The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-01-28
-. SGDS6@AA
CHAPTER xxxVlll.
The Upper Trail,


more or less innocent byetanders
picked up the man Texas and carried
him1 to breathe his last beneath g
roof; Hopi Jim picked himself up,
brushed his person tolerably clear OF
clouds Of dust and profanity, and de-
parted in search Of a 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 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 sFe-
connoissance Of the lower trail that
threaded tne 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:
sWe've headed 'en-car make 1t
now If 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 a point where the trail
crossed the ridge and widened out
upon long, broad ledge that over
hung the valley Of the lower trail, with
a clear drop to the latter from the
brink Of good two hundred feet.
One hasty look back and down into
the valley evoked a grunt Of satisfac-
ton from Eopi Jim.
"Just in time" he asseverated. Here
they come! Ten minutes more :"
His smile answered Marrophat's
with unspeakable cruel significance.
Texas will sleep better tonight
when he knows how I've squared the
deal Cor him!" the bandit declared.
What are you going to do?" Judith
demanded, refining her horse in beside
Marrophat as the latter dismounted.
A gesttre drew her attention to q
huge boulder poised insecurely on the
verytlRsea the chasm.
We're Aoing to tip that over on
your frien&S Miss Judith" Marrophat
repliea, wSs4 smack Of relish in his
voice. ssSimple-neat-eficient
What more can you ask?"
She answered only with an irrepress'
ible gesture Of horror. Marrophat's
laugh followed her as she turned away.
For lsome moments she strained her
visioI vainly, endeavoriug to pene-
trate the turbulent currents Of super.
heated: air that filed the valley. Then
she made out indistinctly the family
marked line Of the lower trail; and
innediate3y she caught q glimpse Of
three small figures, mounted, toiling
painfully toward the point where death
awaited them like a bolt from the blue.
Hastily she glanced ove--shoulder:
Z Eopi Jim and Marrophat,, ignoring her,
were straining themselves against the
boulder without budgins it an inch,
for all it's apparent nicely OF poise. For
an instant wild hope flashed through
her mind, but it was Immediately ex-
orcised when Hopi Jim stepped back
and uttered few words Of which only
two-"6ynamite" and "fuse"-reachec
her ears.
Kneeling beside the boulder he dug
basily for an instant, then lodged the
stick to his satisfaction, attached the
fuse, and breaking of, edged on his
belly to the edge Of the cliff and
looked down, carefully calculating the
length Of the fuse by the distance Of
the party down below from the spot
where the rock must fall.
But while he was so engaged and
Marrophat aided him, all eager inter
est, Judith was taking advantage OF
their disregard Of her.
Hurr riedly unbuttcning her jacket,
she whipped a playing card from her
pocket, trey O. hearts, and with the
stub pf a pencil scribbled three words
on itst face-"Danger! Go back!"
Then finding q small, hattish bit Of
rock,f she bound the card to it with
sReG Of string; and with one more
backward glance to make sure she
was I not watched, approached the
brinlS.
Hos spi Jim was meticulously shorten
ing The fuse, Marrophat kneeling by
his s fde.
Mhe canyon below the three we're
Within two minutes Of the danger
point.
It Mas no trick at all to drop the
stone so that it fell within a dozen
feet Of 1.-THE leading horseman.
She n9aw him rein in suddenly, dis
mount fcast look aloft, then dismount
nd nic4oSk up the warning.
As - eae others joined him, he de-
ache,J 1.-THE card and showed it to them
At f@nhe same time Hopi Jim and Mar
,obahek Jumped up and ran back, each