The Colorado statesman., 1915-02-27
An OUTLAW ESCORT
BY KING KELLEY.
(CopYriEht.l

OF a voice as the lead team swung
round a bend in the road.
Hands up" was the next command
as a masked man stepped from be-
hind a tree and advanced toward the
wagon.
1t was not commonplace remark.
Six pairs of hands CROPPED skyward,
nor waited to be told second time.
Throw out the sack with the brass
lock, Driver!" issued firm and cool
from under the handkerchief on the
robbers face.
Now get out and line up"
There had been big talk all morning
in the two back seats about adven-
lures with fierce wild animals and
bad men, but no one lost moments
time in getting in line. Nor did they
essay to produce any of the guns
with which they were so pleutifully
supplied; the respective merits of
which they had each so vociferously
argued
June Cleveland was the only female
occupant of the stage. AS she fas-
tened her eyes on the hostile gun bar
rel and watched the steady, deliberate
movements of the man behind it. there
came over her, in place of fear an
admiration she could not define.
She was on the last ten of a ninety
mile trip by stage from the railroad
to Jackson, Wyoming Besides endur-
ing the iolts and jars of the incommo-
dious wagon for two days, she had put
up with four very uninteresting men
and grinning driver.
At the last stop rumor was current
that the school that had been partially
promised her at Jackson had employed
another teacher, and was now in prog
ress. So to the woes OF a long stage
ride and the boasting talk of the elk
hunters there was the added anxiety
of position already filled.
You fellows shell outi" came the
order; end they shelled. June and the
driver offered their pocKetbooks, but
the robber declined with a shake of
his head. One of the mighty hunters
was ordered to rife the mail-sack,
which he did with great alacrity kneel-
Ing in the dust in complete humble
ness.
AS the highwayman was stuffing the
wads of bills into his pockets, brown
bear shambled out of the woods to-
ward them. The horses snorted
reased, jerked the driver to the ground
and dashed madly down the hill. The
wagon went over and crashed against
a tree few rods away, and the free
horses tore off down the mountain
side
The men, on being given permission
to retire, hurried away to gather up
their hunting outfits and search for the
horses, The robber disappeared in the
forest and June stood alone in the
road. Tears of gratitude and despair
blinded her eyes She sat down by
the mutilated mail-sack and tried to
relieve her irritated mind.
Some one touched her on the shoul
der. She looked up. The outlaw, now
unmasked, stood beside her holding
the reins of his saddle. horse. His face
was young and firm and kind.
You can ride my horse. Well take
a cut through the woods. l can't go all
the way, but will take you in sight of
the town"
June was only too glad to accept.
She had been raised on small ranch
in the West, and did not share the
common dread of outlaws.
He led the way over a dim trail to
the east for ways. Then they turned
north and descended the long slope
toward the valley
At an open parklike fiat on the
mountainside they came upon a small
bunch of horses. The outlaw conclud-
ed he wanted to ride. June sat on a
bowlder and watched him rope.
She had seen the science of the lar
lat demonstrated many times, but this
was the first man she had ever seen
rope horse by the neck then throw
a half-hitch over it's nose with his own
and the other animal on a swift run.
This was the height of perfection, in
her eyes.
He made a hackamore of the rope
and slipped it over the horses head.
Then he helped her to mount and
leaped on to the bare back. After a
few minutes bucking, they rode off
side by side.
This is rather an exciting life you
lead, isn't it?" she asked lightly.
More exciting than profitable" he
smiled.
You seem to have done very well
today?"
There is no such thing as winning
1t this game any more. This is one
game in which the winner loses In
this country, the day for making a
.to 10 ,;x
er to return. The very best of them
ed Cassidy, Kid Curry, and many more
Of them have quit and gone away. If
.hey couldn't make it win, others had
better be careful"
81 believe that you couldn't win at
most anything" she urged hopefully.