The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-11
Confined from Oar Last Issue.)
CHAPTER XVI.


The girl writhed and twisted re-
CARELESS OF the pain. exerting ev-
cry muscle of the strong young arm
and shoulder.
Let sme go!" she cried, terror
rampant in her white face. DON'T
touch mel"
There was a swift fash of white
teeth. With a startled oath Doble
snatched his arm away. Savage as
a tigress, Joyce had closed her
teeth on his forearm
| She fell back, got to her feet,
and fed from the house. Doble was
after her on the instant. She dodg-
ed round a tree, doubled on her
course, then DETECTED toward the
corral. Swift and supple though
she was his long strides brought
him closer. Again she screamed.
you young hell-cat, I'm not gon-
ma hurt you" he said. What's
the use o. actin craZy?"
There was a patter OF rapid feet.
A small body hurled itself against
IDoble's leg and chung there, beat
ing his thigh with a valiant little
fist.
You le' my sister go! You le'
my sister go!" the boy shouted, re-
peating the words over and over.
Doble looked down at Keith.
what the hell?" he demanded,
amazed.
The Mexican came forward and
! spoke in Spanish rapidly.
The outlaw was irritated. All
this clamor OF fear annoyed and
disturbed him. This was not the
scene he had planned in his drink
inspired reveries.
Peel this kid off'n my leg and hit
the trail, Juan. l dom care where
fyou leave him so long as you keep
an eye on him till afternoon.
With difficulty the Mexican swung
l to the saddle, dragged Keith up in
!, front of him, and rode away at a
1 jog-trot The youngster was
: screaming at the top of his lungs.
AS his horse climbed toward the
! notch, Otero looked back. Doble
l had picked up his prisoner and was
e carrying her into the house.
An hours riding through the
S chaparral brought him to the wa
: ter-shed far above the Jackpot
Otero picked his way to the upper
e end of gulch.
e 'Leesten, muchaco. Go down
n downtown. First the gulch, ther
e a canon, then the Jackpot You
Y go on the trail"
If He dropped the boy to the ground
l. watched him start. then turned
away at a. Spanish trot.
The trail was a rough and pre-
8 cipitous one. Stumbling as ht
. walked. Keith went sobbing dowr
:, the gu1ch. He had wept himself
, out, and his sobs had fallen to
:, dry hiccough A forlorn LITTLE
. chap, tired and sleepy. he picke(
= his way among the mesquite, fol
- lowing the path along the dry creel
bed. The cat-claw tore his stock
ings and scratched him. Ston
= bruises hurt his tender feet. HI
;, kept travelling, because he wa
y afraid to give up.
e He reached the junction OF tn
- gulch and the canon. A small
D. stream, which had survived tn
L summer drought, trickled down tn
bed of the latter Through tan
= gled underbrush Keith crept to tn
N water. He lay down and drank
2 after which he sat on rock an
IL pitied himself. In FIVE. minutes h
Is would have been asleep if a SCUM
q had not. startled him, Some on
20 was snoring on the other side @
he a mesquite thicket.
oT Keith jumped up, pushed HI
way through, and almost stumble
over a sleeping man. He knel
down and began to shake tn
snorer.
Wake up, mani" Keith shoute
y in his ear in the interval betWee
= shakes.
The youngster reused the ma
N at last by throwing water in III
A. face. Shorty sat up, at the sam
re same time dragging out revolVe
pr His gaze fastened on the boy, ate
IN one swift glance around.
pr "Whadya dom here?"
of "I want. my daddy"
az who is yore daddy? What
Mt yore name?"
g Keith Crawford"
~ shorty bit off an oath of SUI
. prise "Howcome you here?
in "A man brought me"
~ AS far as he understood then
- the boy told the story of the night
!, adventures. Shorty's face gre
: grim. He appreciated the meanin
m DdCh VI IHchAI AoA bNSNSA S -
to little fellow.
- He jumped to his feet I'VE
go, kid"
CHAPTER XVII.
Joyce tainted for the first time
her life.
When she recovered consciou
o ness Doble was splashing water J
,: her face. She was lying on II
bunk from which she had fed
few minutes earlier. The girl mac
IL a motion to rise and he put hea'
If hand on her shoulder.
he Don't be a fool" he told her !
ritably. Il amt gonna hurt "
ri none-if you behave reasonable.
tn She tried to slip by him and
nd thrust her back.
nd Let me go!"-she demanded =
Sc oncei"
IT. you're not gonna CO." he to
her fatty. You'll stay here-wi
i'll me. For keeps. Understand? ?"
tie Have you gone crazy?'' she as
NJ ed wildly, her heart fiuttering III
is a frightened bird in a cage. dol
.es YOU know my father will search Z
ms whole country for me-"
TOO late. We travel south so'
he as it's dark" He leaned forwa
re- and put a hand on her knee,
Of oa rdlass NJ the fact that she Shral