Eastern Colorado times., 1913-03-07


one side.
"I'll take It out Of him before morn.
Ing" was the reply. Come on, boy!
tions. captain?"
Garter will have them for you at
the gate Of the stockade. Do you know
the trail?"
well enough to follow-yes."
Mcdonald was waiting with Carter.
and the dim gleam of the lantern re-
vealed his face.
Remember. sergeant. you are to
make her turn back II you can. Tell
her wish her to do so-yes. this let
ter wille explain everything, but she
is a pretty, high-spirited girl. and may
take the BIT in her teethlimagine
she'd rather be here with me, and
all that. II she does suppose you'll
have to let her have her own way
the Lord knows her mother always
did. Anyhow you'll stay with her till
she's SAFE"
II sure WILL" returned the sergeant.
gathering up his reins. "Good-by to
you"
"Good-by and good luck" and Nc
Donald put out his hand, which the
other took hesitatingly. The next In
slant he was in the saddle, and with
wild leap the startled mustang round
ed the edge Of the blum, flying into
the night.
All had occurred SO quickly that
Hamlin's mind had not yet fully ad-
justed itself to all the details. He
was naturally man of few words. de-
Gliding on a course of action quietly,
yet not apt to deviate from any con-
clusion finally reached. But he had
been hurried, pressed into this ad-
venture, and now welcomed an op-
portunity to think It all out coolly.
At first. for half mile or more.
the plunging buckskin kept him busy.
bucking viciously. rearing. leaping
madly from side to side, practising
every known equine trick to dislodge
the grim rider in the saddle. The man
fought out the battle silently, immov-
able as a rock, and apparently as in
different. Twice his spurs brought
blood. and once he struck the rearing
head with clenched fist. The light of
the stars revealed the faint lines of
the trail, and he was content to per
NIT the maddened brute to race for
ward, until. finally mastered. the ami
NAL settled down into a swift gallop,
but with ears laid back in ugly def
ance. The riders gray eyes smiled
pleasantly as he settled more com.
fortably into the saddle. peering out
from beneath the stiff brim of his
scouting hat; then they hardened, and
the man swore softly under his
breath.
The peculiar nature Of this mission
which he had taken upon himself had
been recalled. He was always doing
something like that-permitting him
self to become involved in,athe affairs
Of others. Now why should he be
here, riding alone through the dark
to prevent this unknown girl from
reaching Devere? She was nothing
to him-even that glimpse of her
pictured face had not impressed him
greatly; rather interesting, to be
sure. but nothing extraordinary: be-
sides be was not .woman's man, and,
through years of isolation, .ihe had
grown to avoid contact with the sex
and he was under no possible obliga-
ton to either Mcdonald or Travers.
Yet here he was, fully committed,
drawn into the vortex. by hasty ILL
considered decision. He was tired still
from his swift journey across the
desert from Fort Union, and now
faced another three days ride. Then
what? A headstrong girl to be con-
vinced of danger. and controlled. The
longer he thought about 1t all, the
more intensely disagreeable the task
appeared, yet the clearer did he ap-
preciate its necessity. He chafed at
the knowledge that It had become his
work-that he had permitted himself
to be ensnared-yet he dug his spurs
into the mustang and rode steadily.
grimly, forward.
The rear truth was that Hamlin
comprehended much more fully than
did the men at Devere the danger
menacing travellers along the main
trail to Santa Fe. News reached Fort
Union much quicker than it did that
isolated post up on the Cimarron. He
knew of the fight in Ration Pass. and
that two stages within ten days had
been attacked, one several miles east
| of Bent's Fort. This must mean that
! desperate party of raiders had sue
ceeded in slipping past those scat
tered army details scouting into the