The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-06-28


fsIien uc. from the face OF the earn
IS the sea-gale. fattening the face Of
the waters. rips the foam from the
frantic waves to drive II in Wild. scud-
ding ragInents across them.
De Spain. urging his horse forward,
unbuckled his rife holster. threw away
the sclbbard. and holding the weapon
up in one hand. fred shot after shot
at measured intervals 10 attract the
attention III the two he sought. he ex-
hausted his rifle ammunition without
eliciting any answer. TIE wind drove
with a roar agninst which even a rife
report could hardly carry. and the
snow swept down the sinks in mad
blast. Flakes torn by the fury Of the
gale were stiffened by the bitter wind
into powdered ice that stung horse and
rider. Casting away the useless car
bine. and pressing his horse TO the
limit Of her strength and endurance,
the unyielding pursuer rode In great.
coillng circles into the storm, TO cut
in. II possible. ahead OF its victims.
friug shot upon shot from his revolver.
and putting his ear intently against
! the wind for the faint hope Of an an
swer.
Suddenly the Lady stumbled and. as
he cruelty reined her. slid helpless and
scrambling along the face Of a fiat
rock. De Spain. leaping from her
back, steadied her trembling and
looked underfoot. The mare had
struck the rock Of the upper lava bed.
Drawing his revolver. he fred signal
shots from where he stood. II could
I not be far. he knew, from the junctien
/ Of the two great desert trails--the
Calabasas road and the gap road. He
felt sure Nan could not have got muth
north Of this. for he had ridden in des-
peration to get abreast Of or beyond
her. and II she were south, where, he
asked. In the name Of God, could she
be?
He climbed again into the saddle
the cold was gripping his limbs-and,
watching the rocky landmarks narrow
ly. tried 10 circle the dead waste OF
the half-b--ied flow. With chilled.
awkward fugers he fiIs3 the revolver
again aud -Ode on. discharging II every
minute. anC listening-hop'ng against
hope for an answer. X vas when he
ksd almost COMPLETED. as well as he
could compute, tie wide circuit he had
set out on. that u faint shot answered
his continuing signals.
With the sound Of that shot and
those that followed II his courage ali
came back. But he had yet TO trace
through the confusion ~ the wind and
the binding snow the direcuoa &c the
answering reports.
Hither and thither he rode, this way
and that, testing out the Location OF
the slowly repeated shots, and signal
ing at intervals in return. Slowly anc
!. d6sEedly he kept oi. shooting. listen
ing. wheeling and advancing satil. 4.
( he raised his revcISer TO IRE 1t agaih
. a cry close et haLd came out OF IL:
. storm. II was a 'ronan's voice borne
on the wind. Riding swiftly - th'
left. q horses outline revealed itsel
at moments in the driving snow ahead
! De Spain cried out, and from behinC
the furious curtain heard his name
, loudly called. He pushed his STUN
, bling horse on. The dim outline OF |
? second horse, the background Of wag
, on. a storm-beaten man-an thi
passed his eyes unheeded. They wer'
! bent on a eirllsh' figure running towar'
4. him as he slid stiiiiy from the saddle
r The next instant Nan was in his arms