Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-22
,c,rvr,sn,, 1880. ov Dodd. Mead COZ
ru1r srARTs THE STORY

.t,oi b,o Jim Lasts household Jim
AZ yotoriols for his skill totth 1uns, dnd
sas controlled the valley. for yegqrs.
~. s.hot oPb rom behind He gives Thdron
y s,r last lesson IN shooting. and hands
hsr ks belt Of pistols. she seeks to
isarn the name Of his murderer % t and
cops TO "1st HIM More cdttte hooe
tsirty XII FOLLOWERS TO defy Courtrey.
Tharor rides FL Rey aud Is chased by
Courtrey. she stops at the CABIN Of
p he man H. unitorm. nth Courtrey a
IS R' man rm going TO ka' some
4 Day" ---.-
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
1,AY Il was something bigger
N stronger, sterner--who shall say
perhaps the spirit or that master, whom
be had served, whom he had brought
faithfully home that night in spring
for whom he had looked and listened
Z sonething, indeed--for FL Rey, the
Y sreat lay down to earth and ran with.
out tho need of guidance. He set
tho long red horse out there on the
sreen plain before him like a beacon
massive body into motion. Bolt Swas
rival worthy of his best--Bolt, the
wing Of the Ironwoods, huge, spirited
FAST as the wind and wild as Are. III
Rey'g silver ears lay bHCh HlOnR his
mack. the name above them was like a
cloud his long tail streamed behind
Mn, like a comet--and forgotten was
Ma singlefooting. He ran, his great
Wnnbs gathering and spreading beneath
hin--gathering and spreading-with the
regularity Of clock-work.
Tharons blue eyes we're narrow az
her fathers, the little. lines about them
stood out She rode low, like a limpet
clinging. and her mind was on the
two ahead-the man and the great bay
horse.
The note Of his speed was rising
distinguishing. The blood began to
pound in her temples with pride and
exultation.
She saw the distance narrowing Just
the smallest bit between her and Cour-
trey. Just the smallest trife, indeed,
but narrowing.
HE amt a-puttin' Bolt down to his
best" she told herself tensely, II know
what he can do" And she remembered
Couee to the pine-guarded glade--and
Kenset. At that thought she pressed
her lips tighter.
No thought of Kenset must come to
her now--to weaken her with memory
OF those pressing, vital hands of his
above his pounding heart.
No-she was herself again--Tharon
Last, Jim Lasts girl the gun woman OF
Lost Valley--and yonder went her
fathers killer.
She leaned down and called again in
ri Reys ear
No slightest squirt of speed rewarded
her-rothng but the rising note. Then
she saw that the distance was widening
just a tiny Bit.
I Truly It was widening. Courtrey,
looking back, had caught the sun on her
golden hair, on her face as white as
milk
He saw that her hands were at her
hlps-loosely set back at her hips--and
what thought he might have had Of
mercy at her ,hands--what wild vision
be might have seen of speech with her
-of parley-of persuasion--was dead
He leaned down and struck the Iron
wood with his open hand.
= Bolt, the beautiful leaped in answer
little more-slowly-the distance be-
tween pursuer and pursued widened
Then--Tharon blinked the mist from her
eyes 10 make sure-the gain was lost.
Slowly, steadily, FL Rey closed UP the
extra width. Then for time there was
no change The open plain resounded
% the roar OF hoofs, the wind sang by
Ike taut strings struck The earth was
still that racing green blur beneath.
And still the electric note of rising
speed hummed softly higher.
II Jim Last rode his silver stallion
70 the goal of vengeance he must surely
have been satisfied. The great shoulders
worked like pistons, the whole massive
body was level as the flowing floor be-
meath, the steel-thewed limbs reached
with wonderful power and precision.
And then at last Tharon kuew-lsnew
that Fl Rey was gaining. slowly, stead
tly surely. The splendid bay horse was
running magnificently but FL Rey ran
like a super-horse. His silver head was
l0hN IL Inl1 A1A all
Dis nostris wide and farirg, red az
blood, his. big eyes glowed with the
wildness OF savage flight.
The great king was mad with speed
Jim Lasts girl was mad also-mad
With the lust of conquest, of revenge.
She rose a little from the stations
whipping name, and her blue eyes burned
on the man ahead.
n said I'd get you, Buck Courtrey!"
me muttered. that some day I'd run
lronwoods off their feet--th' heart
out Of their master
Run, damn you-for It's your last
rdel"
Then she dropped forward again and
watched the distance closing down.
Observation-Disclosures
The note rose another notoh.
Never In his life had FL Rey run as
Dc ran now, Always he had had re-
serves He had them now. The bottom
his power was not reached.
:, Bolt was doing his best. Once he
H,rew up his head and foam new on
ne wlnd-red foam that shot back and
whipped on Tharon's hand, a wet pink
"ein, thlnned and faded.
AZ that sight an exultant cry, savage,
mhumsn, ugly, burst from her throat
She was within long sunshot now
was closing her fingers lightly on the
olue gun-butts--.
Courtrey heard that cry.
He rose in his SSaddlA-turned--fas sh ed
W his hand and fired, Quick as the mo-
uon OF the gunman was, Tharon Last
vas vas quicker She dropped over FL Rey 8
'heuloer like cat, firing as she went.
W. s.oSSIrtrey,s SI bullet clipped the oar,tle Of
me e's saddle an inch above her fat.
.sned leg across II. Hers did something
MMse-what she had dreamed of. II struck
.St other wrist OF Courtrey's. the left
snd sent his slx-gun tumbling.
h.Unee Unee again she yelled as she came
>, And Fl Rey was closing---ciosins up
me gap between
Once again Tharon raised her guns 10
,s.u"Uott-.ooth, this time. as her daddy had
iNsasht her; This was the pinnacle OF her
VIZ, her skill, her training
ia never again would she live a moment
NE fnal act.
But sudden coidness went over her
sh,nnea shvl mead to foot, sent the hot blood
'HManng down her spine.
whst was Courtrey DOING
,,Hs rode straight up at last, like an
ktasisn showing, and his bleeding left
hu swung at his side, with the other
ss naa swept OF his wide hat, so that his
Mnasome iron-gray head was bare 10 |
10 ~ summer sun. His keen hawk face
N. n ntted. He made a spectacular fig |
MIKE warrior, unarmed, waiting |
IVY end with courage
unarmed,
nav II was which struck Tharon like
Hand across her face The gun he |
nr,,, used with his left hand was his |
~, one He had carried but one since |
SshI nlght at tho Stronghold when she |