The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-06-21
VII.
A Rangers Horse.

Onward through the dense foliage
the two friends wound. Now and
then they stopped to listeny but the
rain was heavy enough to drown all
other noises. E~ncountering fresh
tracks finally, Dave leaned from his
saddle and studied them. He had
gone perhaps half a 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 q wood fire. Farther
along they came to a place where the
brush was low, and there, rising
through the treetops beyond, he saw d
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 a lightning crash. First
there was the picture Of q sandy glade,
in the center Of which burned a fire
with branding irons in it, and a 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 q figure rise
out Of the grass Mt his left with q
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 II to do
so-and ven 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, m~otionless.
That nervous fing of her head had
saved Dawes life, for the rustler's
bullet had shattered her skull In its
flight, and she lay prone, with scarcely
a 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 seer his
sweetheart slain.
A shout-it vas a hoarse, innrticu-
late cry; q 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 face
against her warm, wet, velvet hide.
Law knew that two men had
tered the thicket, and therefore one
still remained to be reckoned with,
but he gave no thought to that. From
the corner OF his eye he could see a
pair Of b~ootsoles staring at him out
of the grass, and they told him there
was not need for Investigation. Near
the body he heard the calf stirring, but
he let It struggle.
Bessie Bellies bright eyes were glaz-
ing; she did not hear her lovers
voice. Don Ricardo and his son burst
out Of the brush from opposite direc-
tons almost at the same moment. to
find the Ranger with his face buried
In his horses name.
"Carambai What Is thisf" The old
man flung himself from the saddle
and came running. "You are injuredf''
Pedro. too. bent over the officer. his
brown face pale with apprehension.
"Mother Of Godl" breathed the latter.
at was a Wild thing to do. to ride
alone"
sim all right" Law said, rising
stifiy. whereupon both Mexlcans
voiced their relief.
s.The saints be praisedi"
@Sii What happenedf There vas
a shotl Did you see nothingf"
Law jerked his head In the dIrec-
tien OF the fallen man at his back and
Pedro uttered a loud cry.
Lookr Father md son ran through
the grass then recoiled and broke
into q jargon Of oaths and exclama-
tl0nr.
sRisht In the mouth The fellow
was In death before he realized It"
@Seei It Is az we thought. Pedro:
oIa OF Lewis'iA Tsei Tsei Tsel
what d sigbti"
aqho Is ne - queried the officer.
s.PIn0 Garxn. one of the worsti'
chimed the two Guzmans-
1lCtruO was uunctug IN ms excite
ment. II told you that Lewis knew
sopaethlna The other n got past