The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1915-05-01
CHAPTER xxxiv.


pbFHt FIhbt'ss
Once she had lost touch with her ia
Tiers creatures. the girl drew rein
and went on more slowly and eau.
tiously.
Below her. In the valley. the lower
trail wound It's facile way. From time
to time she could discern upon some
naked stretch OF its length II cloud OF
dust. or perhaps three mounted fig
ures, scurrying madly on with fear OF
death swapping At their heels.
II was within an hour OF midnight.
n night beil-cleAr and bitter cold on
the heights. and bright with moon.
light. when Alans party made It's last
pause and camped TO rest against the
dawn. unconscious OF the fact that. II
quarter OF IA mile above them. on the
upper trail. n lonely woman paused
when they paused and made her own
camp on the edge OF n sharp decliyity.
The level shafts OF the rising sun
awakened her. She sat up. rubbed her
eyes. yawned. stretched limbs stin
with the hardship OF sleeping on un-
yielding. Bun.baked earth--nnd OF
sudden started up. surprised by the
grating OF footsteps on the earth be-
hind 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 frenEied moment managed to
break his hold n trihe. enough TO en-.
able her TO snatch at the pistol hang.
Ing from her belt and present II at his
head,
But II exploded harmlessly, spend.
ing It's bullet on the blue OF the morn.
ing sky. The bandit caught her wrist
In time. thrust II aside and subjected
Il to such cruel pressure and such say.
age wrenchings that the pistol dropped
from fngers numbed with pain.
And now all hint Of mercy left his
eyeB: remained only the glare OF rage.
lie put forth all his strength In turn,
and Judith was as child In his hands.
In half minute he had her helpless,
In as much time more her back was
breaking across his knee. while he
bound her With loop after loop OF his
rawhide lariat,
Then. leaving ner momentarily
supine on the ground. Hopi Jim caught
and unhobbled her horse. and without
troubling TO saddle It. lifted the girl
70 It's back. and placed her there. face
upward. catching her hands and feet,
as they fell on either flank OF the ami.
NAL. with more loops OF that unbreak.
able rawhide. and deftly placing the
master knot OF the hitch that bound
this human pack well beyond possi-
billy Of her reach.
She painted q prayer for mercy. lie
laughed In her face. bent aud kissed
ner brutally. and stepped back laugh.
ing 10 admire his handiwork
Thus he stood for an instant be.
tween tho horse and the edge OF the
decliyity. fair mark. stark against
the sky. for ono who stood in the val.
ley below. holding his rino with eager
fingers. waiting for just such oppor.
tunity with the same impatience with
which ho had waited for II ever since
the noise OF debris kicked over the
edge by the struggling man and
woman had drawn his attention to
what was going on above.
Alan pressed the trigger and tho
shot sounded clear In the morning
stiffness. Judith saw a look OF ag.
srievsd amaxement cross the face of
Hopi Jim Slade.
Then he threw his hands out, clawed |
blindly at the air, staggered. reeled
against the horses flank 30 heavily
that II shied In fright, anl abruptly
shot from sight over tho edge OF the
blum,
(To be contlnued)