New Britain herald., 1921-08-10

l dry valley beyond. He pushed after | them, his anxiety increasing, hoping that he might overtake Vesta before ] she came within range of her enemy. So for three miles or more in a dusty, headlong race, coming then to the rim of a bowl-Eke valley and the sound of running shots.
 Lamberts heart contracted in a paroxysm of fear for the lives of | both those flaming combatants as he | rode prscipitately into the little val l ley. The shooting had ceased when l he came into the clear and pulled up to look for Vesta.
 The next second the two, girls swept into sight. Vesta had not only overtaken her enemy, but had ridden around her and cut off her retreat She was driving her back toward the | spot where Lambert stood, shooting at her as she fled, with what seemed to him cruel and deliberate hand. Vesta was too far behind the other l girl for anything like accurate shoot ing with a pistol, but Lambert feared | that a chance shot might hit Now the Kerr girl had her gun out and had turned. offering battle She l was still considerable distance be- I.yond him, with what appeared from his situation to be some three or four hundred yards between the combat ants, safe distance for both of them if they would keep it. But Vesta had no intention of making it a long range duel. She pulled her horse up, and reloaded her gun, then spurred ahead, holding her fire.
 Lambert saw all this as he swept down between them. like an eagle, old Whetstone hardly touching the ground He cut the line between them not forty feet from the Kerr girls position, as Vesta galloped up. Vesta waved him aside, her face white as ash; and attempted to dash by. He caught her rein and whirled her horse sharply bringing her face to face with him, her revolver lifted 1 not yard from his breast. He twisted in his saddle and commanded the Kerr girl with a swing of the arm to go. She started her horse in bound and again Vesta lifted her gun as Lambert, with quick movement clasped her wrist.
 For Gods sake, Vesta, keep your l soul clean!" he said.
 His voice was vibrant with a deep earnestness that made him as solemn ! as priest. She stared at him with widening eyes, something in his man ner and voice that struck to reason through the insulation of her anger | Her fingers relaxed on the weapon; :; she surrendered it into his hand.
 Let me take you home, vesta,'' he said
 They rode back to the fence with out a word between them When they came to the cut wires Vesta stopped.
 Did you know her before you came here?" she asked with much abruptness.
 NO. I never knew her" 1 T thought maybe you'd met her. she's been away at school somewhere I-Omaha, think. Were you talking to her long?"
 "Only little while. I got her to half agree to truce," said he, re- luctantly, his eyes studying the ground, "but I guess it's all off now"
 She looked toward the place where she had lately ridden through the fence in vengefu1 pursuit of her enc my, her eyes inscrutable. her face sad.
 | as it is today she said. and turned l her horse, and left him.
 Lambert had a feeling of security 1 for his line of fence as he rode home l on the evening of his adventurous day. He had pieced the wire and had left note pinned to it reminding Grace Kerr of his request that she ease her spite by unlocking it there | instead of cutting it in a new place.
 He also added the information that he would be there on a certain date | to see how we'll she carried out his wish
 He had some necessary purchases to make in Glendora and after sup per he set out on his errand.
 At the hotel, where he stopped to buy cigar, he heard from Wood a bit of news that disturbed him. Sim Hargus, Nick's half brother, only two weeks out of the pen, where he had been imprisoned for cattle stealing in Wyoming, was back at his old job as foreman for Berry Kerr, and was boasting that he would run the Duke out of the country.
 Lambert made his various pur- chases, tied the package to his saddle and set out on the homeward road rumlnat1ng on the new trouble that had been laid ou: for him.
 Ahead little way, the road
 branched at the point of the hil leading to the Philbrook house His road lay to the right of the juttine
 plowshare of hill which seemed shaped for the mere purpose of split ting the highway. The other branch
 led to Kerr's ranch, and beyond
 As the horse trotted on, Lamberr
 made out something lying in the road
 which looked at that distance, like
 the body of a man. Closer approach proved this to be the case indeed Whether the man was alive or dead | it was impossible to determine from $ the saddle, but he lay in a huddlee
 heap as if he had been thrown from
 a horse. his hat in the road some fee l, beyond.
 Dismounting, Lambert bent owe,