Abbeville progress., 1914-11-14

days work at the branding, he had
stood guard half the night Sleep was
a luxury to him, like water to noun
tain-sheep-and so we're all the other
useless things that town-bred people
required.
People like Gracia, people like Phil
they were different in all their ways.
To ride, to fight, to find the way
there he was a better man than Phil;
but to speak to woman, to know her
ways, and to enter into her life-there
he was no man at all.
She trusted to his courage to pro-
tect her, and that he could do. but 1t
was to a man such as Phil she
would give her love. Phil could not
love her more than he did, but PM 5
ways could be more attractive to her
His adventurous life with his father
had not been such as to cultivate the
little niceties that appealed to women
1t was only his privilege to serve. but
he gloried in that privilege now as
he watched beside her as she slept
and his vigil but strengthened his res
olution to see her safely through to
Phil.
He sighed now as he saw the hrst
flush Of dawn and turned to where she
slept, calm and beautiful, in the solemn
light. How to waken her, even that
was question, but the time had come
to start.
Already. from Fortuna, Del Rey anC
his man-killing rurales would be on the
trail. He would come like the wind
that dashing little captain, and noth
ing but bullet would stop him, for hi!
honor was at stake. Nay. he had tol(
: Bud In so many words:
"She is mine. and no man shall come
a between u.s."
1t would be hard now If the rurale
), should prove too many for him-r
bullet should check him in their fiigh
and she be left alone. But how L
wake her! He tramped near as n
led up the unwilling mounts; then, a
4 time pressed, he spoke to her, and
last he knelt at her side.
y SAY" he called, and when that di
u not serve he laid his hand on ne
shoulder.
Wake up!" he said, shaking ne
y gently. Wake up. it's almost day!
y Even as he spoke he went back I
the phrase of the cow-camp-wner
70 men rise before It is light. But Gracl
y woke up wondering and stared abo'
~ her strangely, unable to understand.
IL "Why-what is it?" she cried. The
as he spoke again and backed ava
she remembered him with smile.
y "Oh," she said, "is 1t time to get VI
- Where are we, anyway"
40 About ten miles from Fortuna" a
~ swered Hooker soberly. TOO close
- we ought to be over that divide"
n He pointed ahead to where the VI
lev narrowed and passed between tV
~ hills, and Gracia sat up, binding ba'
- her hair that had fallen from its plac
q Yes. yes!" she said resolutely. ~
" must 20 on-but why do you look
me 80 strangely"
Don't know" mumbled Bud. "Didl
know I was. Say. let me get them sa
die blankets. will your"
He went about his Work WIN q
barrassed swiftness, elapping on SO
dies and brides, coiling up ropes. a
Offering her his hand to mount VIII
he looked at her again 1t was
strangely.
Hope you can ride" he said. "
got to get over that pass before Al
body else makes it-after that We
take q rest"
"As fast as you please" she
svered steadily. Don't think ab<
me. But what will happen n--th
get there flrstT
She was looking at him now as
searched out the trail ahead. but
pretended not to hear. One man
that pass was as good as hundr
! and there were only two things
could do-shoot his way through,
turn back. He believed she would
want to turn back.