed shrub or bunch of grass, a
barren expanse stretching to the sky.
Vague cloud shadows seemed to fit
across the level surface. assuming fam
tastic shapes, but all of the same dull,
coloring. imperfect and unfinished.
Nothing seemed tangible or real but
rather some grotesQue picture Of de-
liriuna. ever merging into another yet
more hideous. The very silence OF
those surrounding wastes seemed bur-
densome, adding UNNECESSARILY to the
horror. They were but specks crawl.
ing underneath the sky-the only l1v-
Ing. moving objects in all that i'm
mense circle of desolation and death.
Keith turned In his saddle. looking
back past Neb-who swayed In his
seat. with head lolling on his breast
as though asleep, his horse plodding
after the others-aiong the slight trail
they had made across the desert. So
far as eye could reach nothing moved.
nothing apparently existed. Fronting
again to the north he looked upon the
same grim barrenness. only that far
OF, against the lighter background OF
distant sky, there was Visible faint
blur. blush haze. which he believed
to be the distant sand~dunes border
ing the Arkansas. The Intense dreari-
ness of it all left feeling ofdepression.
His eyes turned and regarded the girl
riding silently beside him. The same
look OF depression was visible upon
her face, and she was gazing on into
the duh distance with lack -luster eyes.
her slender form leaning forward, her
hands clasped across the pommel.
The long WEAKNESS OF the night had
left traces on her young face. robbing
It Of some OF Its freshness. yet Keith
found It more attractive In the grow
Ing daylight than amid the lamp shad-
ows Of the evening before. He had
not previously realized the peculiar
sclearness Of her complexion. the rose
tint showing through the olive skin.
or the soft and silky fineness OF her
hair. which. disarrangad. was strange
b becoming under tho broad brim Of
Nhe hat she wore. drawn low until It
Swallowed her eyes. r was not face
to be easily associated with frontier
concert halls. or Any surrender 10
evil: the chin round aud firm. the lips
full, yet suh1cientiy compressed; the
whole expression that of pure and
dignified wOmanhood. She puzzled
him, and he scarcely knew what to-
believe. or exactly how to act toward
her.
Our friends back yonder should be
turning out from the corral by now:
be said finally. anxiosls 10 break the
silence. for she had rot spoken since
he ended his tale. 1t win not be-
hong until they discover Hawlay's
predicament. and perhaps the welkin
already rings with profanity. That
may even account for the blue haze
out yonder.
She turned her eyes toward him.
and the slightest trace Of smile APP
Dearsd from out Of the depths OF their
weariness
IF they would only remain satisfied
with that VIII. they follow us. 10
yuu think And are We far enough
away hy this time to be safer
1t Is hardly likely they win let rs
escape without 4 chase. he answered
SLOWLY. we possess too much infor4
maticn now that we have their rem
devious located. and Black Bart will
have private grudge 30 revenge /
wonder II he suspects who attacked
hinl But don't worry. Miss Hope:
We have miles the start. and the wind
has been strong enough to cover our
trail Do you see that dark Irregular
ity ahead z
Yes: Is It cloud r