The daily Alaskan., 1920-07-01

head dropped wearily, every nerve giv- ing away before the depressing scene outspread in every direction. Sikes' watching her slightest movement, seemed to sense the meaning of the action.
 Bad, ain't it?" he said expressive ly. "You know %har we are"
 aNo: but never before dreamed any spot could be so terrible."-
 "This is the Shoshone desert; thar a,n't nobody ever comes in yere, 'cept wunst in a while prospector. maybe' ar A band O cattle ruStlers. Even the Injuns keep out"
 She lifted her eyes again, shudder- ing as they swept about over the dis nal waste.
 The sun rose red ball of fire. color ing the ridges of sand. and painting the grotesque rocks with crimson streemers. In the shadow of bald cliff the wagon was halted briefly, and tbe two men brought forth materials from within. making nasty fire, ana preparing breakfast. Water was given the team also. before the journey was resumed; while during the brif halt the girl was left to do as she pleased. Then thev moved on again, surround ed by the same drear landscape, the very depression of 1t keeping them silent.
 They settled down to the same mouotony, mile after mile. The way became rockier, with less sand, but with no more evidence of life. Far AWAY ahead a strange huttress of rock rose into the sky resembling the tur- ret of a huge castle. The sun was d. rectly overhead when Moore turned his team suddenly to the left, and drove down a sharp declivity leading into a ravine.
 .Drop the canvas. Joe" he said shortly, there's only bout a mile more"
 The massage was so narrow, and so diversified by sharp turns, that Miss Donovan. shut in behind the closed cover, could perceive little of its na- ture. The cliffs arose precipitously on either side, absolutely bare. To the left nothing could he seen but h,ack rock. but on the other side an open space yawned. perhaps twenty feet across. it's bottom imperceptihte. Tho horses stumbled over the rough stones, held only by Moore's firm grip on the reinS. and the light began to fade as they descended. At last noth: ing appeared above but narrow strip of sky, and the glimmer of sun had totally vanished. Almost at the same moment the driver released the creak- ing brake. and at a trot the wagon swept forward between two pinnacies of rock, and came out into an open valley.
 The transition was so sudden and startling as to cause the girl to give utterance to a cry of surprise. They were in a green, watered valley, a clear stream wandering here and there through its center. shadowed by groves of trees. This valley was nearly square, possibly extending not over a mile in either direction. merely great hole trimmed by desert, a strange. hidden oasis, rendered fertile and green by some Outburst of fresh water from the rocks. Emerg- ing upon it in midst of the barren desolation through which they had been tolling for hours, blinded by al- kali dust, it seemed like some beau tlful dream, a fantasy of imagination.
 Miss Donovan doubted the evidence of her own eyes. half convinced that she slept. It was Moore's voice which aroused her.
 "Mendez must have got back, Joe" he said eagerly. There are horses and cattle over yonder."
 The other pushed up the canvas and looked out.
 That's right. The fellow is comin' now-see?"
 He was leping along carelessy, Mexican from high hat to 5inglIng spurs, sitting the saddle as though nodded there, a young fellow, dark faced, but with liyid scar along one cheek.
 Juan Cateras, the little devil," muttered Sikes, as the rider drew nearer There's some pot brewing If he Is in It."
 The rider drew up his horse, and lifted his hat, his smiling lips reveal ing a TOW of white teeth.
 "A pleasant day, senor," he said graclously, his dark eyes searching the faces of the two men, and then dwer. ing with interest on the woman. "Ah, your pardon, senorita; your presence Is more than welcome here." He rested one hand on the wagon box the expression of his face hardening, 'Yet an explanation might not be out of place-the Senor Mendez may not be pleased"
 "We came under orders from Lacy" ranIied Moore confidently. You have