The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1916-10-06
CHAPTER discontinued.

Buck and Jennie are sitting In the
wilderness cabin discussing their ~.
ture.
'rve been brought up in Texas.
remember what a hard lot the men Of
my family Ind. But poor as they
were, they had roof over their heads,
q hearth with a fire, a warm bed
somebody to love them. And you,
Duane-oh. my Godl What must your
life bet You must ride and hide and
watch eternnlly."
She ended with sob and dropped
her head on her knees. Duane was
amased, deeply touched.
my girl. thank you for that thought
O. me-" he said. with a tremor in his
voice. you don't know how much
that means to me-"
She raised her face, and 1t was tear
stained, eloquent, beautiful.
1--we heard tell-the best of men
60 to the bad out there. You won't.
Promise me you won't. I never
knew any man-like you. Live
may never see each other again-after
to-day. I'll never forget you. I'll pray
for you, and TIL never give up trying
toto DO something. Don't despair.
It's never too late. 1t was my hope
that kept me alive-out there at
Blands-before you came. was only
poor weak girl. But II could hope
80 can you. Stay away from men.
Be . lone wolf. Fight for your life.
Stick out your exile-and maybe
some day"
Then she lost her voice. Duane
clasped her hand and with feeling as
deep as hers promised to remember
her words In her despair for him she
had spoken wisdom-pointed out the
only course.
broken by emotion. had no sooner re-
asserted itself than he discovered the
bay horse. the one Jennie rode, had
broken his halter and gone of. The
soft wet earth had deadened the sound
Of his hoofs. His tracks were plain
In the mud. a.
Duane did not want to leave Jennie
alone In the cabin so near the road.
80 he put her on his horse and babe
her follow, The rain had ceased for
the time being, though evidently the
storm was not yet over. The tracks
led up q wash to a wide fiat where
mesquite, prickly pear, and thorn-bush
grew SO thickly that Jennie could not
ride into 1t. He could not expect her
to scramble quickly through that brake
on foot. Therefore he decided to risk
leaving her ut the edge Of the thicket
and 60 In alone.
As he went in sound startled him.
Was 1t the breaking Of branch he
had stepped on or thrust aside? He
heard the impatient pound Of his
horses hoofs. Then all was quiet.
Still he listened, not wholly satisfied.
He was never satisfied in regard to
safety; he knew too well that there
never could be safety for him In this
country. Certain he was now that
some kind Of danger threatened.
Suddenly there came an unmlstak-
able thump Of horses hoofs on some
where to the fore. Then q scream rent
the air. II ended abruptly. Duane
leaped forward, tore his way through
the thorny brake. He heard Jennie
cry sgain-an appealing call quickly
hushed. 1t seemed more to his right,
and he plunged that way. He burst
into glade where a smoldering fire
and ground covered with footprints
nnd tracks showed that campers had
lately been. Rushing across this, he
broke his passage out to the open.
But he was too late. His horse had
disappeared. Jennie was gone. There
were no riders in sight. There was no
sound. There was a heavy trail Of
horses going north. Jennie had been
carried off-probably by outlaws.
Duane realized that pursuit was out
Of the question-tbat Jennie was lost
CHAPTER II.