The Holbrook news., 1921-03-18
CHAPTER xI.
onIy the Hunted Know.

For long Ilme the RedrlnuQIer lay
 wondering why the gorge didn't fall
 in While he lay and wondered. an other strange thing happened-the
 very strangest of all.
 The top of the gorge began to open opened and let in two little patches
 of sky. He kept his eyes on them two little spots of blue set between clouds of pink and gold. The gorge top opened wider. He came back to the two patches of sky; smiled oddly they had transfigured; had become the eyes of the Wild Rose.
 The shooting had brought her. Her arm was under his head. and she was saying something. A tinge of crimson deepened the pink in her cheeks when his eyes came open. What if he had heard But she met his eyes with frank directness. He lay looking up at her long time; trying to compre- hend it all; the wonder of itl-that she was there!
 She helped him edge a little nearer the brink of the ledge, raised him. and he drank out of her cupped palm.
 
 from, or the thirst that parched him. he took no thought, but it was the sweetest drink that ever passed his lips. She eased him back upon the ledge, her arm still under his head. A strand of her hair fell upon his face. She tried to shake it off. He put up his hand and covered it.
 Her eyes dropped to his wounded side
 "I didn't know he was the Red Mask" she said, as if in pursuance of his first remark. ''till those men came this morning"
 Her next words were low and thought ful. i've wondered If it could have been he that hurt Daddy?"
 'Tt was him."
 The girls breath quickened. He saw her fingers clench.
 But there was much to do. Her eyes turned again to his blood-stained gar ments, and she set about uncovering the wounded side. There was little enough to remove-a shred or two of tattered shirt; laying back of the torn blouse. After the first start at sight of the wound she became curf- ously thoughtful The color mounted to her face; he tried to meet her eyes, but they turned away.
 Gan you spare me for minute?"
 For answer he lifted his head. She took away her arm, eased him back upon the rock, and he heard her light step as she sprang around an angle of the cliff.
 She was gone barely more than the minute asked for. When she returned she was carrying in her hands a num- Der of strips-bandages- white cloth. Where she got them-well, 1 that's her secret.
 The bullet had cut a deep, ragged | gash just below the armpit. It had | grazed a rib, but seemingly had not | broken 1t. With that encouraging fact | and the sting of the | wound much allayed, the mind of the | man began reaching forward to the | night; the all-important night-when 8 certain suave individual in a frock | coat would come to feed 6 certain horse. He said no word of this to the girl already binding the bandages the clean-washed wound. She would have secuted the bare sugges- tion of the things he was, planning to 10 the moment the dark was sufficient y dense to hide him.
 She drew what was left of his tat cred shirt and blouse over the ban lage at last, laid his wounded arm across his breast and slung 1t there by l strip of cloth passed up around his neck, and helped him to his feet.
 It shamed him that he was absO- utely compelled to cling fast to her, O lean heavy upon her, or go back to he rock. His face was far too white o show the modification he felt, but she saw 1t in his eyes. Lifting his we'll arm and laying it across her shoulders, she caught her left arm lbout his blouse waist and steadied Jim.
 The Wild Rose seemed to have talk m toll of every bit of sunshine that ,ver struck the Flatwoods. That was he distinguishing feature of her per onality. That and her good, sound ;ense. Her face was beaming full of both right now-the sunshine and the ,ense. She was smiling up at him, he lnew. He was staring away above her lead-but he knew. The smile grad laIly drew his eyes down out of the rees. He could no more help it than le could help leaning upon her. She aughed-a heartening little laugh