The Arizona copper camp., 1920-12-11

THE STRANGE CASE Of CAVENDISH


smokei it's in SPANISH Here, Jim, do
you read that lingo?"
81 know words here and there" and
Westcott bent over the paper, his
brows wrinkling. Lets see; it's not
quite clear, but the sense is hat Men
dez will be paid thousand dollars for
something-I can't make out what,
only it has to do with prisoners. Lazy
says he'll be there to confer with him
some time tonight
'Lacy write it?"
Eyes; at least he signed it."
''Well, if Lacy aims to meet Mendez
tonight, he ought to be along here
soon after nightfall. How'd it do to
hide in these sand hills and waltz"
1--WE can do that, Dan, if we don't
hit any trail," said Westcott, leaning
over, his hand on the others knee
'but if we can get there earlier, I'd
rather not waste time. There's no
knowing what a devil like Mendez may
do. Let's take a scout around, any
how"
They started, the one going east, the
other west, and made semicircle I'M
til they met, hundred yards or so,
south of the spring, having found moth
Ing. Again they circled out, plowing
their way through the sand, and all at
once Brennan lifted his hand into the
air and called. Westcott hurried over
to where he stood motionless, staring
down at the track of wagon wheel.
It had slid along slight declivity, and
left mark SO deep as not yet to be
obliterated. They traced it for thirty
feet before it entirely disappeared.
"Still goin' SOUTH" affirmed the mar
shall, gazing in that direction. Don't
look like there's nothin' out there, but
we might try. Let's saddle up
1t was blind trail, and progress
was slow. The men separated, riding
back and forth, leaning forward in the
saddles, scanning the sand for the
slightest sign. Twice they encoun-
tered an undoubted wheel mark, and
once traces of the whole four wheels
were plainly visible. These could be
followed easily for nearly a quarter OF
mile, but then as quickly vanished as
the wagon came again to an outcrop-
ping of rock. Yet this was assured
the outfit had headed steadily south
ward.
This was desperately slow work, and
beyond that ridge of rock they discov-
cred no other evidence. An hour
passed, and not the slightest sign gave
encouragement. Could the wagon have
turned in some other direction? In
the shadow of a sand dune they halted
finally to discuss the situation. Should
they go on? Or explore further to the
west? Might it not even be better to
retrace their way to the springs, and
wait the coming Of Lacy?
Brennan was for turning back,
arguing the uselessness of going fur
ther, and the necessity of water for
the ponies.
Come on, Jim," he urged. ''Be sem
sible; we've lost the trail, and that's
no fault O. ours. An Apache Indian
couldn't trace herd o. steers through
this sand. And look ahead thar! It's
worse, an more of it. I'm for stalking
Lacy at the springs" He stopped sud-
denly, staring southwark as though he
had seen vision. "Holy smoke!
What's that? BY God! It's a wagon,
Jim; an it come right up out of the
earth. There wasn't no wagon there
a second ago."
For a moment both men suspected
that what they looked upon was a
mirage-its actual existence there in
that place seemed impossible. Yet
there was no disputing the fact that
yonder in the very midst of that DESC
lation of sand a wagon drawn by
straining horses was slowly moving
directly toward them. Westcott was
first to grasp the TRUTH hastily jerking
the marshal back to where the tired
ponies stood with dropping heads be-
hind the protection of the dune.
Westcott lay outstretched on the
far side of the dune, his hat beside
him, and his eyes barely able to peer