The Huttig news., 1914-10-31

hair, but he saw only her eyes, so brave and daring, and the challenge to mount and ride.
 Only for a moment did he stand be- fore her gaze, and then !e caught up his saddle and spoke soothingly to his horse. They rode out of the corral together, closing the gates behind them and passing down a gulch to the rear. All the town lay silent below ern pass.
 The time had come. We'll he knew the dangers that lay between them and the American line. Dangers not for him but for her. In the hills and passes and 'on the cactus-covered plain were thousands of men with whom she would not be safe for an instant, and against whom he must guard her that she might be delivered safely to Phil And he loved her then as he had not believed it possible to love woman. He loved this woman that he was attempting to save for another man, "pardner" who had at the best been reckless of every trust, who had been unfaithful to ev. cry promise. And across the border this man was waiting for the woman Bud Hooker loved. That he take her to him was more severe test of his manhood than any to which he had before been subjected. That he be untrue to the trust she reposed in him never entered his mind for mo- ment With a strong mans love for her be thought only of how he was to conduct her safely out of the dangers which surrounded her.
 Soldiers miners. and refugees, men. women, and children, every soul in Fortuna was on the hill to see the last of the battle. It had been a crude affair, but bravely ended. and some thing in the dramatic suddenness of this victory had held all eyes to the i close. Bud and Gracia passed out of town unnoticed, and as soon as they had rounded the point they spurred on till they gained the pass.
 '1 knew you would come!" said E paused at the fork.
 "Sure!" answered Hooker with his good-humored smile. Count me in or anything-which way does this -trai go; do you know?'
 'It goes west twelve miles toward Arispe," replied Gracia confidently "and then if. comes into the main roae that leads north to Nogales and Gads ] den.'
 That sounds about right for US. ; replied Bud. "Gadsden's the place we want to head for, and we want to get there mighty quick. too, if them reb- els will let us, an I guess that's what they'll have to do whether they want to or not"
 They rode on together for some dis tance, the girl seemingly oblivious of the dangers which surrounded her. and Hooker watching carefully for ev- cry sign of difficulty.
 What is there up here?" inquired Bud, pointing at fainter trail that led off toward the north. This eoun- try is new to me. Don't know, eh9 We'll, if we followed that trail we'd run into them rebels. anyway, so we might as well go to the west Is your saddle all right? We'll hit it up then I'd like to strike road before dark"
 They hurried on, following we'll marked trail that alternately climbed
  until finally 1t dropped down into a precipitous canon where a swollen stream rushed and babbled and, while they still watched expectantly for the road. the evening quickly passed.
 They had no opportunity for conver- sation, for the trail was too narrow to permit of their riding side by side. Bud was thinking not only of the dan gers that surrounded them but of this errand on which he was engaged, and what the end of it meant to him.
 First the slanting rays of tine sun struck fire from the high yellow, crags then the fire faded and the sky glowea an opalblue; then. through dark blues and purples the heavens turned to black above them and all the stars came Nout. Thousands of frogs mad the canyon resound with their throatl songs and strange animals crashed through the brush at their approach but still Hooker stayed in the saddle and Gracia followed on behind
 If she had thought in her dreams oi an easier journey she made no com ment now and, outside of stopping to cinch up her saddle. Bud seemed hard y to know she was there, The traii .as not going to suit limit edget off too far to the southland yet, in th. tropical darkness, he could not search out new ways to go
 At each fork he paused to light a match, and whichever way the mule. tracks went he went also. for pack mules would take the main trail For two hours and more they followed on down the stream and then Hooker stopped his horse
 You might as we'll get down and rest while" he said quietly This trail is no good-its taking us south. We'll let our horses feed until the