The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-07-13
CcODyhahi. iSil. By Prank A Munssy.I
continued from Monday

and Hooker watching carefully for CIV.
cry sign Of difficulty.
What is there up here7" inquired
Bud. pointing az a fainter trail that
led on toward the north. This o
try Is new TO me. Don't know. en-
Well. n We followed that trail we'd
run into them rebels. anyway. so we
might as well go 10 the west Is your
saddle all right? Wen hit Il up then
I'D like TO strike a road before
dark"
Thoy hurried on. following a we'll
marked trail that alternately climbed
ridges and descended into arroyos,
until finally II dropped down into a
PERCEPTIONS canon where a swollen
stream rushed and babbled and. while
they still watched expectantly for the
road, the evening quickly passed.
They had no opportunity for CONVEX.
sation, for the trail was too narrow
20 permit OF their riding side by side.
Bud was thinking not only OF the dan
gers that surrounded them, but OF this
errand on which he was engaged, and
what the end OF Il meant to him.
First the slantlng rays OF the sun
struck Gre from the high yellow crags.
then the FIRE faded and thu sky glowed
an opalbiue: then. through dark blues
and puppies the heavens turned 10
black above them and all the stars
came out. Thousands Of frogs made
the canyon resound with their throaty
songs and strange animals crashed
through tho brush az their approach,
but still Hooker stayed in the saddle
and Gracia followed on behind.
II she had thought In her dreams OF
an easier Journey she made no com.
mont now and. outside Of stopping &c
cinSh IN her saddle. Bud seemed bard.
~ to knOw she was there. T all
was not going to suit hint hlged
on too far TO the southland yet in the
tropical darkness. no could not search
out new ways to go.
At each fork he paused 20 light n
match. and whichever way tho mule
tracks went he went also. for pack.
mules would take the main trail. For
two hours and more they followed on
down the stream and then Hooker
stopped his horse.
You might as well get down and
rest a while" he said quietly. This
trail Is no goOd-it's taking us south.
Wen lee our horses feed until the
moon comes up and ri try to work
north by landmarks"
"Oh-are we lost?" gasped Gracia,
dropping stifiy to the ground. "fiut OF
course We are" she added. I've been
thinking so for some time"
"Oh, that's all right" observed
Hooker phiiosophically; Il don't mind
being lost as long as I know where
I'm at. Wen ride back until we get
out OF this dark canyon and then I'll
lay q line due north"
They sat for a time In the dark.
ness while their horses champcd at
the rich grass and then. unable to keep
down her nerves. Gracia declared for a
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 II would not let her
rest.
Nor was the vision entirely the re.
suit OF nervous imagination, for they
had lost half the advantage OF their
start, as Hooker well knew. and II he
made n more false move he would
find himself called on 70 fight As
they rode back through the black
canyon he asked himself for the hun.
dredth time how II had all happened
why. at a single glance from her.
be had gone against his better iudg.
mont and plunged himself into this
tangle. And then. finally. what was
he going 20 do about Il?
But hs knew what he was going TO
do about IL. He knew he was going
10 take this girl through 70 Gadsden
and TO Phil. and his loyalty was such
that he would not admit. even 60 him
self. that Phil did not deserve her.
Alone, he would have taken 20 the
mountains with a fine disregard for
trails. turning into whichever served
his purpose best and following the
lay of the land. Even with her IN his
care Il would be best 10 do that yet.
for there would be trailers on their
track at sunup, and II was either ride
or Tight
Free AZ last from the pent-in canyon,
they halted at the forks. while Bud
looked out the land by moonlight. Dim
and ghostly. the squaretopped peaks
and buttes rose all about him, huge
and impossible except for the winding
trails. Iie turned up n valley between
two ridges. squirting his horse into a
fast walk.
From one COW trail 10 another he
picked cut 4 way 20 the north. but the
lay OF the ground threw him 10 the
east and there were no passes between
the hills The country was rocky.
with long parallel ridges extending 10
--% 80 -e-~ hN aav where
-