Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1911-09-06
CHAPTER lII.-(Continued.)

CHAPTER lII.-(Continued.)
The trail, continually skirting the
nigh bluff and bearing farther away
from the river. turned sharply into
narrow ravine. There was a consid.
cradle break In the rocky barrier
mere. leading back for perhaps 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
ed very little information, those TAX
en- from the older man having no en-
Velopes to show to whom they hi
been addressed. The single document
FOUND In the pocket of the other was
a memorandum of account at the
Fioneer Store at Topeka. charged to
1onn Sibley. and marked paid This
tnen must have been the younger
mans name. as the letters to the 9th.
er began occasionally Dear Will"
Ihey were missives such as a wife
might write to a husband long alb
sent. yet upon a mission of deem in.
terest to both. Keith could not fully
determine what this mission might he
as the persons evidently understood
each other so thoroughly that mere
aiuslon TOOK the place OF detail
Twice the name Phyllis was mention.
ed. and once Fred" was also re.
1erred to. but in neither instance
clearly enough to reveal the relation.
ship. although the latter appeared IN
ne pleaded for. Certain references
caused the belief that these letters had
Deen mailed from some small Mis-
souri, town. but no name was men.
TONED They were invariably signed
mary. The only other paper Keith
discovered was brief itinerary of tho
santa Fee trail extending as far west
as the Ration Mountains. giving the
usual camping spots and places where
water was accessible. He slipped tho
papers back into his pocket with a
distinct feeling of disappointment.
and lay back staring up at the little
STRIP OF blue sky. The silence waa
profound. even his horse standing mo-
't1onless, and finally he fell asleep.
The sun had disappeared. and even
the gray of twilight was fading out NJ
the sky, when Keith returned again
TO consciousness. aroused by his
horse rolling on the soft turf. He
'awoke thoroughly refreshed and
eager to get away on his long nights
ride. cold lunch, hastily eaten. for
q fire would have been dangerous
and he saddled up and was off trot-
ting out Of the narrow ravine and into
the broad trail. which could be fol.
lowed without difficulty under the dull
gleam OF the stars. Horse and rider
were soon at their best. the animal
swinging unurged into the long. easy
lope OF prairie travel. the fresh air
tanning the mans face as he LEANED
forward Once they halted TO drinl
from a narrow stream. and then nusb-
ed on. hour after hour, through the
deserted night. Keith had little fear
of Indian raiders I'm that darkness
and every stride OF his horse brought
him closer to the settlements and
further removed from danger. Yet
eyes and ears were alert to every
shadow and sound Once. II must
have been after midnight. he drew his
pony sharply back into a rock sbadoyy
at the noise OF something approach.
ing from the east The stage to Santa
Fe ratified past, the four mules trot.
ting swiftly. a squad OF troopers rid.
ing hard behind II was merely n
INN ming uEnH1uu
past. he could perceive the dim o,it.
lines Of driver and guard. the soldiers
swaying in their saddles. heard the
pounding OF hoofs the creak of axles
end then the apparition disappeared
Into the black void lie had not call.
ed out-what was the user Those non.
pie would never pause 10 hunt down
prairie outlaws. and their guard was
sufficient to prevent attack. They ac.
knowledged but one duty-to get the
mail through on time
The dust Of their passing stu I'm the
air Keith rode on, the noise dying
away in his rear As the hours pass
ed his horse wearied and had 10 be
Hpurred into the swifter stride. but
the man seemed tireless. The sun was
an hour high when they climbed tho
long hill, and Hoped into Carson city
The cantonment was TO the right. but
Keith, having no report 10 make. rode
directly ahead down the one long
street TO a livery corral. leaving his
horse there. and sought the nearest
restaurant
Exhausted By a night Of high play
and deep drinking. the border town
was sleeping on its Gebauch, saloons
end gambling dens silent, the streets
almost deserted. To Keith, whose for.
aeT acquaintance with the place had