Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-09-01
CHAPTER VII.
A Rangers Horse.


the two friends wound. Now ant
then they stopped to listen, but the
rain was heavy enough to drown al
other noises. Encountering fresh
tracks finally, Dave leaned from his
saddle and studied them. He had
gone perhaps half mile when Bessie
Belle raised her head and he noted
that her nostrils were working sensi.
lively. Law fancied that he could de.
tect the smell Of a wood fire. Farther
along they came to a place where the
brush was low, and there, rising
through the treetops beyond he saw O
wavering plume of blue smoke.
The Ranger rode into sight Of the
branding fire with his repeater
across his saddle horn and his thumb
upon the hammer; what followed
came with almost the binding sud-
denness of lightning crash. First
there was the picture Of sandy glade,
in the center Of which burned a fire
with branding irons in it, and spot
ted calf tied to a tree, but otherwise
no sign of life. Then, without warn
ing, Bessie Belle threw up her head
in that characteristic trick of hers, and
simultaneously Dave saw figure rise
out Of the grass at his left with a
rifle leveled. With the first jerk of
his horses head his own gun had
leaped to his shoulder-he was not
conscious Of having willed 1t to do
so-and even as he pressed the trig-
ger he felt Bessie Belle give way. The
next instant his feet, still in the STIR
rups, were on the ground and his
horse lay between them, motionless.
That nervous fling of her head had
saved Dawes life, for the rustler's
bullet had shattered her skull in it's
flight, and she lay prone, with scarcely
q muscular twitch, so sudden had been
her end.
For a moment the Ranger was
dazed. He stood staring down at his
pet; then the truth engulfed him. He
realized that he had ridden her to
her death, and at the thought he be-
came like a woman bereft of her
child, like a lover who had seen his
sweetheart slain.
A shout-it was hoarse, inarticu-
late cry; a swift, maddened scrutiny
that searched the sodden scene of the
ambush; then he was down beside the
mare, calling her name heartbrokenly,
his arms around her neck, his fdce
against her warm, wet, velvet hide.
Law knew that two men had en-
tered the thicket, and therefore one
still remained to be reckoned with,
out he gave no thought to that. From
he corner of his eye he could see a
pair Of bootsoles staring at him out
If the grass, and they told him there
vas not need for investigation. Near
he body he heard the calf stirring, but
lie let 1t struggle.
Bessie Bellies bright eyes were glaz-
ng; she did not hear her lovers
'oice. Don Ricardo and his son burst
tut Of the brush from opposite direc-
ions almost at the same moment, to
ind the Ranger with his face buried
n his horses name.
"Caramba What is thisT The old
nan flung himself from the saddle
nd came running. "You are injured2" |
Pedro, too, bent over the officer, his
rown face pale with apprehension.
Mother Of Godw breathed the latter.
1t was a wild thing to do, to ride
lone"
"Fm all right" Law said, rising
fifty, whereupon both Mexlcans
DICED their relief.
1.-THE saints be praised"
"Si! What happened2 There was
shot! Did you see nothing?"
Law jerked his head in the dlrec-
on of the fallen man at his back and
edro uttered loud cry.
'Look |" Father and son ran through
lie grass, then recoiled and broke
ito Jargon of oaths and exclama-
ons.
"Right In the mouth! The fellow
as in death before he realized It,"
"Seel 1t Is as we thought, Pedro;
ne Of Lewis'l Use! Use! Use
hat sight"
"Who Is he?" queried the officer.
"Pino Cara, one of the worst!"
mined the two Guzmans.
Ricardo was dancing in his excite
ent. II told you that Lewis knew
The ether one got past
e, but cannot shoot like-this."
1t was difficult to secure connected
orY from Ricardo. hut he finally | .