The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1912-08-02

4
Yourself with gucrillas. Captain 0rants
With-with Faginy"
The man laughed. but mirthlsssly.
That would be horrible, wouldn't
1T Well. personally fall to sss Why
Fagin 10 any more OF = scoundrel than
some OF these other fellows In gilt
epaulets. However, I've not come to
that point yet. The fact ID I have Q
private affair 10 attend to before
leave this neighborhood. Can you
guess what II isy"
Il? Certainly not"
We'll. you will know shortiy-ths
ambulance 10 coming"
rode my horse slowly forward,
seeping at the edge OF the road, until
assured = SUFFICIENT distance separated
Us. Then ! gave the FESTIVE animal
. sharp touch Of the spur, sending him
swiftly forward. My escort would have
. milo or two the start. yet that was
}aothing. My thoughts were not with
them, or with my military duty, but
reverted to the little company around
the wounded man. The bearing Of
kthe dispatch to Arnold was mere rou-
line. involving only steady riding. but
|the relations existing between Claire.
srant. and Eric Mortimer were full
fOf mystery. There were connecting
lilks could not understand; no doubt
yhad the girl been permitted to con-
kclude her story I might fit II toe 9TH
Ter. but AZ II was was left cropping In
NE darkness. Yet my mind tena-
siously held to It's original theory as
70 Eric's strange disappearance-hs
BAD been betrayed By Grant. and was
being held prisoner. But where! BY
Fhom! And for what purpose!
I ! pondered on this problem - my
Aorse ploughed forward through the
Just, my eyes unconsciously scanning
he dark road. Grant could not have
tnown that Colonel Mortimer was be-
- taken home. His meeting with the
ambulance party was altogether an &C.
qdenI Yet ! had no faith the man
Gas out seeking British stragglers. for
I'D he been dispatched on such mis-
qOn he would have had at least
aquad Of soldiers with him. Then what?
ne probability was that he was eth
er riding To Elmhurst. or to some rem.
dfsyous with Fagin. Some plan had
been interrupted By Clinton's sudden
march. By the British defeat ct Mon
nauth. and Grant was risking his
fhnlssioa, braving the charge e -
~ - 1900 -4Ss1Vuoo 40uSSoool'
Ills might be love u Claire. revenge
upon Eric. or possibly both combined.
The latter would seem most probable.
He would use Eric In some way to
threaten the sister. to compel her to
sacSince herself. She was Of q nature
to do this. ~ was already abundantly
proved by her assumption Of male
attire to save Erics reputation. Ny
own responsibility doomed large 40 I
reached this conclusion. and remem.
bered her appeal for help. She. also.
must suspect the truth. and had turned
to mo ~ the only one capable OF un.
raveling the mystery. She trusted me.
loved me. now believed--and. under
God. would prove worthy Of her faith.
With teeth clinched In sudden deter.
mInation caught up with my little
squad Of Flooding horsemen. and. with
word a command. hurried them into
sharp trot.
Riding ahead. boot 10 boot with
Conroy. thought out = plan for &C.
ton. and finally, In the gray Of the
morning. told him enough OF the story
to arouse his interest. Just before
sunrise We passed Elmhurst. the great
white mansion appearing silent and
deserted. There was no hating. 81.
though We turned In the saddle to
look. and my eyes swept over the
troopers trotting behind ~. They were
sturdy lot. their faces bronsed from
exposure. their uniforms stained and
dust-covered.
"Regularsf" I asked. nodding back
across my shoulder.
Not man but has seen two years.
service.' he replied proudly. "Ham.
ilton knows the troop. and he picked
10 out
! Il may need them for BIT Of des
perate work."
They'll do II. cir. never FEAR
Good. sergeant: well ride hard.
and trust to getting fresh horses In
Philadelphia. RI tell Arnold the story.
When we arrive there have your men
get al tho sleep they can. IN attend
TO ratl0ns and ammunition. You are
simply 70 have the men rested and
ready. Cannot We make better timer
! The horses seem In good condition"
We paased swiftly over the level