Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-28
ATale of Adventure
BY QUEEN SABE (Who Knotos)
CopproLt. Cherries scrbler,s
Copvriolt. 1921, Ov Charles scrioner's Sous

ride where he was going this morning.
Every one in the border town had known
of his letter Mt the pOstofficc further,
1t was not in the least unlikely that
SenOrita Castclmar would know of the
letter when it was dropped into the slot
at the Mexican postoffiCe! What did
strike him as odd, however, was that
she should consent to his leaving the
ranch. realizing that he knew much of
her own plans and would doubtless
speak freely of them and of the Amer
ican girl held in her house for ransom.
Not only was she willing for me to
see Bruce he decided; "shc wanted
me TO. WHY"
His trail led him into the last narrow
dehIe to be encountered before reaching
the summit. SO closely did the rocks
press in on each side that often his tap
aderos brushed the sheer wall He made
a turn, none too wide for the body of
ms horse, and drew sudden rein, looking
INTO two rife barrels. The men cover
ing MN lay dozen feet above his head
upon bare. flat rock. He could see
only the hands upon their guns, the
neads under their tall hats. the shoul-
derS' But he was near enough to mark
business like look in the hard black
eyes.
You We got the drop on me. compa-
neroS: he said lightly. What's the
third man appeared on foot in the
irhli before him. stepping out from be-
nlnG q shoulder Of rock. Tie came on
ui'tiI lie could have put out a hand to
the Sorrels reins.
=, W mere do You ride so carly?" asked
inc man on foot. his voice quiet. but
q .l,,. ~
What business is it Of yours, nv
1rlcnd: returned Kcndric.
i know the horse" called one of the
ngHr"S above. 1T is FL Rcy, from the
stables Of La Senorita. "
linen the rider must have q mes
sage or sign. Or he has stoen the
morse which would go bad with him -
'ursc you and your signs and mes
Sag"S, cried Kcndric hotly. cts n
1rco country and ride where | please. "
me man before him only smiled.
Let me look at your saddle strings"
he said. e''
kendric stared wonderngly was the
IciioW insane: What in the name of
i"lIE d'd h" mean by thing like this? {?
surely not just the opportunity to draw
c!OSc enough TO strike with n knife: the
flncS above made such strategy useless.
so II" sat still and cOntentcd himself
with watching. The man came a step
c'oScr' twisted FL Rcy's head aside,
pressed close and looked at tho rawhidr
strings on one side Of tho saddle Thrn
ne moved to the other side and repeated
ne process. Immediately he drew back
lifting his hat widely.
Pass on. Scnor." he said Cour-
teouSly. "Niva La Senorita :"
kendric spurrcd by him and rode on,
passing abruptly out of wilderness
or tumbl"d bouderS into a grassy fiat,
lie turned in the saddle nowhere was
therc sign of another than himself upon
the mountain. turiOusIy he looked at
ms saddle strings; in one of them n
Sllt had been made through which the
chd OF the string had been passed: n
double knot had been tied just below the
Sllt In no other particular was any
one OF the strings in the least notcwor-
thy.
AS good a way to carry message
as any, he gruntcd. "With not even
the messenger aware of the tidings lie
brings"
The incident impressed him deeply.
Ioraida. at the game she played. was
in deadly earnest. Her commands went
far and through many channels and
Wcr" 0Ocyed. The passes through the
mountains were in her hands. The sun
light fell warm and golden about him !:
the fun morning was serene: stiffness
aS of inctfablc peace lay across the Soli-
tud"S. And yet he felt that the placid
promise was Il lie; that the laughing
loneliness of the day was but a mask
covering much strife. In the full light
he moved on not unlike n man cropping
in absolute darkness. uncertain of the
path he trod. suspicious of pitfalls.
knowing only that his direction was in
hands other than his own. Hands that