The Press., 1917-12-27

Lumly Jumped to his feet and look ed into the barrel of revolver leveled with cool precision.
 "You git outer my way, young lady, he snarled defiantly, making move Inent to grasp her bridle rein.
 "Stop there or I'll fire!' she said calmly.
 'What do you want?" he growled looking at her out of stealthy red eyes
 q want you to put that paper back in the hole," she commanded sharply.
 And if I don't?" he grinned say agely.
 ''Why, if you don't" she said, with a calculating glance, q believe I'll just bore your right arm.'
 ''The devil you will! It seems to me you are pretty mighty tighty, miss"
 Are you going to do it?' she asked.
 "Oh, sure; of course couldn't refuse a lady," he said, taking the paper from his pocket with his right hand and fur lively reaching with his left around to his hip.
 ''Your left hand upr' she command ed again.
 With a muttered oath he swung his arm aloft. The sorrel horse drew near and thrust an inquiring nose toward his master. With a quick movement Lumly held out the paper, the sorrel caught it between his lips, and in an- other instant 1t fell to the ground a mass of pulp. Lumly laughed exult- antly.
 Molly Gray whitened about the lips. "Other hand upr' she commanded shortly.
 The man obeyed.
 Turn your back and walk toward me-" Then, as he hesitated, she added contemptuously, Don't be afraid. I'm not going to shoot you in the back"
 He turned sullenly and backed slow ly up to the mares side. With muzzle pressed close to his shock of rough hair she abstracted the six shooter from his belt and ascertained that there was no other weapon. The man trembled slightly. It was a pesky dangerous thing to have a woman fooling with revolver One never knew what
 'Now walk forward twenty steps and don't turn; if you do it will be for the last timer Molly did not recognize her own sweet voice in the firm tones that cut the air like the lash of whip.
 The man obeyed. When, at her word of command, he faced about, the feet of the little mare were gathered in the hole in the ground, and her rider, with shining eyes and bright, glad smile. looked at him down the length of his own six shooter.
 ''In fifteen minutes at the latest Pete Clarkson, Mill Hodges and the sheriff will strike this ledge. advise you, Dave Lumly, if you value your life, to prospect around CartertOwn way for a few years. The trail is plain; there's your horse, and I'm giv- ing you a chance"
 Lumly looked back down the trail Several horsemen were riding rapidly up Crow creek bottom. There was a flash of sunlight on metal.
 With a muttered curse he turned to- ward his horse. You'll pay for this holdup, glrl," he said threateningly.
 "It's not a holdup; It's hold down." retOrted Molly saucily.
 AS Lumly disappeared among the distant western slopes three men rode madly down the trail and rounded Crow rock in a cloud of dust and scatter of flying stones. Molly Gray, with trembling lips, smiled upon them. Where is he?" demanded Pete, while the other men looked mingled ,lisap- pointment and admiration upon pretty Molly.
 She pointed toward the west, where a solitary horseman was silhouetted against the amber sunset sky ere 1t dropped behind distant hill.
 ''So you let the critter go!' uttered the sheriff rUefully.
 Pete looked at her Questioningly,
 ''I didn't want bloodshed on Crow rock, Pete," she explained in a low tone. \ light of understanding came into his eyes. He nodded his head. That's all right. sheriff. I guess that coyote won't jump any more claims here | abouts, I reckon" ''Where is your claim, Pete:" asked Hodges, looking curiousIy around. Here it is," interpolated Molly, He was jumping it when"- 1 And you stood him off" chorused | the men. She nodded gravely. He fed the pa per to the horse, so I held him up, and | now I'm holding down the claim my self.'' Il don't understand" said Hodges blindly. Why. yoI see," faltered Molly. while | Pete grinned fatuously upon her, ''I'm | the claim-that is, Pm Molly Gray, and I'm holding down the claim. It's the | Molly Gray, you know" she said, slip ping down from the saddle into the arms of her lover.