The spectator., 1920-06-25
CHAPTER Xil-Continued.


 rode. and the girl walked in front with the elastic lightness. the unconscious fiexuous grace of boise given her body by an outdoor life. By dusk they were up in the headwaters of the creeks. The resilient muscles of the girl had lost their spring. She moved wearily, her feet dragging heavily so that some times she staggered when the ground was rough. Not once had the man of fered her the horse. He meant to be fresh. ready for any emergency that might come. Moreover. it pleased his small soul to see the daughter of Luck Cullison Jagged and exhausted but still answering the spur of his urge.
 The moon was up before they came upon tent shining in the cold silvery light Beside 1t was a sheetiron stove. a box. the ashes of camp fire, and side of bacon hanging from the limb of stunted pine. Cautiously they stole forward.
 The camp was for the time deserted. No doubt its owner. Mexican sheep herder in the employ of Fendrick and DOminguez. was out somewhere with his flock.
 Kate cooked meal and the convict ate. The girl was too tired and anx- ious to care for food, but she made herself take little. They packed the saddlebags with bacon. beans, coffee and flour. Blackwell frightened again the cinches and once more the two took the trail.
 They made camp in pocket open- ing from a gulch far up in the hills. With her own reata he fastened her hands behind her and tied the girl se- curely to the twisted trunk of Joshua tree. To make sure of her he lay on the rope. both hands clinched to the rifle. In five minutes he was asleep. but # was long before Kate could es- cape from wakefulness. At last she fell into troubled catnaps.
 From one of these she awoke to see that the morning light was sitting through the darkness. She was shiver- ing with the chill of an Arizona noun tain night. Turning her body. the girls eNtN tti ufoh iVi NhPtph. AhV "aS looking at her In the way that no de- cent man looked at n woman. Her i'm pulse was to scream. to struggle to her feet and run. What did he mean? What was he going to do?
 But something warned her this would precipitate the danger. She called upon her courage and tried to still the fearful tumult In her heart. Somehow she succeeded. A scornful, confident pride flashed from her eyes into his. It told him that for his life he dared not lay finger upon her in the way of harm. And he knew 1t was true. knew that If he gave way to his desire no hole under heaven would be deep enough to hide him from the ven- geance of her friends.
 He got sullenly to his feet. "Come. We'll he going"
 Within the hour they saw some of his hunters A wisp of smoke rose from the basin below. Grouped about it were three men eating breakfast.
 Don't make sound" warned Blackwell.
 His ride covered her. With all her soul she longed to cry for help. But she dared not tske the risk. Even as the two on the edge of the bowl with drew from sight one of the campers rose and sauntered 10 a little grove where the ponies were tethered. The distance was too far to make sure, but something in the gait made the girl sure that the man was Curly. Her hands went out to him in piteous lit- tie gesture of appeal.
 She was right. it was Curly. He was thinking of her at that moment despairingly. but no bell of warning rang within to tell him she was so near and tn suce fearful need of him.
 Twice dcring the morning did the refugee atteapt to slip down into the parched dese~s that stretched toward sonora and safety. But the cordon set about him was drawn too close. Each time . loose-seated rider lounging in the saddle with a rife in his hands drove them back. The second attempt was almost disastrous. for the convict was seen. The hun of a bullet whistled past his ears as he and his prisoner drew back into the ehaparral and from thence won back to cover.
 Kate. dropping with fatigue, saw that fear rode Blackwell heavily. He was trapped and he knew that by the Arixona code his life was forfeit and would be exarted of him should he be taken. He had not the hardlhood to game lt out ln silence, but whined com rialnts. promises and threats. He tried Co curry favor with her. Co work upon Aer pity. even while his furtive glances sold her that be was wondering wheth- CT he would have . better chance if he sacrificed her life.
 From guich to arroyo. from rock. cover to pineclai hillside he was driven la his attempts to break the narrowing circle of grim hunters that