Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-05-12

ana DN0aV HAfAs RN0WNUu tAah NNt
father and gets him safely 70 the houss
Two hours before snowbird had Iefl
the house. on her long tramp 80 the
ranger station, Dan had started home.
He hadn't ahot until sunset, Rs he had
planned.
He rode one Of Lennox's cattle
ponies. the only piece Of horse-nesh
that Bill had not taken 10 the valleys
when he had driven down the live
stock. She was a pretty bay. q aplr.
tied. high-bred mare that could whip
about on her hind legs at the touch Of
the rein on her neck. She made good
time along the trim. And an hour be
fore sunset he passed the only human
habliation between the marsh and
Lemons house-the cabin that had
been recently occupied by I.nndy IllI.
dreth.
Tie glanced at the place as be
passed and aaw thnt Il was deserted.
No smell Of wood smoke remained IL
the air. Evidently LnDdy bad gone
down 10 the settlements with his
precious testimony IN regard TO the
arson ring. Yet II was curious that
no word had been heard Of bin. AZ
fur as Dan knew. neither the courts
nor the forest service had taken nc
ton.
He hurried on. four miles farther.
The trail entered the heavy thickeis,
and be had TO ride slowly. II was a.
Wild section as could BE- found on
the whole Divide And 3uat ~ be
came 10 a little cleared space. three
strange. dark birds lung up on vide
spreading wings.
flo knew them nf once. All noun.
tnineers como to know them before
their days are done. They were the
buzzards. the followers OF the dead
And what they we're doing In ths
thicket Just beside tho trail. Dan DID
not dare 10 think.
OF course they might he feeding on
tho body OF deer. MORALLY wounded
by some hunter He resolved 10 rlde
BY without investigating. 10 glanced
up. The buzzBrds were lowering IN
the sky, evidently waiting for him q
pass. Then. mostly TO relieve a curl.
Gus sense OF discomfort in his own
mind. he stopped HIS horse and Dis.
mounted.
The twilight had started 10 fall. and
already It's FIRST grayness had begun
10 soften the harder lines Of forest
and hill. And after bis frs, glance NJ
the curious white heap beside the
trail, he whs extremely glad that Il
had. But there wns no chance to mis-
take the thing. The elements and
much more terrible agents had each
wrought their change, yet there was
grisly evidence In plenty 20 show what
had occurred. Dan didn't doubt for
an instant but that It was the skelo.
ton Of Landy HlIdreth.
He forced himself to 70 nearer. The
buzzards were almost done, and one
white bono from the shoulder gave UNI
mlstakable evidence of the passage Of
a bullet. What had happened there
after, he could only guess
He got back quickly on his horse.
He understood, now, why nothing Ind
been heard Of the evidence that Lnndy
HIldreth was 10 turn over 10 the
courts as 70 the activities OF the arson
ring. Some oDe--probably Bert Gran
ston himself--hnd been waiting on the
trnil Others had come thereafter.
And HIS lips set IN his resolve TO let
this murder measure IN the debt he
had to pay Cranston.
The Lennox house seemed very ~
lent when, almost an hour later, he
turned his horse Into the corral. He
had rather hoped that snowbird would
be at the door to meet him. The dark
ness had Just fallen. and all the lamps
were lighted. He strobe into the iIv-
ing room, warming his hands an IN
slant beside the fireplace. The fire
needed fuel. II had evidently been
neglected for nenrly an hour.
Then he called snowbird. His voice
echoed In the silent room. unanswered,
He called again, then went to look for
her. At the door OF the dining room
he found the note that she had left
for him.
II told. very simply and plainly, that
her father lay injured in his bed. and
he was to remain and DO what he
could for him. She had gone for help
TO the ranger station.
lie leaped through the rooms to Len
nox's door, then went IN on tlptoe.
And the first thing he saw when he
opened the door was the grizzIed
mans gray face on the pillow.
you're home enrIy, DAN" he said.
-How many did you get7"
II wns entirely characteristic.
Shaggy old Wool IL too proud to howl
over the wounds that lay him low. and
This grny old bear on the bed had par
taken Of his spirit.
"Good Lord" Dan answered, "How
badly are you hurtYf
sNot so bud but that I'm sorry that
Snowblrd has gone drifting twelve:
miles over the hills for help. IT'S
dark as pitch" ~
And Il was. nnn could scarcely