American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-09-07

ner Lire.
poorest Of the lot. 1t Jagged. They
who rode beside her were constantly
drawing ahead, and then with curses
refining back. Deceived by her apparent
resignation, they gave her more room.
Ahead Of them, when they had rid
den for about twenty minutes, the road
swung round a high-banked bend. Out
Of the slope a tree thrust a branch
over the road. Bess saw, and took her
q chance.
A furtive twitch at the reins caused
her horse to lag still more decidedly.
The others won to a full length ahead
as they swept round the curve.
Raising both arms, the girl caught
the Overhanging branch and lifted her
self bodily from the saddle. The horse
rOcketed on, relieved Of its burden, at
somewhat faster pace.
But the efforts she made to swing
up on the limb Of the tree and by that
route gain the top Of the bank was
hopeless. She had put too great stress
upon her strength in her struggle; II
failed her now. She dangled helpless
ly for a moment or two, then dropped
to the roadway.
AS soon as that happened, terror
lent her new strength. She turned and
ran wildly back along the road, seek,
ing some place where she might find
temporary cover by the roadside.
That refuge was denied her. On the
-z~ bod rr~or o-n. oD4Tn%r- I.-@ferr%r
Of anything considerable enough to
hide behind on the other, the concave
wall Of the bluff.
And already her escape was discov.
cred. She could hear the thunder Of
returning hoofs. Still she held on. run
ming as she had never dreamed she
would be able to run, despite her
straining lungs and aching muscles.
The hoofs were very close behind
her now. She put forth one last ems
deavor-which failed in its inception.
Overtaking her, the Mexicans rode
up on either side. As she ran, the
riders swung down from their saddles,
caught her arms, lifting her fairly
off her feet and holding her so while
they wheeled their horses and dashed
back.
.
Searching heat helped Bud Morgan'a
return to consciousness. He reused
slowly, rolled over to get farther
away from the flames that were de-
vouring his home. and sat up with a
splitting pain in his head.
The hand that he instinctively lifted
to his temple came away dripping with
blood. Yet he was not seriously
wounded. The bullet had cut a deep
furrow in the side Of his head. but
had failed to penetrate the skull. To
the temporary Inconsistencies that
followed the wound, he owed his pres
emit liberty and his escape from a tor
tured death somewhere In those hills
to the south
Yet life was bitter to SAVIOR anew.
AS he staggered away from the burn
ing house that entombed his mother
he came upon the riddled body Of his
on.
What his subsequent actions were
he never knew. 1t was late afternoon
when he rode up to the Claiming ha'
cienda, more mad than sane. on the
back Of a horse without saddle or
bride.
1t was an hour later before he re
covered sufficiently to gasp out bis
tale of horror to Patria and Donald
Parr in the library.
When he had finished, the man
bowed his head on his folded arms,
!. and sat racked with dry, ~convulsive
| sobs.
} On either side Of him Patria and
, Donald sought, then avoided, each
} others eyes.
, CTO BE CONTINUED.