White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-27

bonus slipped from his mind at the
thought of fire. a terrible word &c
any horseman He wheeled and start
ed on at b~reakneck speed. his head
groom gathering behind him.
Florence naturally wondered
which of two courses to pursue; fol-
low them. when she would be per-
fectly helpless to aid them. or con-
tinue the ride and save at least one
horse from the terror ofseeing flames.
She chose the latter. But she did
not ride with the earlier zest. She
felt depressed. She loved horses.
and the thought of them dying in
those wooden stables was horrifying.
The fires. however, proved to be
incipient. But it was plainly incen-
diary. Some one had set fire to 1t
with a purpose in view. Norton
recognized this fact almost as soon
as the iremen. He had come this
morning with the idea Of surprising
Florence. He was going out on
horseback to join her.
His spine grew suddenly cold. A
trap, She had been left alone on the
road! He ran over to the garage.
secured a car, and went humming
out toward the river road. A trap,
and only by the sheerest luck he
turned up in time.
Meantime Florence was walking
her mount slowly. For once the
scenery passed unobserved. She was
deeply e~ngrossed with her thoughts.
some of which were happy and some
of which were sad. If only her
father could be with her she would
be the happiest girl alive.
She was brought out of her revery
by the sight of a man staggering
along the road ahead of her. Finally
he plunged upon his face in the road.
Like the tender hearted girl she was,
she stopped, dismounted, and ran to
the fallen mar to give him aid. She
suddenly found her wrists clasped in
two hands like iron. The man rose
to his feet. smiling evilly. She strug-
eled wildly but futilely.
Better be sensible" he said. 81
am stroner than you are. And !
don't wish to hurt you. Walk on
ahead of me. 1t will be utterly 81
less to cream or cry out. You can
see for yourself that We are in a de-
serted part of the road. Ii you will
promise to act sensibly l shan't lay
a hand on you. Dc you see that hut
yonder. near the fork in the road?
Well stop there. Now. march,"
She dropped her handkerchief.
later her bracelet, and finally her
crop. in hope that these slight clews
might bring her help. She kenw that
Jones would hear of the fire, and.
finding that she had not returned
with the riding master, would i'm
mediately start out in pursuit. She
was beginning to grow very fond OF
Jones. who never spoke unless spok-
en- to. who was always at hand,
faithful and loyal.
From affair came the low rumble of
a motor. She wondered il her cap
tor heard it. He did, but his ears
tricked him into believing that 1t
came from another direction. Even
tually they arrived at the hut. and
Florence was forced to enter. The
man locked the door and waited out
side for the automobile which he was
expecting. He was rather dunn
founded when he saw that 1t vas
coming from the city. not going to
ward 1t.
1t was Norton. The riderless horse
told him enough; the handkerchief
and bracelet and crop led him
straigh for the hut.
The man before the hut realized by
this time that he had made a mistake
! He attempted to reenter the hut and
prepare to defend 1t till his com
panions hove in sight. But Florence,
recognizing Norton. held the door
| with all her strength. The man
snarled and turned upon Norton. only
to receive a smashing blow on the
jaw.
Norton flung open the door. Into
the car. Florence, There's another
car coming up the road. Hurry"
1t was not a long chase. The a
of the auto bandits. looking like an
ordinary taxicab, was a high power
machine; and II gained swiftly on
Norton's four-cylinder. The reporter
waited grimly.
Keep your head down." he warn
ed Florence. I'm going to take 9
ro4 ~ 4ba,r k;ra~ wha, <hzr rot x.rSkb