The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-23
CHAPTER LxxvI.-MAzEPpA.

CHAPTER LXNyI.-MAZEPPA
Repeatedly he saw the frightened
broncho dashing over lips Of beetling
cliffs and bearing it's burden with 1t
to Erisly death In the depths of rocky
chosms. or running loose and at RAM
dom in the ruthless wastes of that
grim desert, that sun smitten wilder
ness of sand and alkali. scestus and
sagebrush, which stretched IT'S barren
ranges beyond the Painted Hills.
Again and again he saw the nor Sc
wearying at once of Its burden and it's
aimless race with nothing rolling over
and over In the blistering sands I'm an
EFFORT to dislodge it's incumbrance . !.
Only infrequently did his gnze, anx-
iously ranging the saw-toothed crests,
pick up that ardous trail which wound
its tortuous way next the skyline. now
for time visible on the nearer flank
Of the ridge, now for long invisible on
it's farther side; and still 1ese often
did he discern upon that giddy path
the fugitive shape OF the bronoho and
Its hapless rider. both diminished to
toylike proportions by the yawning
distances.
Between these glimpses his Visions
haunted him without respite. He had
no other thought. Az for himself, he
was indifferent: the fact that he had
slept but Ill and breakfasted not at all
had no place In his consciousness And
Rose was eafe with Barcus-saferGfar
than she could possibly be with him
against whose life alone were directed
the Vaccinations of the man who was
at once her father and his self-ap-
the hazards of his perilhaunted days:
away from him she was secure from
injury. at least. While Barcus might
be trusted to shift for himself: armed
and horsed. he was peer of any man in
this arid and iawless country.
"A OF hi 4
whenever his mind, firing OF the ten
sion of concentration OH single OBJ
! iect, turned back to those whom he
| had left behind. From Trine's crea-
lures he apprehended no more immc-
diate annoyance. The fact that Judith
had bean alone when attacked ~ the
outlaw who had bound her to the horse.
demonstrated a division in the ranks
tof Alan's prosecutors clearly enough
for his acceptance. Who but Judith
could have sent him that warning OF
yesterday-that card fastened to a
stone which had dropped from the skies
barely in time to save them annihila-
ton beneath the dislodged bowlder?
4, And IL Judith had done that, the split
with her fathers lieutenant. Mario
phat, was proved beyond dispute or any
reasonable doubt.
Mp: unauestionably Judith had part
ed company with Marrophat; While this
last, distanced or discharged, had been
forced to turn back: SO that Rose and
Barcus might be considered safe enough
without Alan. provided they did not
procrastinate unconsclously about their
agreement to follow him.
II he had guessed with what ex-
petition they had acted upon that
agreement, and why, Alan would have
ridden with a solicltude less SINGLE
minded.
But his departure from camp had
anticipated by round quarter-hour
the appearance on the upper trail OF
friends of the slain bandit. to tho num-
her of four or five, who had both dis
covered and recovered his body, called
! his death murder and pledged them
selves to it's avengement-laying re-
sopnsibility for the putative crime at
the door of the man and woman TO
be seen in the canyon, Immediately
below the scene OF Hopi Jims fall.
IT,