Evening journal., 1914-10-26

she revived.
He helped her gently to regain her feet, passed
an arm round her.
Thus they struggled on in strange, dumb compan'
ionship OF misery and wonder.
Thus an hour passed; and for all their desperate
struggles neither could see that the light on the
mountanside was yard the nearer.
Behind them other lights appeared, two staring
yellow eyes that peered up over the horizon.
seemed to pause time I'm search Of the two, then
leaped out directly toward them.
or this they were altogether ignorant; and when
a deep droning sound disturbed the desert silence.
like the purrng of some gigantic cat both ascribed
it to the drumming Of their laboring pulses.
The two lights not a mile behind them
when silently, without sign TO warn the girl.
Alan released her, took step apart and dropped
if shot
Instantly she was kneeling by his side. But in
the act of bending him she drew back and
remained for several moments motionless, staring
at those twin glaring eyes, sweeping down upon
them with all the speed attainable by sixcynder
touring car negotiating a trackless desert.
When Judith did move il not to comfort
Alan. On the contrary her first act was to draw
from her pocket heavy, bluntnosed revolver
break It at the breech and blow its barrel clear OF
dust Her hand went next TO the holster on Alan's
hip From this she extracted his Colts As, treat
ing 1t as she had the other Then she crouched low
above the man she loved If thinking perhaps to
escape notice from the occupants Of the motorcar
II that we're her thought, Il was bred of an idle
hope. Alan had CHOSEN 10 tall IN the mluule OF a
wide space so arid that not even sagebrush had
ventured to take root there. When the glare OF
the headlights fell upon them it inevitable
that discovery should follow. The motor stopped
within twenty feet Three men jumped out and
ran toward the pair leaving two in the car-the
chauffeur and one who occupied a corner of the
rear seat: an aged man with the face Of damned
soul doomed for a little time to live upon this
earth in the certain knowledge OF his damnation.
AS this happened Judith Trine leaped to her feet
and stood over the body Of Alan, revolver poised
in either hand.
Halt" she ordered imperatively. Hands upi"
The three who had alighted obeyed without
moments hesitation: her fathers creatures, they
knew the daughters temper far too well to dream
of opposing her will
In the six hands that were silhouetted against
the headlights radiance. three revolvers glim-
mered: but al her command all three dropped
harmlessly to the EARTH
Then. sharply Stand back two pacesi" she re-
quired.
They moved unanimously.
Darling forward she picked up and pocketed the
three weapons then with one Of her own singled
out the men she named.
Now Marrophat-and you, Hicks-pick Mr.. Law
up and carry him into the car. And treat him
gently, mind If Of you lifts finger to harm
him, that one shall answer to me-"
Still none ventured TO dispute her The two men
designated without sign of dsincnation stepped
forward One lifted Alan Law by the shoulders:
the other took his legs. Between them they bore
him with every care toward the motor car
But now a second viii manifested itself The
man in the seat lifted up a weirdly sonoroul
voice: