Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-14
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
CHAPTER XIX
uow One Who Hides and Watches May
"V" re- Watched By One Hidden

Re WatCneu Dy One hlunen
AIT kendric himself did not sleep.
rs uo sat By their dead fire and
-.,cbed the gradual thinning Of the
utncSs about him as the vague light
e,,arod in from the awakening outside
nlslS neS lie looked mt Betty sleeping,
wy % look away with a frown darken-
onN Me T ewes. She would sleep heavily
.nd rsd long; she would awake refreshed
snI hungry. lie was hungry already.
SJt's open and shut" he told him
,sf OTIS up to me to forage
nj II was as clear that there was
.t.,ovs n risk of being seen as he left
,hs,r' hiding place. That risk would in
.rsase . as the day frightened. Hence,
Sncs he must go. 1t were. best not to
s.,rv He found in his pocket stub
~ ncncil and au old envelope. On it
prrotc n brief message, placing it on
nv gronnd near her outtiung hand. lay
inc Brucc's pistol upon il.
I'm off 20 fill the lardcr. stick
close until I come back. II I'm long
rome it will be because L can't help
X But be sure III be back all
rIrht and bring something to eat.
He left her, not without uneasiness,
kuf
ws,t well. his return might be has
,.red d He took the rife and slipped
cautiously through the bushes, stopping
20 make what assurance he could that
~ uns not being seen, crawling for the
most mart across the open places, keep
Inc M much rs possible where boulders
or trees hid him. He had already made
bjs tentative plans; he made his way
down into the bed of the ravine and
thence UPSTREAM. Swiftly the light in
creased over the still solitudes. The
ann was up on the highlands, the can
rons only we're still duslN.
He found place where he could
stand hidden and see the cliff broken
sIopc where Betty was. Here he stood
Inotlonlcss for long time, watching.
For he knew that If by chance some one
had seen him and had not followed it
was because that some one had elected
rather to seek the girl. At last. when
the stiffness remained unbroken and he
saw no stirring thing, he expressed his
relief in deep sigh and went on.
His plan was to work his way up tho
ravine until at last he topped the ridge
and went down on the further side.
From his starting place he had roughly
picked out his way, shaping his trail
70 conform TO those bits of timber which
would aid in his concealmcnt. Once
over the ridge he would press on until
several miles lay between him and
Betty. Then. if he saw game of any
sort or a straying calf or sheep, he
would have to take the chance that n
rife shot cutailed. II his shot brought
Zoraidas men down on him, he would
have to fight for it or run for 1t as cir
cumstancCS directed.
He was an hour in cresting the first
ridge. Before him lay wild country,
broken and barren in places where there
were wildcrnesscs of rock and thorny
bush; in other places scantily timbcred
and grown up in tough grasses. a more
unlikely game country he thought that
he had never seen.
But the land hcreaboutS was not
utterly devoid Of water and always. as
he went on. he sought those canyons
where from distance he judged that he
might come to a spring. Even SO he
was parched with thirst before he found
the mudhole. And before he drew near
enough to drink he sat many minutes
screened by some dusty willows. his
eye keen either for watering game or for
Zoraida's hirelings who would be
\ watching the waterholeS.
But, when at last he came on. he
found nothing but n tumble of tracks.
Ponies had waterCd here and had
tranpcd the spring into its present re-
sembance to mudholc. He found
place to drink. and drank thirstily.
hnding no fault with the alkali water or
the sediment in it. He washed his
hands and face in it. wet his hair and
went on.
There came three more spurs Of
mountain to cross, oil unlikely for
zane, each one hotter and dryer than
the others. Twice he had seen coyote
ne had seen two or three gaunt, hungry
looking jackrabbits. They had been too
lar away to draw shot, gray glimmers
through patches of sage. He had seen
never hpof of wandering cattle. And
ne realized that during the heat of the
aay there was small hope of his sight
Ihg any browsing animal. He would
probably have to wait until the cool Of
evening and then, il he made his kill,
teturn to Betty In the dark. And.
,noush he keenly kept his bearings. he
knew that If he nistoOk a landmark
somewhere and got into wrong can
Son, he have his work cut out for him
nndnR her at night. Well. that was
only piece Of the whole pattern and
10 Kept his mind on the immediate
present.
n II" estimated that he was ten miles
Iron IRON camp. Ahead Of him stretched
Mll another ridge. little higher than
TIE others but shade less barren
.perc were scattered pines and oaks and
Spen , grassy places. From the top OF
uIls ridge, half an hour later, he
nanmPsed a haze of smoke rising from
ne lltlle valley just beyond. And when
he came to place whence he could
t "t an unobStructcd view he saw a
nsnIerihg Hook of sheep, tiny stream
Wv wafer and rickcty board shack. 1t
,oa s from this shelter that the smoke
use use 1t was high noon and down there
"e midday meal was cooking.
rood being cooked right under his
S5o'V' All day he had been hungry; now
im,,MS was raycnouS. SO strong was the
tbap tbpuise upon him that he started down
has he slope in direct line to the house,
Uunt upon Hinging open a door and de.
S'snulhg .o's TO be fed. But he caught him
Gon up and sat down in the shade. hid
4 bo oenind some bushes, and ponderCd
sre @ situation. The sheep struggled
tnbeerryWhere; he might wait for one of
4 ksa W wander of into the bushes and
Mv sup around upon 1t and make il
4 mi.ttW own with dubbed rife. Or he
cbsuss. go to the house, taking his
hs "ule be was waiting and watching
~ nW a man come out of rhe cabin.
ae fellow lounged down 70 the Swing
W q pan of water and louneed hacH
tne house; the eternal Mexican
riSSoete In his lips sent Its floating
utss utOh OF smoke behind him. Ten min.
tims h,er the same man came out, thia
hS'e 70 he down on the ground nnder q