The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1911-12-29

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 tie older man having no en-,
yelopes to show to whom they had
been addressed The single document
found in the pocket Of the other was
q memorandum of account at the
Pioneer Store at Topeka, charged to
John Sihley, and marked paid This
then must have been the younger
mans name as the letters TO the 9th.
err began occasionally Dear WIZ"
They we're missives such as wife
might write TO a husband long alb
sent. yet upon mission OF deep In.
terest to both Keith could not fully
determine what this mission might be.
as the persons evidently understood
each other so thoroughly that mere
allpson took the place of detail
Twice the name PHYLLIS was mention.
ed and once Fred" was also re-
erred to. but in neither instance
clearly enough to reveal the relation.
ship, although the latter appeared to
be pleaded for Certain references
caused the belief that these letters had
been 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 the |
Santa Re trail extending as far west
as the Ration Mountains, giving the
usual camping spots and places where
water was accessible He slipped the
papers back into his pocket with A
distinct feeling of disappointment.
and lay hack 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 81
the sky, when Keith returned again
70 consciousness. aroused by his
horse rolling on the soft turf He
nwoke thoroughly refreshed. ana
eager to get away on his long nights
ride A cold lunch. hastily eaten. for
a fire would have been dangerous
and he saddled up and was of. trot.
ling out Of the narrow ravine and into
he broad trail which could bo fol.
owed without difficulty under the dun
sieain of the stars. Horse and rider
we're soon at their best the animal
'wineing unurged into the long. EASY
ope of prairie travel. the fresh air
aiming the mans face as he leaned
onward. Once they halted TO drink
rom narrow stream. and then pueh.
ID on, hour after hour, through the
eserted night Keith had little fear
4 indian raiders In that darkness,
nd every stride of his horse brought
i'm closer to the settlements and
lrther removed from danger. Yet
yes and ears were alert to every 9
hadow and sound Once, II must {
ave been after midnight, he drew his
ony sharply back into rock shadow j
I the noise OF something approach. o
ig from the east. The stage to Santa I
g ratified past, the four mules trot.
ng swiftly squad OF troopers rid 1
Is hard behind. II was merely
ImpSng shadow sweeping swiftly b
asst; he could perceive the dim out. g
mes of driver and guard, the soldiers 4
waving in their saddles. heard the p
,unding OF hoofs. the creak OF axles, e
I'd then the apparitioh disappeared
TO the black void. He had. not call. p
l'out-what was the useg Those peo. el
g would never pause to hunt down CT
'airie outlaws, and their guard was 81
nisl'pf TO prevent attach Thss - o
- ,+rf ~