The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-11-09


As they drew nearer. however. Nor
ton noticed with some uneasiness that
the bOrsemen had spread out ~ far
~ 20 form a line extending from the
mouth % the canyon % the river. thus
cutting them On from the ranchhOuse.
There was. moreover. something sus-
piciOus. something peculiarly sinister.
about the riders. each Of whom. he
now noticed. carried a rihe across the
DOfDmeI of his saddle.
Hold up. Olga :" he called. the
truth suddenly dawning on him. Those
are not our fellows they're
I strangers We had better not
90 any nearer until We find out who
/ they are and what they want"
lie was not kept long IN doubt as
10 the strangers Intentions. for. ~
they pulled up their ponies, rife
cracked and q bullet kicked up a spurt
of dust within yard Of Morton.
by heaven ." be Shouted. its the
bandits: And they've cut Us Oh from
the ranch! our only chance Is to
reach Number -Four camp. There are
half dozen Of Ellsworth's men there
and II we cnn get there we will be
safe. But we will have to ride like
blnzes to make IT,"
sulting the action to the words, he
whirled his pony. drove his spurs into
It's TANKS, and. callously abandoning
Olga 10 her fate. went racing up the
wiley In . desperate attempt to es-
cape
Olga, whose mount was old and
slow, had not gone a quarter Of a mile
before she wns oyertaken by the ban
dts and bearded runian. leaning
from his saddle. caught her bride aud
pulled her horse TO u standstlll.
Keep quiet and you won't get hurt.
miss" he said, but II you try TO
get AWAY itll 20 hard with you"
"Whnt do you wnnt OF met" she
demanded, showing no sign Of the ter
ror that she felt. "Where are you
going TO take mei"
'We're goin' to take you to call on
Captain Carrillo. lady" rat-faced
fellow answered with leer.
| Only two OF the gang had paused
10 capture Olga; the rest had con-
tlnued In pursuit Of Morton. who was
riding up the Wiley at top speed.
stop or well shoot!" roared the
black k-mustached fellow who was evil
IDENTIFY the lender Of the band raising
his rifle. but Morton, panlc-stricken,
only rode the harder.
Crnck The bandits weapon spoke
and the bullet whlned hungrlly past
Morton's head The next bullet struck
his horse A moment later the ban
dts swept up In a cloud OF dust.
Hands upl" sang out the leader,
lcvellng his rife at Morton, who was
nervously fumbllng for his revolver.
A led horse bearing on Its flank
the Bar-E brand, was brought up; the
saddle was transferred from the
wounded animal to the stolen one and
Morton, his hands bound, was hOlsted
into the saddle Olga and her captors
hnvlng now come up, the entire party
turned Into the canyon. After nn hour
OF brisk riding the steadily increasing
roughness OF the country compelled
the bandits to slacken their pace 20
walk, at which gait they continued
until long after darkness had fallen.
At last, when Olga and Morton were
reellng in their saddles from exhaus-
ton, they entered n small. rock-walled
valley. through which run mountain
stream, and the leader OF the party,
drawing rein, gave signal to dis
mount
"We're goln' 10 stop here until morn
In" he said. approaching his two cap
tlves. Here's couple Of blankets
for you. II you don't try TO get away
you won't be hurt but II you
make a-break, God help you"
"Do you think there IL any chance
OF our being rescued1" whispered Olga
to Morton, as she tried TO wrap her
aching body in the blanket.
"They must have started searching
for us when we didn't show up ut the
ranch for supper" he answered gloom
lily, but they won't have any means
OF knowing which way we have gone"
"Yes. they WILL" she whispered. 81
thought OF that and, when we returned
up the canyon, ! dropped my handker-
chief on the ground without the ban
dts noticing"
Good work." commended Morton.
|
when supper time at the ranch
cnme and went without the return Of
Olga and Morton, their host became
worried. and when darkness fell and
there were stIll no signs of them, his
worry changed to downright alarm. lie
S~r~~~~~~~~~-~~-~-~
and Ceodetlo survey. reveals danger.