Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-07-05
| !I3ERT Y
AROMANCF OF
OLD MEXICO
9HH.NAk LOAN
NOVELHED FROM THE PHO
TOPLAY SERIAL OF The
SAME NAME. RELEASED BY
THE UNIVERSAL FILM MAN
tFAHURINC COMPANY
TENTH EPISODE
The Human Target.

Pedro found that his position was
dntenable- Sheltered though he was
behind the body of Liberty's horse, bull
lets fiecked the sand on all sides of
him. He decided at last to make for
the foothills. 1t was taking a desper
ate chance, but Pedro knew that it
would be impossible for him to make
his way back to the 'dobe where Bob
and his cavalrymen were making their
splendid fight.
Stealthily he crept away from the
dead horse and across the sand. When
he had put perhaps thirty feet between
him and the beast, he made a startling
but pleasing discovery. While bullets
still thudded into the carcass of the
horse, none were falling about him.
The explanation at once occurred to
him:
Whereas the black horse against the
white sand had made an excellent tar
get for the Mexicans on the opposite
side of the valley, Pedro's khaki uni
form was indistfnguishable against the
sand. The MeXicanS continued to fire
at the horse, believing that Pedro was
still sheltered behind it.
1t was not until Pedro rose to his
scrub on the outskirts of the desert
that he was discovered. And then he
was so far away that the fusillade
which followed him fell harmlessly
dozens of yards away.
Get that man." ordered Lopez, who
was directing the fire of his machine
guns from the opposite side of the val
ley. Manuel, take two of my best
rid do
and his white sweetheart. Bring them
back to me; dead or alive, it doesn't
NATTER
Pedro picked up Liberty's trail sew
eral hundred feet after striking the
wooded foothills. He followed it up
precipitous cliffsides and down gullies
where only a nimble pony could tread.
Liberty evidently intended to cross the
mountains and thus come more quick
ly into contact with Major Winston's
column.
Pedro realized that she must be MAX
ing but slow progress on horseback
through the tangled jungle growth and
accelerated his pace hoping to catch up
with her.
He came to steep declivity. Far
down n tiny stream trickled along.
reality the San Mateos river. Just how
Liberty had made her way down the
canyon side puzzled even the old scout.
Even as he pondered he saw, clear
~ outlined against the side of the
opposite canyon wall, Liberty's figure
on horseback, slowly, very slowly, pick
ing her way up the apparently sheer
side of the canyon. Pedro watched
her intently.
Suddenly he gasped in horror. He
saw her horse slipping. In another mo-
ment the horse had plunged to the
depths of the canyon while Liberty
hung suspended, it seemed, in mid
air.,
Almost at the same moment Pedro
heard the bushes cracking behind him.
Quickly he lodged behind a sheltering
rock. A Mexican horseman emerged
on the canyon ledge and carefully
looked up and down the valley with a
pair of field glasses.
Pedro was on the point of bringing
him down with his revolver when the
Mexican shouted to a companion.
a few moments later Pedro saw
Manuel join the Mexican who pointed
out Liberty as she lay on a ledge of
yon bed into which her horse had fallen
TO his death.
Still another Mexican on horseback
Joined the group. There followed an
excited conversation. Pedro crept
closer and heard them discussing Lib
erty's capture.
We'll take the trail around the
mountain" said Manuel Its longer
but safer. Then we can throw rope
down TO her and she'll be so glad to
escape from her perilous position that
imprisonment will mean nothing to
her. Perhaps-wbo Knows laughed
Manuel. Il can even become a hero in
the eyes of my own .vife~
Manuel ordered one of the Mexicans
to watch Liberty while he and a COM
panion took the long trail around.
Hardly had they disappeared from