The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-06-25

pulling herself together with an enort-
Are those two men coming out to
meet US? Do you think they'd stop
us7"
That's about our luck" returned
Hooker. But when we dip out of sight
In this swale here we'll turn north and
hit for the line"
"All right" she agreed. my horse
is tired. but III do whatever you say.
Bud"
She tried to catch his eyes at this,
but he seemed lost in contemplation Of
the horsemen.
"Them's ruraies." he said at last,
"and heading straight for us-but
we've come too far to get caught now.
Come on" he added bruskly, and went
galloping up the swale.
For two miles they rode up the
wash, their heads below the level Of the
plain, but as Bud emerged at the mouth
of the gulch and looked warily over
the cut bank he suddenly reached for
his rifle and measured the distance to
the line.
They was too foxy for me-" he NUT.
tered, as Gracia looked over at the
approaching rurales. But can stand
EN- off," he added, so you 90 ahead"
No" she cried, coming out In open
rebellion. well, I won't leave you
that's ALL" she declared, as he turned
to command her. "Oh, come along,
Bud" She laid an impulsive hand
on his arm and he thrust his gun back
into the sling with thud.
All right" he said. Cant stop to
talk about it. Go ahead-and fay the
hide off Of that ROAM"
They were less than a mile from the
line, but the rurales had foreseen their
ruse in dropping into the gulch and
had turned at the same time to inter-
cept them. They were pushing their
fresh horses to the utmost now across
the open prairie, and as the roam
Jagged and faltered in his stride Bud
could see that the race was lost
Head for that monument" he
called to Gracia, pointing toward one
of the international markers as he
faced their pursuers. You'll make 1t
they won't shoot woman!"
He reached for his gun as he spoke.
mo. mol" she cried. Don't you
stop! II you do will! Come on!"
she entreated. checking her horse to
walt for him. "You ride behind me
they won't dare shoot at us them"
Bud laughed shortly and wheeled in
behind her, returning his gun to its
sling.
"All right" he said. well ride 1t out
together them"
He laid the quirt to the roam. In the
whirl Of racing bushes white monu-
ment flashed up suddenly before them.
The rurales were within pistolshot
and whipping like mad to head them.
Another figure came flying along the
line. horseman, waving his hands
and motioning. Then. riding side by
side, they broke across the boundary
with the batiled rurales yelling savage
ly at their heels.
Keep going!" prompted Hooker,
as Gracia leaned back to check her
horse; down into the gulch there
them rurales are liable to shoot yeti"
The final dash brought them to
cover, but as Bud leaped down and
took Gracia in his arms the roam
spread his feet, trembled, and dropped
heavily to the ground.
Hell be all right" soothed Bud, as
Gracia still chung to his arm. Then.
as he saw her gaze fixed beyond him,
he turned and beheld Philip De Ian
cey.
II was the same Phil, the same man
Bud had called pardner, and yet
when Hooker saw him there he stiff
fened and his face grew hard.
"Well?" he said, slowly detaching
Gracia's fingers and putting her hand
away.
As Phil ran forward to greet them
he stepped sullenly off to one side.
What they said he did not know, for