Macon beacon., 1917-05-25
CHAPTER VII.
A Rangers Horse.

onward through the dense IOllaSe
the two friends wound. Now and
then they stopped to listen, but the
rain was heavy enough to drown all
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 place where the
brush was low, and there, rising
through the treetops beyond, he saw
waverlng 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 a sandy glade,
In the center Of which burned fire
with branding irons In 1t, and a spot
ted calf tied to 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
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 it 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 its
flight, and she lay prone, with scarcely
n muscular twitch, so sudden had been
her end.
For 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 woman bereft of her
child, like lover who had seen his
sweetheart slain.
A shout-lt was a hoarse, inarticu-
late cry; 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 en-
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 bootsoles 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 1t 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-
tlons almost at the same moment, to
find the Ranger with his face buried
in his horses name.
"Caramba What is this?" The old
man flung himself from the saddle
and came running. "You are injured?"
Pedro, too, bent over the officer, his
brown face pale with apprehension.
Mother Of God!" breathed the latter.
1T was wild thing to do, to ride
alone"
"T'm all right" Law said, rising
stiffly, whereupon both Meucans
voiced their relief.
'"The saints be praisedW
"Si! What happened2 There was
q shot! Did you see nothing?"
Law jerked his head in the direc-
ton Of the fallen man at his back and
Pedro uttered a loud cry.
Look" Father and son ran through
the grass, then recoiled and broke
into a jargon Of oaths and exclama-
tions.
Fright in the mouth! The fellow
was in death before he realized It."
"See! 1t Is as we thought, Pedro;
one Of Lewis! Use! Use! Use
What a sight"
"Who is he" queried the officer.
"Pino Cara, one Of the worst"
chimed the two Guzmans.
Ricardo was dancing In his excite
ment. II told you that Lewis knew
something. The other one got past
me, but l cannot shoot like-this."
Il was difficult to secure a connected
Sfnrv from Rinnrdn hut hn annIlr.