The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-04-05

beats now; their drumming came faint
but unmistakable. Yes, there were two
horses racing down the arroyo. Anto.
into the dusk.
"Sit down" Alaire ordered, sharp
~. He obeyed, muttering beneath his
breath, but his head was turned as if
in an effort to follow the sounds of the
pursuit.
Next came the distant rattle of
loosened stones-evidently one horse
was being urged toward the open high
ground-then the peaceful quiet eve
ming was split by the report of Laws
thirty-thirty. Another shot followed,
and then a third. Both Alaire and her
prisoner were on their feet, the woman
shaking in every limb. the Mexican
straining his eyes into the gloom and
listening intently.
Alaire had begun to feel the strain of
the situation and was trying to decide
what next to do, when David Law
came riding out of the twilight. He
was astride the gray; behind him at
the end Of a lariat was Bessie Belle,
and her saddle was empty. -
Mrs. Austin uttered a sharp cry.
Law dismounted and strobe to the
prisoner. His face was black with
fury; he seemed gigantic in his rage.
Without q word he raised his right
hand and cuffed the Mexican to his
knees. Then he. leaped upon him, as
a dog might pounce upon a rabbit,
rolled him to his face, and twisted the
fellows arm into the small of his back.
Anto cursed, he struggled, but he was
like a child in the rangers grasp. Law
knelt upon him, and with a jerk of his
RATA secured the fellows wrists; ris.
Ing, he set the knot with another heave'
that dragged the prisoner to his knees.
Next he booted Anto to his feet.
i've a notion to bend a gun over
your head" Law growled. "Clever lit.
tie game, wasn't it?"
woman gasped.
Alaire had never beheld such a
demoniac expression as Law turned
upon her. The mans face was con.
torted, his eyes were blazing insanely,
his chest was heaving. and for an in.
slant he seemed to include her in his
anger. Ignoring her inquiry, he wen,
to his mare and ran his shaking hands
over her as if in search Of an injury
his questioning palms covered every
inch Of glistening hide from forelock
to withers, from shoulder to hoof, and
under cover Of this task he regained in
some degree his se%lf-contro,.
THAT hombre Of yours-didn't look
right to me-" he said. finally. Laying
his cheek against Bessie Bellies neck
as a woman snuggles close to the man
of her choice, he addressed the mare
II reckon nobody is going to steal you
eh? Not If I know it. No, sir; thai
hombre wasn't any good, was he?"
Alaire wet her lips. "Then you
shot him?"
II didn't say I shot him." he told her
grufly. Il warned him first, and hi
turned on me-blew smoke in my face
Then he took to the brush, afoot, and
I cut down on him once more to hel1
him along"
"He got away?"
II reckon SOL
ooh, obi" Alaire's tone left M
doubt of her relief. "He was always {
good nan"
Good? Didn't he steal my horse
Didn't he aim to get me at the frs
chance and free his compadre? That.
why he wanted his Winchester. Say
I reckon he-needs KILN about q:
much as anybody I know"
II can't understand it," Alaire So,
down weakly. "'One of my men, too"
"This fellow behaved himself while
was gone, eh?" Law jerked his heat
in Anto's direction. II was afraid he
he'd try something. If he had
Such a possibility, oddly enough
seemed to choke the speaker, and the
~ferocity Of his unfinished threat caused
Mrs. Austin to look up at him curious
~. There was q moment of silence
then he said, shortly: "Well, we've
got a horse apiece now. Let's co."
The stars had thickened and bright
ened, rounding the night Sky into 6
glittering dome. Anto, the murderer
with his ankles dashed. beneath his
horses belly, rode first; next, in a sui.
len silence, came the ranger, his CHR
upon his breast; and in the rear fol.
lowed Alaire Austin.
Under the stars, at the break Of the
arroyo, three hundred yards below the
water hole, a coyote was Sinking in a
wide circle around the body of Panflo
Sanchez.
David Laws action in kiIIinq
the Mexican has a more signifi-
cant effect on the rangers career