Evening star., 1922-01-29

THAT was some guess. eh? If this
was a gold mine. now"
Can you take US there?" asked the
girl eagerly.
Mangas hesitated. Bob Linder di-
vined the cause and spoke up.
Leave me out Of it. l couldn't take
any four-hour trip and back! You
go and look over the place in the
morning. sig. If Mont will take you
% .'Ill be mighty proud to serve as
guide, said Mangas. I'VE ought to
leave early and come back late: I
don't. think Beth ought to attempt
travel in the heat of the day. Espe-
cially il she's only been here two
weeks"
***
f-To this Beth Linder assented meek
ly. 1t was planned that they were
ITO start before the following dawn,
tsince it was now too late in the day,
unless the girl were to be exposed to
the fiercest desert heat. And this
Mangas declared impossible.
by the way" said Mangas sudden
ly. II took for granted that Crater
Heller was trying to get away with
robbery last night. But how did he
learn you people were here? He's been
on a wild spree in Los Angeles for
two or three weeks"
= Beth smiled. HE had to go on a
train to Los Angeles and back, didn't
he? Well, we happened to be on the
train, too, and we were talking with
him.
Bob Linder intervened. Hold on.
sis! 1t was my funeral altogether.
Mont; she had nothing to do with it,
IKot talking with that fellow on the
train, trying to see If he could tell US
anything about this Lost Horse claim.
1 said too much about our plans and
about the map. probably"
"Oh!" said Mangas and broke into
a grin. 80 that's why he showed
up here last night. not only to rob
yot. but to get the map! Then
"He probably thinks it's gold mine
we're after. Bob chuckled as he
spoke. II didn't say what kind of a
mine it was, you know"
That's it, that's it," cried the girl
excitedly. Then, if he comes back,
we'll tell him the truth. But he won't
come back, will he, Mont?"
!. Mangas shook his head. II can't
say, Beth. He's a queer fellow, that
,IfeieI, bad actor. He's a coward,
kofsb thing. but HE has education
and knows more about ores and min
eraW than the average desert rat. I've
heard of his doing queer and unrea-
sonabie things, due chiefly to moon
shine hooch. If he has any liquor on
hand he might show up again. If only
to even up old scores with me. How
ever. I don't think we need worry
about Heller"
Later in the day. when he was alone
with Bob, Mangas referred to the re-
volver taken from Heller. Bob had
retained it as a trophy Of the encoun-
ter.
you keep it close to hand while
we're gone," said Mangas quietly.
I'll take care of your sister, all right,
but I can't be in two places at once.
II Heller shows up. you shoot first
and argue .afterward. savvy?"
: Bob Linder nodded. N
Mont Mangas enjoyed that four
four trudge across the desert, as he
had seldom enjoyed such a tramp be-
fore.
Beth .Linder. in her trim hiking at
tire, presented fit model for the best
Of calendar girls. Mangas recalled
one Of these which hung on the wall
of his own cabin, back in the foot
hills, and wondered why, an artist
should pick such commonplace models
when there were such girls as Beth
in existence.
AS they trudged ahead Of the two
burros, whose ladihg consisted large
ly Of water, Mangas pointed out to his
companion the features Of the desert
around them. which the girl had hith.
erto seen only as sand and rock. Now
she saw the different points by name,
the Devils Fryingpan, away on to the
HA0f HRSnsa IARo s,n