New Britain herald., 1921-09-02
CHAPTER I. At the Ford.

points of resemblance. But if you could have seen Gloriana Frazer and her bay mount streaking the trail this hot Arizona afternoon, you'd have begun to notice.
 Both were rangy in build. yet taut of muscle: both young. youth com pares in horse and human; both trained to the limit of capability and endurance.
 Atop an enfianking ridge ample ex- cuse for a few minutes lag was being unreeled. sans admission or taxa marvellous. natural-history motion picture. The untitled accompaniment of many thudding hoofs invited at tention to the show of a hundred odd wild horses in purposeful mi grafton.
 Screwing her binoculars into focus, IGloriana looked; next moment ex- claimed in an excited way as she recognized the band. There was no mistaking tho Streak" if one ever had seen or even heard of that regal stallion. A "spook'' horse, the Apaches had dubbed him when. sea son in and season out he had evaded their most willy snares. Gloriana's horse was of this outlaw breed, captured some years before, broken by Glor- jana herself and named Confiagration. Glancing In the direction of the ford at Lost and Found River the girl saw there a motor. evidently in trouble. and galloped in that direction. The nearer view showed the vehicle in distress to be a motor-truck which had left the hardpan crossing and come to a period in midstream. When one of the two men aboard left the drivers seat, climbed over the load and seemed about to attempt wading ashore. Gloriana felt impelled to warn him.
 Hold up. stranger" she shouted. cupping her hands trumpetwise. Wait till your hurry's over. Haven't you got all the time there is?" | The foreground included the squat ted figure of Always Busy an old Apache whose dominant characteris- tic was contradicted by his name. | AS the stranger seemed minded to heed her warning. Gloriana spared a quieter greeting for the Indian.
 Hello. Busy-bee. Living up to your rep as per usual. I sec" | White man dam fool, Missey | Glory-fraze!" His unsleeved arm flung a gesture of scorn toward the truck.
 The girls glance of appraisement settled upon the stranger so charac- terized <'So?" ran her mental com ment. The gent I'm delegated by circumstance to help is that sort-the putteed knickered- -belt-coated- -Pana- ma -hatted sort, He sure looks a raw Fastener. of the breed that never measures up.
 vented it from being swallowed up at once in the quicksands. but man attempting to leave it would inevita- bly be engulfed unless aided from the shore.
 You advise me to stay here?" The mans lifted tone. we'll his ex- precision, was rueful. Tedious pros pect that. Couldn't you throw out a pontoon bridge?"
 | Gloriana shifted. I'm not up to bridge-throwing. but I'll fling you my string and tow you ashore
 Forthwith she unfastened the horse hair riata from her saddle-horn and limbered its supple strands. With a free-arm movement that bespoke the control of hard muscles under heath. she circled the moose several times about her head. Suddenly, be- fore you would have imagined that it could gain such force. it shot for ward and fell about the strangers shoulders.
 Bravo" applauded the older per son who still sat behind the steering wheel.
 Likely I'm not the first man you've roped." was the comment of him she had caught, as she pulled him ashore.
 Miss or madam. thank you" said the stranger elaborately. "As a saver of human life. as d fisher of a decidedly arpreciative fish, you are a success. If you could only have landed me with one quirk jerk. though, as I've seen done with trout. needn't have wet my clothes
 A surge oi indignation caught her. But Gloriana Frazer had learned to discipline herself. With polite calm she responded: If you'd had pres ence of mind enough, you might have left your pretty jacket on the truck. And if you'd been driving cayuses instead of A motor truck. their in stinct of protecting themselves.>if not you. would have kept them from en- tering a swallow-all like the Lost and-Found. no matter how hard you Insisted. But you can't expect gaso- line to have horse-sense. any which way
 Young lady. it is unpatriotic of iyou to criticize me or my convey ance."
 "Unpatriotic?
 Yes You see. the government has approved me and the motor truck"
 "The-the government"
 Allow me to introduce ourselves. I have the honor of being Seth Gil son, of the United State Geological Survey. in your midst on desert duty. Whilst yonder"-With something of a flourish he waved toward his com panion. The gentleman on the truck may look to you like a mere repre- sentation of patience on A monument. As a matter of fact. he is no less "a celebrity than Alonzo Funk. my as- sistant. said to be more intimately