The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-05-19

fallen snow from the face Of the esirtM
ais the sea-gale, ilattening the face os
the waters, rips the foam from tne
frantic waves to drive 1t in wild, scuo-
ding fragments across them.
De Spain, urging his horse forward
unbuckled his rifle holster, threw away
the scabbard, and holding the weapon
up In one hand. fired shot after snot
at measured intervals to attract the
attention of the two he sought. he ex-
hausted his rifle ammunition without
eliciting any answer. The wind drove
with a roar against which even rlne
report could hardly carry, ana the
snow swept down the sinks in a 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
binc. and pressing his horse to the
limit of her strength and endurance,
the uny,elding pursuer rode in great
coiling circles into the storm, to cut
! in, If possible, ahead of it's victims,
firing shot upon shot from his revolver,
and putting his ear intently against
| the wind for the faint hope OF an ga
Swer.
Suddenly the Lady stumbled and, as
he cruelty refined her, slid helpless and
scrambling along the face of 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. It could
not be far, he knew, from the junction
of the two great desert trails-the
Calabasas road and the gap road. He
felt sure Nan could not have got much
north Of this, for he had ridden in des-
peration to get abreast Of or beyond
her, and if 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 to circle the dead waste Of
the half-buried flow. With chilled
awkward fingers he filled the revolver
again and rode on, discharging it every
minute, and listening against
hope for an answer. 1t was when he
had almost completed, as well az he
could compute, the wide circuit he haC
set out on, that faint shot answered
his continuing signals.
With the sound Of that shot snt
those that followed 1t his courage ri
came back. But he had yet to trece
through the confusion of the wind and
the binding snow the direction of 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 and
doggedly he kept on, shooting listen
ing, wheeling and advancing until, on
he raised his revolver to fire it again.
cry close at hand came out Of the
storm, 1t was woman,s voice borne
on the inds Rs9ng swiftly 70 me
left, a horses outline revealed itself
at moments in the driving snow ahead.
De Spain cried out, and from behind
the furious. curtain heard his name,
loudly called. He pushed his STUN
bling horse on. The dim outline of q
second horse, the background of wag-
on, storm-beaten man-all this
passed his eyes unheeded. They were
bent on girlish figure running toward
him as he slid stiflly from the saddle,
The next instant Nan was In his arms,