The Holbrook news., 1921-06-03

 the Cottonwood it must be a hundred feet from bank to bank God! What hole. What a freak of nature! What a wilderness hiding placeI
 He lay motionless, with eyes search ing up and down the valley. To the right he could not determine how far it extended, but to the left he could discern the silver shield of water where the Cottonwood came tumbling over a precipice. One of the two pos sible entrances was there; the other must be along some one of those nu- merOus side ravines. whose black en- frances he could dimly perceive. It was all so serene, so peaceful, the truth seemed impOssible-thath he was actually gazing down into a veritable hell on earth, rendezvous of white thieves and Indian murderers, bor- der fortress for all the nameless devil try of the frontier.
 And he must invade the Hole, alone. if he would be of service to this woman captive. By sheer recklessness he must pierce the thing to the heart. Yet how was it to be done? Not even a mountain goat could find passage down those rocks even by daylight and in another hour all would be darkness. He could not remain there; before night made the search impossible he must at least find water and a place in which to camp. He stared down into those deepening mists below. al- ready beginning to blot out the fea- lures of the valley.
 God, what a hole," he breathed; ''it is like looking straight into hell. The only way down must be some where to the left. Case told me they passed in under that waterfall"
 He got to his feet. with the pony trailing behind, moved backward away from the edge of the chasm into the open plain. Suddenly, as his glance wandered searchingly toward the chain of rock hills, the man stopped. his heart pounding. What was that moving wonder. just emerging from out the mouth of that ravine and becoming clearly outlined against the gray al- kali? He knew almost instantly-the advance of a drove of cattle. debouch- ing through the narrow defile and spreading out as they attFined the wider open space. There must be hundred head and even as he con- prehended, horsemen appeared in their rear, spurring forward to turn them to the left down a. shallow gulch.
 There was no way he could escape observation; no possibility of hiding on that bare plain. Shelby's brain ,ryOrlyod lilo Ii0bfDfDp Tbora xroro 6x,o riders; he could count them now; h. dians mostly, although one was surely white. There was nothing left him but audacity and lies. He must take the chance, the one chance. mad. des- perate, yet yielding possibility of sue cess. He swung the field glasses to his eyes-yes, one rider was white, a squat figure with a red beard, and another, the fellow at this end, ap- peared to be a Mexican. Then he laughed grimly; the vortex of his glass rested on the exposed flank of the nearest steer and he saw tte brand. By all the gods, they were his own cattlei The humor of it flashed in his eyes, but the jaw of the man set stern,y. The d-d thievesI He strode forward. the pony trailing at his heeI5, and then the Mexican saw him, throwing up one hand in a swift signal and spurring his horse reckless ly across the gray plain. They met half way, Shelby still afoot. the other sweeping up at full speed, his horse brought fairly to its launches by the cruel pressure of a Spanish bit.
 The fellow was a handsome devil but for the evil in his eyes and dis figuring scar down one cheek. The eyes of the two met and the riders hand dropped instantly upon the ex- posed butt of a revolver.
 "Buenas dias, senor," he said harsh ly, staring. "What is the meaning of -this?"
 Shelby smiled, coolly returning his glance.
 'The meaning of what, senor?" he questioned shortly.
 Your being here-aloneI I have not seen you before. You are not of the Wolves den."
 "Oh, is that it. senor?" indifferently. "Then maybe you will tell me how am to find a way into this den of wolves? I have looked. down yonder," he waved his hand.
 'You seek it. then?'
 Sure; otherwise why should I be here? You will guide me?'
 "Carambal It depends" suspicious ly, yet somewhat disconcerted by the others quiet manner. q would know more first. You are lost?"
 Completely; yet 1t is story easily told. I was with man named Han- ley an a fellow called Hank
 "Old Matt-I know him."
 Good; then I have met a friend. We were there, back in those hills. when my girth broke-see, where I have fixed it. I fell behind and they rode on. I thought to follow easily. but, you must know those hills, the trail was lost; perhaps took wrohg turn, for suddenly I found myself on this plain"
 The Mexican sat motionless, h-s eyes as suspicious as ever, but his fingers no longer gripped on the re- volver. The last of the cattle had dis down the coulee and the red bearded white man was riding toward them across the alkali. Neither changed position until he came up,