Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-08-29

anu aNt hsEAlAN. Af i Oils
rectly across. and with o. isn't
est POSSIBLE delay they The
shallow water. and mouLt,. ae op-
pOsite bank. A hundred yards farther
ON Bristoe refined up suddenly. point
ing down at the trail
One boss left the bunch here" he
declared positively. Keith swung him
self Out of the saddle. and bent over
to study the tracks There was no
doubling the evidence single horse
the only one shod in the bunch
with rider on its back. judging from
the deep imprint of the hOofs. had
swerved sharply TO the left of the
main body. heading directly into the
southeast. The plainsman ran for
ward for a hundred yards 70 assure
himself the man had not circled back;
at that point the animal had been
spurred into a lope. Keith rejoined
the others.
Must have been about daylight
they reached here" he said. picking
up his dangling rein. and looking into
the questioning faces about him. The
fellow that rode out yonder alone was
heading straight toward Carson City.
He is going for fresh horses, figure
1t. and will rejoin the bunch some
place down on the Arkansas. The
others intend TO keep farther west,
where they won't be seen. What do
you say. Benz"
Thet's the way 1t looms up ter me,
Cap; most likely twas the boss him
self"
Well. whoever it was. the girl is
still with the others. and their trail
is The easiest to follow. Wen keep
after them
They pushed on hour after hour. as
long as daylight lasted or they could
perceive the faintest trace to follow.
! Already half-conyinced that he knew
| the ultimate destination OF the fugi-
! lives, Keith yet dare not venture on
| pressing forward during the night. thus
| possibly losing the trail and being
compelled to retrace their steps II
was better to proceed slow and sure.
| Besides. judging from the condition Of
their own horses, the pursued would
be compelled to halt somewhere to
rest their stock also. Their trail even
revealed the fact that they were trav-
cling far less rapidly than at first. al
though evidently making every effort
10 cover the greatest possible dis
lance before stopping Just as the
dusk shut in close about them they
rode down into the valley OF Shaw
nee Fork, and discovered signs Of a
recent camp at the edge Of the stream.
Here, apparently. judging from tho
| campfire ashes. and the trampled
4 grass along the Fork, the party must
have halted for several hours BY
! lighting matches Keith and Bristoe
! discerned where some among them
/ had laid down to sleep, and. through
various signs, decided they must have
again departed some five or six hours
! previous. one OF their horses limpinE
as If lame. The tired pursuers went
into camp at the same spot. but with
out venturing TO light any fire. merely
| snatching cold bite, and dropping
off to sleep with heads pillowed upon
| their saddles
They were upon the trail again with
! the first dimness of the gray dawn,
wading the waters of the Fork. and
striking forth across the dull level OF
| brown prairie and white alkan to-
/ ward the Arkansas. They saw nothing
! all day moving in that wide vista
1 about them, but rode steadily. scarce
/ ly exchanging a word. determined,
/ grim, never swerving a yard from the
| faint trail. The pursued were moving
! slower, hampered, no doubt, by their
| lame horse. but We're still well in adj
/ vance Moreover. the strain of the
| saddle was already beginning TO tell
| severely on Waite, weakened somewhat
| by years, and the pursuers were com
| PEELED to halt oftener on his account.
| The end OF the second day found them
/ approaching the broken land border
! ing the Arkansas valley. and just be-
fore nighfall they picked up a lame
horse. evidently discarded by the
| party ahead
! BY this time Keith had reached a
| definite decision as to his course II
| the fugitives received a fresh relay
| OF horses down there somewhere. and
| crossed the Arkansas. he felt positive
| ~ sure as TO their destination But It
would be useless pushing on after
| them in the present shape OF his party
] their horses worn out. and Waite
Keeling giddily in the saddle. If Haw-
| ley's outfit crossed the upper ford, to-
ward which they were evidently head
ing, and struck through the sand hills.
! then they were making for the refuge
of that lone cabin on Salt Fork.
Should this prove true. then it was
! probable the gambler had not even
yet discovered the identity of Hope.
| for If he had he would scarcely ven
ture upon taking her there. knowing
| that Keith would naturally suspect
| the spot. But Keith would not be like
| ly to personally take up the trail in
| search for Christie Maclaire. 1t must
! have been Hawley then who had left
the party and ridden east. and up 10
! that time he had not found out his
| mistake Yet If he brought out the
fresh animals the chances were that
! Hopes identity would be revealed.
Bristoe. who had turned aside to ex-
( anime the straying horse, came trot-