The St. Johns herald., 1921-06-16

VI. prints. satisfying himself that four were Indian, and one white, unques- tionably Macklin. With only five horses this meant that the girl rode with one of the men, probably the Kid. He discovered where she probably was sitting during the meal, torn piece of crumpled sacking bearing mute testimony that her hands had been bound, and released so that she might eat. The fellows were evident Iy unIfraid of her any longer, and had not tied her up again when they resumed the journey.
 Ii was nearly sundown when the trail he followed swerved to the right up a steep bank, where the ponies hoofs slipped in their struggle to at- tain the top. Shelby gave the buck skin his head, and the game little devil went scrambling up, until they came forth on a flat plain above. Shel- by dropped his rein, and climbed to a higher point of rock, lying concealed behind its summit, while he swept the scene below through the field glasses. He never had been there before, yet he knew about where he was; this must be Dragoon creek, and not far below would be Wolves hole, C. which he often had heard-a famous hiding place for cattle thieves and border outlaws. These fellows evidently were heading for there, but would they try to complete the journey? His hope centered on their camping somewhere until morning; if sufficiently assured of safety this would probably be their choice. Through the field glasses be studied the course of the stream, and the little patches of wood intently. At last he was rewarded--a faint spiral of blue smoke arose above some dis tant trees, the evidence of a camp fire. He lay there motionless, silent, his eyes glued to the glass, planning his action, and waiting for the night.
 AS the gloom slowly deepened Shel- by was able to distinguish the flicker of that far-off fire, but the distance was too great to permit any knOwl- edge of its surroundings. The trail leading down was narrow, and rock strewn, and he determined to try the passage while a faint glimmer of twi- light yet fingered. Leading the buck skin, and moving with the utmost eau tiOn, he begansthe descent.
 The gloom did not greatly retard his movements, for, through the glasses, he had mapped out the salient fea- tureS and so impressed them upon his memory as to go forward now con fidently. The camp fire was located in the third grove of trees, and there were no signs of human presence be- tween. However, he took no chance, but advanced quietly on foot, leading his horse. and using every precautiOn against discovery.
 He circled the two groves, keeping close in their shadow. and searching their depths anXiously for any sign of life. They were desolate and desert ed, but, from the outer fringe of the second he could perceive plainly the dull glow of the fire a hundred yards ahead. It was no longer a flame, but a mere glimmer of red ashes, casting no reflection about, although clearly visible. He fastened the bronco to a limb, within the circle of trees, and crouched forward alone, Winchester in hand, choosing his passage beneath the bank of the stream, and Odvanc- ing with every precaution, pausing every few steps, to peer over the pro- tecting bank, and thus assure himself that all remained quiet. When almost exactly opposite the red glow of the coals, he lay still, endeavoring vainly to learn the situation, and becoming more and more puzzled.
 The camp appeared deserted, as though the party which had halted there had already passed on. He could hear no sound, see no movement. The fire had died down into mere glim- mer of red ashes, barely perceptible amid the surrounding gloom. Shelby drew himself forward, creeping like a snake, convinced that he was alone, vet no less alert and watchful. His progress was up shallow depression and he had attained the deeper shade of the trees, when, suddenly, a voice, apparently speaking not two yards distant, gave utterance to an oath of disgust.
 "R-Iw the voice said roughly "there is no use waitin' for that guy any longer; no tellin' where he is al by now"
 Shelby dropped flat on his face al most ceasing to breathe. The unseen party addressed stretched himself lazIly, as evidenced by the rustic Ot leaves.
 "I reckon ye're right, Hank" he ad mitted slowly, his speech heavy and