The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-12-17
CHAPTER viIl--continued.

- 81
Shelby visioned NIL this In his mem
0ry, questioning his chance of ever
successfully invading such spot with.
out arouslng suspicion. II was plain
" proven by their testimony that
Maeklln was taking his captive to this
SPOT for safe hiding. He and his In.
dian accessories had ridden on, any
ious TO reach this security with as lit
tie delay rs possible But would Shell
by dare TO followf To be sure. except
10 the Kid, he was unknown, which
might make him welcome Yet the
danger Of detection was great.
Apparently. there was no other
feasible way In which he could hone
20 serve Olga. He weighed this with
no conscious thought of himself, cold
" and deliberately counting the
chances, and decided to make the ut.
tempt
Convinced as to his duty, and urged
70 II by the personal interest he felt In
the girl, Shelby cast all hesltancy
aside. He would make the attempt:
fortune had surely favored him thus
far, and might again, He went back
TO where the buckskin waited. mount
ed the animal, quiet enough by this
time, rode down 20 the edge OF the
stream, and sat silently In the saddle
while the beast drank. II was dark,
clear night, the stars overhead like
lamps In the sky the air cool and
fresh. He turned the pony up the val.
ley, making no effort TO hurry the ami
NAL, DESTROYS only at 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, wnd then across the plateau nm
Oh they reached the Cottonwood. He
would simply follow cautiously until
layiighe, then search for the trail to
make sure, and endeavor, from some
elevation, 10 pick them up with his
field glasses.
The glass in the valley was thick.
hut not long, II presented no obstacle
e travel but the horses hoofS made
no noise. Finding the rider undemou-
Stratiye, the buckskin lowered his head
and moved forward steadily at 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 underworld 10 think,
but found Il useless: there was little
, he could plan in advance-only con
tinue on and trust to fortune. His
: mind leaped from point 10 point, yer
settled upon nothing. He knew where
be was In a vague way, recalling to
memory the outlines Of this country
Z as traced upon tile map, but by this
time be was well beyond the range
OF his own cattle, or envy 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 bluffs. either Of
broken, rocky country, or dismal
= desert. white with alkali. Ii was a
land devoid even of animal or bird life,
wateriess and forlorn, avoided even by
=. Indians except for concealment In
g all those hours of darkness he heard
81 no sound Of life except the distant
howl Of coyote,
The first faint gray Of dawn gave
y him glimpse Of his surroundings, and,
!, on slight ridge Of land. he finally
drew up his tired mount. and gazed