The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-24

the ranch house shaded her eyes with
one hand and looking away saw moth.
ing save the green expanse Of grass
broken here and there by jagged
fence rail. There were some maple
trees about the house, but beyond the
confines Of the yard there was moth
ing but grass.
There was no sound to break the
stiffness Of the September afternoon
except the long chirrup Of insects and
the buzzing Of bees among the flower
beds. From the stables came the &C.
casional stamp of hoofs.
Olive Cole was all alone. Even the
Chinese cook had muttered something
about finding mushrooms in the far
meadow. and tapped his way out Of
sight.
Olive strongly suspected that he
was playing fantan at some rendez-
vous with several fellow countrymen
from the other ranches. The men had
talked about It.
She wished he had not gone this
very afternoon when her parents had
gone to Red Tree station and the
place was deserted. II was the first
time she had been left alone. but she
was not afraid. for in the belt that
clasped her trim waist was an efiicient
little revolver.
An eagle scared like a speck in the
blue heaven. Beneath him a hawk
circled.
Then out OF the silence came the
thud OF hoofs on the turf and there
dashed into view horse and rider
tearing out of the Red Tree trail. The
horse scufiled to standstill down at
the gate to the corral his rider
slipped to the ground and darted into
the barns while the animal snuffed the
air for moment and then gallopel
madly past the house. turning to the
right and vanishing down the trail to
the hidden spring
"Oh dear." cried Olive with a
hand above her heart
She recognized this little scene II
one of the grim TRAGEDIES Of The west
It had happened once hoinrn and she
had never forgotten the e'ght rs tie
.cattlcmcn led tho horsc' he's away to
lynch him.
Her hand droppcd to l,r eile ana
hnr face stifened into a mask of IN.
difference as there camo The sound
of other hoofbons and n dozen men
drew rein at the cato.
afternoon. Miss Olive" said the
leader wiring his moist forehead
"Yore pa around?"
"No-he's gone to Red Tree, Mr..
Hall"
ANY Of the boys here?"
"All over on the range. Is there
anything I can do for YOU"
The sheriff replaced his hat and
glanced around at the determined
looking men in his party.
THE fact Is we're after a chap that
was riding a dark bay with white
nose. Amt seen any such party"
He looked keenly at her from under
his hat brim.
II saw horse rush past here and
turn down toward Hidden Spring"
said Olive.
WAS there man on him."
'No-not even a saddle"
WAS he dark bay with a white
nose?"
II couldn't tell exactly-he went so
fast am sure he was dark" said
the girl quietly
Then what became OF him." de-
manded Hall. turning to his com.
panions
Must have slipped or at the cross
roads and cut for the timber"
I'VE better divide up then. Half Of
you fellows 90 back and follow the
other trail and the rest Of us will 20
down to Hidden Spring. You might
look through the stables before you
CO." The sheriff rode away with six
OF his men and the others left their |
horses and tramped toward the sta.
bles.
Olive followed them. her heart IN
her throat. She hoped the fugitive.
whoever he was. might have hidden
himself securely. She despised cattle
thieves. but she had a tender regard
for human life-indeed for life OF any
description and she would not have
killed a Jack rabbit As for her re-
volver. she carried II to brighten more
than to wound.
AZ the men searched the stables and
the barns with the thoroughness Of
long practice. Olive quaked inwardly.
II would be a clever nan indeed who
could have escaped their scrutiny.
The horses in the stalls stamped nerv.
ously as the searchers reered around
and even olives cream colored pony
snapped at her when she laid
caressing hand on its nose.
Nothing doing here" declared
Hank Holmes as they tramped out OF
the building.
What has he done?" asked Olive.
finding her voice with difficulty.
Been rustling the Englishman's
cattle. Caught him last night riding
one Of the horses-same one YOU saw
, T. 4