Gunnison news-champion., 1915-07-02
CHASTGa Hxxfs.
o.rus FtnRn

o.rps Ftnssrs-
o0c< ehe Had iozf tosch win her =,
0~rs Creatures. the siri arez rein
end wsnt oa more ssoslS saa eau
opusiv.
Bssew her. IN the valley. the lover
tsAii wound ~ facile xay From time
~ time she could discern upon some
onhsd stretch OF rs length a cloud Of
enst. or perhaps three mounted fg
ssss. scurrylns madly on with tear of
asath swapping at their heels
II ~ss within an hour OF midnight.
. night bsll-ciear and bitter cold on
ths heights. and bright with moon
hGht. when Alans party made its last
pesss and camped to rest against the
aaUu, uaconsC ioas OF the fact that,
quarter VI a mile above them. on the
upper trail. a lonely woman paused
whes they paused and made her own
esne on the edge of q sharp declivitv
The level shafts of the rising sun
swakened her She sat up. rubbed her
eyes. yswned stretched limbs stin
with the hardship of sleeping on un-
yisldins. sun-baked earth-and Of
sudden started up. surprised BY the
grating Of footsteps on the earth be-
hind her
Before she could turn. however. she
Vas csneht and wrapped in the arms
of HoDi Jim.
She mustered all her strength and
wits and will for one last struggle
and In a frenzied moment managed to
break his hold a trife. enough to en-
able her TO snatch at the pistol hang
ing HON her belt and present 1t at his
head.
But 1t exploded harmlessly, spend
ing its bullet on the blue of the morn
tng sky. The bandit caught her wrist
In time. thrust II aside and subjected
= TO such cruel pressure and such saw
a0e wrsnchines that the pistol dropped
from fingers numbed with pain
And now all hint OF mercy left his
eyes. remained only the glare of rage
He put forth all his strength in turn,
and Judith was as a child in his hands.
In half q 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 hin
uwhide lariat.
Then, leaving ner momentarily
eupine on the ground. Hopi Jim caught
and unhobbled her horse. and without
troubling to saddle It, lifted the girl
- its back, and placed her there, face
upward, catching her hands and feet,
a. thav foil IN, oifhar AaoL - a. -,
nal, with more loops of that unbreak-
able rawhide. and deftly placing tie
master knot of the hitch that bound
this human pack well beyond posi-
bility of her reach.
She painted prayer for mercy. He
laughed in her face, bent and kissed
her brutally, and stepped back laugh
ing 20 admire his handiwork
Thus he stood for an instant be-
tween the horse and the edge of the
declivity, a fair mark, stark against
the sky, for one who stood in the val
ley below, holding his rife with eager
nnsers, waiting for just such oppor-
tunity with the same impatienee with
which he had waited for it 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 the
shuf sounded clear in the morning
stiffness. Judith saw a look OF as-
gr,eved amazement cross the face of
Houi Jim Slade
Then he threw his hands out. clawee
oundly at the air. staggered. reeled
i.inst the horses flank so heavily
that it SHE'D in fright. and abruptly
shot from sight over the Edge of the
bun.
CHAPTER xl.