The Washington herald., 1914-10-18

q
mite" and "fusei-reached her ears.
Kneeling beside the boulder he dug busily for
instant then lodged the stick to his satisfaction
and attached the fuse.
But while he was 50 engaged and Marrophat
aided him. all eager interest, Judith was taking ad.
vantage Of their disregard Of her.
Hurriedly unbuttoning her jacket, she whipped
q playing card from her pocket, Trey Of Hearts,
and with the stub Of pencil scribbled three words
on its face-@DanserI Go baekI"
Then finding q small, hattish bit Of rock she
bound the card to it with bit Of string and with
one more backward glance to make sure she was
not watched, approached the brink.
In the canyon below the three were within two
minutes Of the danger point.
It was no trick at all to drop the stone so that Il
fell within dozen feet Of the leading horseman.
She saw him rein In suddenly, dismount, cast
look aloft, then dismount and pick up the warning
At the same time Hopi Jim and Marrophat
jumped up and ran back, each seizing and holding
his horse by nose and bride
Constrained to do likewise lest she lose her
mount Judith waited with Hghtened heart
The explosion smote dull echoes from the tanks
of the Painted hills, all browsing in the MONDAY
hush the boulder teetered reluctantly on the brink.
then disappeared with tearing sound, followed by
q rush Of earth and gravel; wide gap appeared
In the brink Of the trail.
Leaving Marrophat to hold the two frightened
horses while the girl soothed her own, the bandit
rushed to the edge threw himself fat and swore
bitterly, with an accent Of grievance. he rose.
From the canyon below dull rumor Of gallop-
ing hoofs advertised too plainly the failure of their
attempt
And Hopi Jim turned back only-to find Judith,
mounted, refining her horse in between him and
Marrophat, and prepared to give emphasis to what
she had to say with automatic pistol that nestled
snugly in her palm.
"One moment, Mr.. Slade." she suggested evenly;
"tust moment before you break the sad news to
Mr.. Marrophst. I've something to say that needs
your Observation-Disclosures your respect. It is this:
am parting company with you and Mr.. Marrophat.
I am riding on toward the west, by this trail II
either of you care to follow me"-the automatic
flashed ominously in the glare-"it will be with
full knowledge Of the consequences. Mr.. Mario
phat will enlighten you If you have any doubt of
my ability to take of myself in such affairs as
this. you are well advised. you will turn back
and report failure to my father"
She nodded curtly and swung her horse round.
And what shall tell your father from you?"
Marrophat demanded sharply
What you please" the girl replied flashing an
impish smile over-shoulder But since when |
part company with you, part with him as we'll
for all of me, may tell him to go to the devil"
We'll" Mr. Marrophat admitted confdentially to
Mr.. Slade, I'm damned"
And that amt ALL Mr. Slade confded in Mr.
Marrophat whipping out his own revolver: you're
being held up, too. I'll take those guns of yourn.
friend, and what else you've got about YOU that's
Of value, including your hoss-and when you get
back to Old Man Trine you Just tell him. with
my best compliments that I've quit the job and lit
out after that daughter of hisn. She's heap sight
more attractive than nineteen thousand dollars and
not half so hard to earn"
W-BURNT FINGERS.
Once she had lost touch with her fathers crea-
lures, he girl drew rein and went on more slowly
and cautiously.
Below her, in the valley the lower trail wound
its facile way. From time to time she could dis
cern upon some naked stretch Of its length cloud
ohdust, or perhaps three mounted figures scurrying
madly with fear Of death swapping at their heels
It was within an hour of midnight night bell
clear and bitter cold on the heights and bright
with moonlight, when Alan's party made its last
pause and camped to rest against the dawn uncOn-
scious of the fact that, quarter Of a mile above
them, on the upper trail. lonely woman paused
when they paused and made her own camp on the
edge Of a sharp declivity.
The level shafts of the rising sun awakened her.
She sat up, rubbed her eyes, yawned stretched
limbs stf with the hardship of sleeping on unyield
ing sun-baked earth-and Of a sudden started up.
surprised by the grating OF footsteps the earth
behind her.
Before she could turn. however. she was caught
and wrapped in the arms of Hopi Jim.
She mustered all her strength and wits and will
for one last struggle-and in a frenzied moment
managed to break his hold trife, enough to en-
able her to snatch at the pistol hanging from her
belt and present 1t at his head.
But It exploded harmlessly. spending its bullet
on the blue of the morning sky.
And now all hint Of mercy left his eyes: remained
only the glare Of rage. He put forth all his
strength in turn, and Judith was child in his
hands In half a minute he had her helpless in
rs much time more her back was breaking across
his knee while he bound her with loop after loop
of his rawhide lsriat.
Then, leaving her momentarily supine on the
ground, Hopi Jim caught and unhobbled her horse
and without troubling to saddle it. lifted the girl
to its back and placed her there.
She painted q prayer for mercy. He laughed in
her face bent and kissed her brutally and stepped
back, still laughing, to admire his handiwork
Thus he stood for an instant between the horse
and the edge Of the declivity, fair mark. stark
against the sky, for one who stood in the valley
below, folding his rifle with eager fingers, waiting
Just such opportunity with the impatience that he
had waited 1t since the noise Of debris kicked
over the edge by the struggling man and woman
had drawn his attention to what going on
above.
As Alan pressed the trigger and the shot sounded
clear in the morning stiffness, Judith look Of
aggrieved amazement cross the face Of Hopi Jim
Slade
Then he threw his hands ont clawed blindly at