Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-10-30

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This was their opportunity II they
were to get through that line OF sleep
Ing men it must be done by stealth.
Should they be discovered it would
mean one man against an army to
protect the woman, and the odds, great
as they were, must be taken IL need
be.
It was approaching the hour of mid
night, and as their horses twitched res
lively at the bits they gave them the
rein and rode ahead at a venture.
At their left the last embers OF the
fires revealed the sleeping forms OF
men; to their right, somewhere In the
darkness, was the night herd and the
herders. They lay low on their horses
necks, not to cast a silhouette against
the sky, and let Copper Bottom pick
the trail.
With ears that pricked and swiveled,
and delicate nostrils snufing the Mex
lean faint, he plodded along through
the greasewood. divining by some in
stinct his masters need of care. The
camp was almost behind them, and
Bud had Strengthened up In the sad
die. when suddenly the watchful Cop
per Bottom jumped and a man rose up
from the ground.
who goes there?" he mumbled,
swaying sleepily above his gun, and
Hooker refined his horse away before
he gave him an answer
None of your business" he growled
i~mpatiently. 81 am going to the pass"
And as the sentry stared stupidity after
him he rode on through the bushes,
neither hurrying nor hating until he
gained the trail.
Good luck!n he observed to Gracia,
when the camp was far behind. HE
took me for an officer and never saw
you at all"
NO, l flattened myself on my pony"
answered Gracia with a laugh. HE
thought you were leading a pack
horse"
Good" chuckled Hooker; you did
fine! Now. don't say another word
because they'll notice a woman's voice
and il we don't run into some more
of them we'll soon be climbing the
pass"
They had passed through some per
ilous moments. but Gracia had hardly
realized the danger because of the as
surance of Hooker. who was careful
not to brighten her unnecessarily. But
1t was an assurance which he had not
felt himself, and he was not yet GER
tain of their safety.
The waning moon came out as they
left the wide valley behind them, and
then it disappeared again as they rode
into the gloomy shadows of the can
yon. For an hour oil two they plodded
slowly upward, passing through lar
row defles and into moonlit spaces,
and still they did not mount the sum-
NIT.
In the cas- the dawn began to break
and they spurred on in almost a panic.
The Mexican paisanos count them
selves late If they do not take the trail
at sunup-what If they should meet
some struggling party before they
reached the pass?
Bud jumped Copper Bottom up a
series Of cat steps; Gracia's roam came
scrambling behind; and then, just as
the boxed walls ended and they gained
a level spot, they suddenly found them
selves In the midst of a camp of Mex
icans-men, saddles, packs, and rifles.
ali scattered at their feet
"Buenos diasi" saluted Bud, as the
blinking men rose up from their
blankets. Excuse me, amigos, l am
In a hurry"
"A donde va? A donde var" chal
lenged a bearded man as he sprang up
from his brush shelter.
ITO the pass, senior" answered Hook
er. still politely, but motioning for
Gracia to ride on ahead. "Adios!"
.who is that mani" beloved the
bearded leader, turning ~furiously upon
his followers. where Is my senti
mel? Stop him!"
But It was too late to stop him. Bud
laid his quirt across the rump of the
O and spurred forward In a dash for
cover. They whisked around the point
OF q hill as the first scattered shots
rang out; and, as q frightened sentinel
jumped up in their path Bud rode him
down. The man dropped his gun to
escape the fury of the charge and In
a mad clatter they flung themselves
at a rock-slide and scrambled to the
bench above. The path was rocky.
but they pressed forward at q eailop
until, az the sun came up, they beheld
the summit of the pass.
"We wins cried Bud. as he spurred
up the last Incline 3,
As he looked over the top he ex
ploded In an oath and jerked Copper
Bottom back ON his launches. The
leader Of a long line Of horsemen was
just coming MP the other side-there
was no escape-and then back at the
frightened girl
"Keep behind me- he commanded,