The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-10-31

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 were all the other
useless things that town-bred people
required.
People like Gracia, people like Phil
they were different in ali their ways.
To ride, to fight, to find the way
there he was a better man than Phil;
but to speak to a 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 it
was to a man such as Phil she
would give her love Phil could not
love her more than he did, but Pills
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 first
flush of dawn and turned to where she
slept, calm and beautiful, in the solemn
light. How to waken her, even that
was a question, but the time had come
to start
Already, from Fortuna, Del Rey and
his man-kiIIing rurales would be on the
trail. He would come like the wind,
that dashing little captain, and moth
ing but bullet would stop him, for his
honor was at stake. Nay, he had told
Bud in so many words:
she is mine, and no man shall come
between u.s."
1t would be hard now If the rurales
should prove too many for him-if a
bullet should check him in their flight
and she be left alone But how to
wake her! He tramped near as he
| led up the unwilling mounts; then, as
time pressed, he spoke to her, and at
last he knelt at her side.
SAY" he called, and when that did
not serve he laid his hand on her
! shoulder.
Wake up" he said, shaking her
gently. Wake up, it's almost day!"
Even as he spoke he went back to
| the phrase of the cow-camp-where
men rise before it is light But Gracia
woke up wondering and stared about
her strangely, unable to understand.
''Why-what is it?" she cried. Then.
as he spoke again and backed away.
she remembered him with smile.
oh" she said, SIS it time to get up?
| Where are we, anyway"
About ten miles from Fortuna" an
swered Hooker soberly. TOO close
we ought to be over that divide"
He pointed ahead to where the val
ley narrowed and passed between two
hills, and Gracia sat up, binding back
her hair that had fallen from its place
yes, yes!" she said resolutely. I'VE
must go on-but why do you look at
me so Strangely"
Don't know" mumbled Bud. Didn't
know I was. Say, let me get them sad
| dle-blankets, will you?"
He went about his work with en-
barrassed swiftness, slapping on sad
dies and brides, coiling up ropes, and
offering her his hand to mount When
he looked at her again it was not
strangely.
Hope you can ride" he said. I'VE
got to get over that pass before any.
body else makes it-after that we car
take a rest"
"As fast as you please" she an.
swered steadily. Don't think about
me. But what will happen n-they
get there frst?"
She was looking at him now as he
searched out the trail ahead. but he
pretended not to hear. One man in
that pass was as good as a hundred
and there were only two things he
could do-shoot his way through, OF
turn back. He believed she would not
want to turn back