The Ozark spectator., 1916-10-18
CHAPTER X-Continued.

Buck and Jennie are sitting in the wilderness cabin discussing their fu- ture.
 I've been brought up in Texas. l remember what hard lot the men of my family had. But poor as they were. they had roof over their heads. . hearth with a fire. q warm bed somebody to love them. And you. Duane-oh. my Godi What must your R6e bes You must ride and hide and watch eternally."
 She ended with a sob and dropped her head on her knees. Duane was amazed. deeply touched.
 "Ny girl. thank you for that thought oe me-" he said. with tremor in his veiee. You don't know how much that means to me"
 She raised her face, md 1t was tear Genined. eloquent, beautiful.
 eve heard tell-the best of men 70 to the bad out there. You won't. Promise me you won't. l never knew any man-like you. live mny never see each other ngain-after to-day. I'll never forget you. I'll pray fer you. and I'll never give up trying te-t0 do something. Don't despair. It's never too late. It was my hope fhat kept me nlive-out there at Blanfs-before you came. was only a poor weak girl. But If could hope 50 can you. Stay away from men. Be lone wolf. Fight for your life. Stick out your exile--and maybe same day"
 Then she lost her voice. Duane e,nspec her hand and with feeling as deep as hers promised to remember her words. In her despair for him she had spoken wlsdom-pointed out the only course.
 Duane's vigilance. momentarily broken by emotion. had no sooner re- asserted itself than he discovered the hay horse, the one Jennie rode, had EOken his halter and gone off. The ssft wet earth had deadened the sound sf his hOofs. His tracks were plain ID the mud.
 Duane did not want to leave Jennie alone In the cabin so near the road. SO he put her on his horse and bade her follow. The rain had ceased for the time being, though evidently the storm was not yet over. The tracks led up wash to wide flat where nesQulte. prickly pear. and thorn-bush grew so thickly that Jennie could not rkle into It. He could not expect her te scramble quickly through that brake en foot. Therefore he decided to risk kuvlng her at the edge of the thicket and 50 in alone.
 As he went In sound startled him. Was 1t the breaking of branch ne k.,d stepped on or thrust aside? He Aeurl the impatient pound Of ms h.,rse's hoofs. Then all was quiet. Still he listened, not wholly satisfied. He Was never satisfied in regard to snfety; he knew too well that there never could be safety for him In this country. Certain he was TOW that some kind of danger threatened.
 Suddenly there came an unmistak- able thunp of horses hoofs of some where to the fore. Then scream rent xhe air. It endel abruptly. Duane sezipcd forward. tore his way through tahe thorny brake. He heard Jennie esy again--an appealing ,-.i quickly pushed. It seemed more to hls right. and he plugged that way. He burst into \ glade wEere smoldering lire esd ground covered with footprints and trucks showed that campers had lately been. Rushing across this, he broke iaiS passage out to the open. But he vas too late. His horse had Aisnppeared. Jennie was gone. There were n0 riders in sight. There was no o0and. There was heav, trail Of hsrses going north. Jennie had been surYied off--probably by outlaws. Doane realized that pursuit was out q ths 4uestion--that Jennie was lost.