The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-12-23

" and deliberately counting the
chances, and decided to make the at.
tempt
Convinced as 10 his duty and urged
10 Il by the personal interest be felt 10
the girl. Shelby cast all hesitancy
aside. He would make the attempt
fortune bad surely favored him thus
far, and might again. lie went back
10 where the buckskin waited, mount.
ed the animal, quiet enough by this
time, rode down 20 the edge OF the
stream. aud sat silently In the saddle
while the beast drank II was dark
clear night. the stars overhead like
lamps in the sky. tie air cool and
fresh. He turned the pony up the val
ley, making no effort 10 hurry the ami
mai, DESTROYS only al present Of keep.
Ing well in the rear Of The two horse
men ahead. He knew the course they
would take, must take. up the valley
OF the Dragon as far as the great
bend and then across the plateau I'M
III they reached the Cottonwood. He
would simply follow cautiously until
daylight. then search for the trail 10
make sure. and endeavor from some
elevation. 70 pick them up with his
field glasses.
The grass In the valley was thick.
hut not long. II presented no obstacle
10 travel. hui the borse's hoofs made
no noise. Finding the rider undemon-
strative, the buckskin lowered his head
and moved forward steadily NJ rapid
walk Shelby swaylng in the saddle
half asleep yet keenly awake TO any
unusual sound
Hour after hour passed the valley
narrowing as they advanced. the hills
on either hand growing darker and
more sharply defined and the ribbon
of the sky above constantly contrast
ing. The man endeavored 20 think
but found Il useless; there was little
he could plan IN advance--only con
time on and trust 10 fortune His
settled upon nothing He knew where
he was in a vague way. recalling to
memory the outlines Of this country
as traced upon the map, but by this
time he was well beyond the range
of his own cattle, or any region he had
ever hunted over An about stretched
the desert Of the Bad Lands he
could picture IN his mind the scene
presented from those hlufs either Of
broken. rocky country. or dismal
desert, white with alkall II was a
land devoid even Of animal or bird life
and forlorn avoided even by
Indians except for concealment In
all those hours OF darkness he heard
no sound Of life except the distant
howl Of a coyote.
The first faint gray Of dawn gave
him glimpse Of his surroundings and,
on a slight ridge Of land he finally
curiously about He dsmounted. and, !
after Ia few moments scrutiny Of the |
ground. decided that he was still safe
" on the tmii Of those travelling /
ahead There we're two traces sufii- |
,iently defined 10 Indicate the passage /
within a few hours Of both Macklin's |
party and the two others Neither |
outfit bad made any effort AZ conceal
nent but shelby fearing the latter /
might be camped for breakfast. left /
bis horse 10 crop on the short grass.
while he advanced on foot The trail |
vas obscure. hut not difficult 10 FOL. 4
ow when once discovered Hanley /
md his companion had not ventured Z
he passage until dawn tie marks 81
heir horses hOofs SO fresh as 10 con
'inre their trailer they were scarcely
BEYOND the sound uf his voice lie
wen found where they had dsmount.
u waiting FOR davl ght the ground
Uttered with the ends Of burnt ciga
cites
Shelhl loltercd an hour before ven
uriug Is follow. There WIS 40 other
way ont and 50 be munched 81 Q cold
neal and permitted The buckskin 70
,rowse along the hank Of the stream.
veil concealed By a fringe Of willows.
Then both horse and man refreshed.
e went forward on foot leading The
nimai end began the upward climb
70 places Il vas not unlike a cave.
md shelby had no idea how far he
,ad gone when b. suddenly emerged
yui from the gloom into the sunlight
u tle summit. with clear view
icross the level plateau.
shelby stopped. holding the horse
,scf below the summit and gazed snx-
DUSTY about The soil lefI ne trail
nd. with the naked eye. Shelby was
inahie 20 distinguish a sign u life
within fhe radius Of vision Every
hing had the appearance ~ death
be death of ages. he stood upright
nd swept the circle with bis aeld
iasses He vas barely IN time FOR
ar n there "a the left. scarcely dis
ernlble even thea agalns; the black
verhanging ridges of rock. be mnde
~ two slowly moving Objects. They
rere no. disiiBSt. be cosic NJ have