The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-17
CHAPTER xxxvili.
The Upper Trail.

The Upper Trail.
In the ten minutes delay necessi'
tated by this reverse, number OF
more or less innocent bystanders
picked up the man Texas and carried
him of to breathe his last beneath
roof; Hopi Jim picked himself up,
brushed his person tolerably clear OF
clouds Of dust and profanity. and do
parted In search Of mount to replace
the horse that had been shot under
him; and Judith sat her horse calmly,
smiling sweet insolence into the exas-
perated countenance of Marrophat.
Incidentally the fugitives disap-
peared round a bend in the road that
led directly into the wild and barren
heart Of the Painted hills.
In the brief interval that elapsed be-
fore his return with Hopi Jim. Mario
phat contrived to persuade the bandit
that Judith had been, at least indi-
rectly, responsible for the catastrophe,
with the upshot that, temporarily
blinded to her destinations by the gilt
ter of nineteen thousand dollars in the
near distance, Mr.. Slade maintained
his distance and a deaf ear to her
Establishments. The only Information
as to their purpose that she was able
to extract from either man, when the
pursuing party turned aside from the
main trail, some distance from Mesa,
was that Hopi Jim knew a short cut
through the range, via what he termed
the upper trail. by which they hoped
to be able to head the fugitives off be.
fore they could gain the desert on the
far side of the hills.
Only at long intervals did they draw
rein to permit Hopi Jim to make re.
connoissance Of the lower trail that
threaded the valley on the far side Of
the ridge.
Toward noon he returned in haste
from the last Of these surveys
scrambling recklessly down the noun
tain-side and throwing himself upon
his horse with the advice:
We've headed 'em-can make Il
now II we ride like all get-out!"
For half an hour more they pushed
on at the best speed to be obtained
from their weary animals, at length
drawing rein at point where the trail
crossed the ridge and widened Out
upon q long. broad ledge that over
hung the valley Of the lower trail, witt
a clear drop to the latter from thu
brink Of good two hundred feet.
| One hasty look back and down int
the valley evoked grunt Of satisfac
ton from Hopi Jim.
Just In time" he asseverated. Her,
they come! Ten minutes more :
His smile answered Marrophat,
with unspeakable cruel significance.
Texas will sleep better tonigh
when he knows how I've squared tn,
deal for him!" the bandit declared.
What are you going to dol" judith
demanded. refining her horse in besid
Marrophat as the latter dismounted.
A gesture drew her attention to
huge boulder poised insecurity ON tn
very lip Of the chasm.
: Were going to tip that over O,
your friends, Miss Judith" Marropha
replied, with a smack of relish in hi
voice. eat-efficient-eh
What more can you ask?"
She answered only with an irrepres.
ible gesture Of horror. Marrophat'
laugh followed her as she turned ava,
For some moments she strained he
vision vainly, endeavoring to pen,
; trate the turbulent currents of sumo
heated air that filled the valley. The
she made out indistinctly the faintl
!, marked line Of the lower trail: an
Immediately she caught a glimpse {
three small figures, mounted. toilin
painfully toward the point where deaf
awaited them like a bolt from the blu
> Hastily she glanced over-shoulder
Hopi Jim and Marrophat, ignoring he
= we're straining themselves against tn
boulder without budging it an Incl
, for all its apparent nicely Of poise Fl
an instant . wild hope flashed throue
her mind, but 1t was Immediately a
|, orcised when Hopi Jim stepped bac
: and uttered a few words OF which onl
. two-"dynamite' aud "fuse"-reachs
her ears.
!, knee,ing beside the boulder he an
, ousily for an instant. then lodged Il
stick to his satisfaction, attached :,
, fuse. and breaking OF, edged ON h
. belly to the edge Of the eIi1 Az
looked down. carefully CALCULATING I,
length Of the fuse by the distance
|, the party down below from the an
a where the rock must fall
g But while he was SO engaged a,
Marrophat aided him, all eager int,
n est Judith was taking advsnt.s.
). their disregard Of her.