The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-23
Previously Continucd)
By DAN COOLIDGE
AutIhOr uf

moon comes up and III try to work
north by landmarks"
"Oh-are we lost?" gasped G.acia,
dropping stifly to the ground. But OF
course We are" she added. I've been
thinking 30 for some time"
"Oh. that's oil right" observed
Hooker philosophicaIy; II don't mind
being lost rs lone as / know where
I'm at, We'll ride back until we get
out or this dark canyon and then I'll
lay line due north"
They sat for time In the dark.
ness while their horses champed at
the rich grass and then, unable to keep
down her nerves. Gracia declared for
start A vision Of angry pursuers rose
up in her mind-of Manuel del Rey
and his keen.eyed rurales, hot upon
their trail-and It would not let her
rest.
Nor was tho vision entirely the re-.
suit Of nervous imagination, for they
had lost half the advantage OF their
start. as Hooker we'll knew, and II he
made one more false move ne would
find himself called on to fight. AS
they rode back through the black
canyon he asked himself for the hun.
dredth time how It had all happened
why. at single glance from her.
he had gone against his better 1udg.
ment and plunged himself into this
tangle. And then. finally. what was
he going to do about It?
But he knew what he WAS going to
do about Il. He knew he, was going
to take this girl through tt Gadsden
and to PHIL and his loyalty was such
that he would not admit, even to- him.
self. that Phil did not deserve her.
Alone, he would have taken to5 5the
mountains with fine disregard for
trails, turning into whichever serted
his purpose best and following tue
lay OF tho land. Even with her In his
care It would be best to do that yet
for there would be trailers on their
track at sunup. and 1t was either ride
or fight. -.
Free at last from the pent-in canyon,
they halted at the forks. while Bud
looked out the land by moonlight. Dim
and ghostly. the square-topped peaks
and buttes rose all about him, huge
and ;mpaRaahle excentsfor the wisains
Tails. He turned up Q valley between
two ridges. spurring his horse into a
fast walk. i
From one cow trail to another he
picked out q way to the north, but the
lay OF the ground threw him to the
east and there were no passes between
the hills. The country was rocky
with long parallel ridges extending to
the northeast, and when he saw where
the way was taking him Bud called q
halt till dawn.
By the very formation he was being
gradually edged back toward For
tunn. and 1t would call for fresh
horses and a rested Graoia to outstrip
their pursuers by day. II the ruraIes
travelled by landmarks. heading for the
northern passes In an effort to out
ride and intercept him. they might
easily cut him OF at the starr; but II
they trailed him-and he devoutly
hoped they would-then they would
have tangled skein to follow and he
could lose them In the broken country
10 the north.
So thinking, he cut grass among the
rocks. spread down their sa6a.e-
blankets and watched over the
browsing horses while Gracia
stretched out on the bed. After q day
oS excitement and night Of hard rid.
ing there is no call for q couch OF
down. and as the morning star ap
peared in the east she slept while Bud
sat patiently by.
1t was no new task for him, this
watching and waiting for the dawn.
For weeks at time. after O hard
days work at the brandlng. he; had
stood guard half the night. Sleep, was
luxury to him, like water TO q noun.
tain.sheep-and 80 were all the other
useless things that towhbrad people
required. isp
People like Gracia. people IKE Phil
To ride. to fight, 10 hhd the ,yays--
there he vas better Einp than Phil,
but TO 3spenk toa womah, to know he.
ways, and to enter, into her life -thSre
he was no man at all. s;!4..s, ary (S;s:
She trusted 70 his courage 20 PRO.
tect her, and that ha could do. but 81
was 60 q man nuch as Phil fshe
would give her love. s. Phil could not,
love her moro than he did. but PhiPs
ways could be more attractive to her.
His adventurous life with his eather
had not been such as TO cultivate the
little e'nieeties that. appealed. to women,
Il whs only. his privilege TO serve, hut
he giorisd lin that privilege, now, as
he watched beside her an ishe slept,
and his vigA but strengthened his res.
;olution ito zee her safely through to-
Phil. a -.
8 lie sighed now 40 he saw the frss