The daily sentinel., 1914-07-15


W The moon that had seemed so
friendly but short while before
the stars that had seemed friendly candles
placed in their Celestial sockets to light her
way, had become dread enemies, lighting up
the course she taking. Only the thick trop-
ical vegetation helped her at all, the giant Cacti
the huge palms with their low hung fronds, the
shadows of the bushes and hedges casting mystic
shapes here, there, and everywhere and bewild-
ering those who followed.
Times above the ringing of her horses hoofs,
she would hear the shouts of those behind her.
Now and then message of lead would whine its
dreadful tale into her ears but all these were
growing fainter less distinct with every leap of
the animal she bestrode. Remained now but the
last line of pickets she knew Loubeque had
posted about the ranch. If only she could get
past that line then IL would be desperate un-
dertal<ing for the one who met her on neutral
ground.
time. Often she had felt the temptation to run
away from this place, even though she knew her
chances for final success were NIL, but always had
she conquered and waited for the ripening OF op-
portunity.
And just when everything appeared hopeless,
when the long road was darkest, love had planted
its seed within the heart of Loubeque's follower
and urged him to the sacrifice of honor and life
to her escape Surely she could not fail after
the manner of her coming this far.
Came the tolling of bell from the ranch
house. There the unmistakable message OF
her escape in its brazen tongue She looked back,
frightened Rockets of vari-colored flames were
of man-made shooting stars retailing her light
to every of the band.
Desperate though she knew they were, from
these signs feeling of despair instead OF con-
fidcnce grew steadily in her heart. Despite the
speed of her mount, the limits of Loubeques
great ranch had not yet been reached And after
the ranch-if there was to be any "after'-whnt
then?
As though in to the unspoken ques-
tion, simultaneously with the looming of the
bayonet fence before her, two men leaped from
the shadows, springing at the horses bit The
beast swerved violently, almost unseating her
and tossing the man on his left into cactus,
where he rolled, bowling in painful rage, as the
needles pierced him. The second man had firm
hold upon the horses head. Lucille saw he had
caught the brute by the nostrils with his free
hand and smothering him into docility, In
stinctively she leaned far over and snatched the
revolver he wore from its holster lammipg ~
vicousy up under his chin. The fellows heSid
shot back erlkily, his eyes glaring classify INTO
hers. then he staggered back, cutching futilely
for the weapon she had seized.
With u hard, trickling, little laugh, she
clubbed the weapon and drew the sight roughly
across her horses neck scratching him so fierce-
ly he fairly leaped the distance that sePar-
ated her from the broad gate beside which the
two sentinels had stood. As he darted madly
through the whine of bit of lead passed so
close she could feel the breath of II upon her
cheek.
Something primitive within her was reused,
a wild, fierce joy OF combat which she had never
felt before. Leaning far forward upon the
brute's neck, she turned and fired squarely at
the squirt of fame that wns lcaPing towards her
of
flame, his arms >eutsretched as broad jumper
throws himself at the tape, then dug her heels
once more into the dumb brute's tanks and sped
on through the night.
Hours II seemed she rode with the
slightest slaclening of the mad pace to which
she originally set her mount He was lathereu
with foam but she had no pity on him Her
brain was fiercey chaotic, wild with the bloody
memories of the night, intoxicated with the MAD,
ness which had made primitive thing out OF
her femininity, obsessed by the delight OF feel-
ing herself able to be self-protechng among the
most desperate of men . ID,
Before. unconscously, she had feared the
rotentialities of Hugo Loubeque's strength Inc
mental power of her beauty and innocence Now
she knew these things to be but cloak with
which she had masked woman unrecoeniI-,u,s s-..ns
even to herself She feared him no more feared
his threats no more. An old saying she hnd
heard n grzzled veteran of her fathers command
once utter came back to her as she looked AT
,he heavy weapon she still clung to: Judge
Colt made all equal" She laughed triumph
antly at the knowledge gained first hand OF tne
truth of this saying. ,,
was free and she knew where the stolen papers
and documents were secreted IN the inys,eriou, ,
house of inexpicabe disappearing rooms niu
stairs She had the diary of Hugo Loupeque III
her possession, and she had the ruby necNaee
which was equivalent to vast wealth. She haa
the outward seeming of guiielessness, was giri-
ish and delightfully."- efferninate, but sne Knew
the power of the claws she had, and her eyes
rested fondly on the revolver, even Us she uiseu
her horse TO greater speed. "a, -,
Across the tractless plain she rode with only
the moon and stars looking down upon her,
wild eerie figure of bareheaded glri; benlnu
tbe pursuit had died away and before there was
nothing save a slender ribbon of water that tne
,noou buried its face In contentedly.
She heard voices, low pitched, YET carrying
far In the silence of the night. Instantly she
drew rein and flung herself to the ground listen ten
ing intently. Creeping cautiously to signt rise,
hs looked down upon an adobe shack, before
s,b;ch little squad of barefooted Mexieans
loafed idly their brown hands 2s luzy iSs re
~ mel
" From where she watched she suddenly no no
,i.nd n stir among the men. From the interior
tsSu ~ hack stt,1pcd gaudily dressed little
Wexieau. evidently an officer, from the awkward
saluies accorded him by the tatterdenal'ohs o,,s
,i,er,.l before. the house. For some reason she
e"iI -. ann1xze Lucille listened eagerly, her