The Huttig news., 1914-11-14

Gracia of her mother with nothing of her father, and how she had firted in order to be sent to school where she could gaze upon the outstanding Amer jeans. Only Bud thought of the trail and scanned the horizon for rebels, but he seemed more to seek her eyes than to watch for enemies and death. They rode on until the sun sank low and strange tracks struck their trail from the east. Bud observed that the horses were shod, and more tracks of mounted men came in beyond He turned sharply toward the west and followed rocky ledge to the hills, without leaving a hoof-print to mark the way of their retreat
 Those hoof prints brought Bud back i from the land of dreams in which he had been wandering to realza- i ton of the dangers that lurked about them Put a little way ahead was the pass they must cross, and fe sud denly realized that they could not 1 safely do so in the broad light of day He must not take such chances Of losing his new found happiness.
 By the signs the land ahead was full of bandits and ladrones, men to whom human life was nothing and a woman no more sacred than brute At the pass ali trails converged, from the north and from the south. Not by any chance could man pass over it in the daytime without meeting some one on the way, and if the base revoltosos once set eyes on Gracia it would take more than a nod to restrain them.
 So, in a sheltered ravine they sought cover until it was dark, and while Graea slept, the heavy-headed Bud watched the plain from the heights above
 As he watched he dreamed of home in which this woman now sleep ing beside him was the queen. He dreamed of years to come with un- bounded happiness throughout all of them. Thoughts of Phil and duty to his pardner were far away. Nothing on the plain below served to distract him from this dream of happiness As far as he could see there was nothing that savored of danger for the woman in his keeping. There were no sounds or signs of either l federal or revolutionary troops, from both of which they were fleeing. and | from both of which he must guard her. Again they were in a world that was all their own. an Eden with but one man and one woman.
 For an hour ard more he watched and dreamed and with the dreams came the desire for sleep. the cry of nature for rest. Gracia stirred. then spoke softly to him, calling him by name, and her voice was as music far away.
 When she awoke and found him nod ding Gracia insisted upon taking his place. Now that she had been re- freshed her dark eyes were bright and sparkling, but Bud could hardly see. The long watching by night and by day had left his eyes bloodshot and swol- len, with lids that dropped in spite of him. If he did not sleep now he might doze in the saddle later or ride blindly into some rebel camp; so he made her promise to call him and lay down to rest until dark
 The stars were all out when he awoke, startled by her hand on his hair, but she reassured him with word and led him up the hill to their lookout It was then that he under stood her silence. In the brief hours during which he had slept the de- serted country seemed suddenly to have come to life.
 By daylight there had been nothing to suggest the presence of men. But now as the velvet night set. tied down upon the land 1t brought out the glimmering specks of hun dred camp-fres to the east and to the north. But the fires to which Graeia pointed were set fairly in their trail, and they barred the way to Gadsden.
 "Look.' she said "I did not want 10 wake you, but the fires have sprung up everywhere. These last ones are right in the pass"
 When did you see them?" asked Locker, his head still heavy with sleep. Have they been there Iong?"
 Mo- only a few minutes," she an- swered. At sundown saw those over to the east-they are along the base of that big black mountain-but these flashed up just now; and see. there are more, and more!"
 Some outfit coming in from the north said Bud. They've crossed over the pass and camped at the first water this side
 Who do you think they are?" asked Gracia in an awed voice. .Tnsurrec- tos?"
 Like as not" muttered Bud, gazing from encampment to encampment. But whoever they are,' he added they're no friends of ours. We've got to go around them
 And if we can't?" suggested Gra- cia
 T reckon we'll have to go through, then. answered Hooker grimly We don't want to get caught here in the