The Nevada County picayune., 1923-02-22

E 's. N 2 e&MD It Locked as If the Day Was Favorins
 His Side.
 ance II looked as # the day was ravoring his side Then Thorne, com
 ing partly to consciousness. engaged Gales care The eayalryman stirred and moaped. called for water, and then for Mercedes Gale held him back with q strong hand. and present. ly he Wa> once more quiet.
 Suddenly harsh, prolonged wells brought Gale to his feet Far down the trails where the crater rims closed in the deep Assure he saw moving forms. They were three in number. Two Of them ran nimbly across the lava bridge The third staggered far behind. T. was Ladd He appeared hard hIt. He dragged at the heavy rifle. which he seemed unable to raise.
 The yellS came from him. He was .alline the Yaqui.
 Gales heart stood still momentar.
 ". Here. then, was the catastrophel
 lie hardly dared sweep that Assure with his glass. The two fleeing fs ures halted-turned to fire at Ladd. Gale recognized the foremost one small, compact, gaudy-Rojas The bandits arm was 0utstretched. Puffs of white smoke rose, and shots rapped out. When Ladd went down Rojas threw his gun aside and with a wild yell bounded over the lava. His com panion followed
 A tide of passion, first hot as fire, then cold as Ice, rushed over Gale when he saw Rojas take the trail to- ward Mercedes hiding-place. The little bandit appeared to have the sure-footedness of mountain sheep. The Mexican following was not so sure or fast He turned back. Gale heard the trenchant bark of the .405. Ladd was kneeling He shot again again. The retreating bandit seemed to run full into an invisible obstacle, then fell lax, inert, lifeless. Rojas
 
 dust about him. Yaqui, high above Ladd, was also firing at the bandit. Then both rifles were emptied ROjas turned at a high break in the trail He shook a defiant hand and his ex. ulting yell pealed fatntly to Gales ears About him there was something desperate, magnificent Then he clam bered down the trail
 Ladd dropped the 405, and rising, gun in hand, he staggered toward the bridge of lava. Before he had crossed 1t Yaqui came bounding down the slope, and in one splendid leap he cleared the Assure. He ran beyond the trail and disappeared on the lava above. Rojas had not seen this sud den, darting move of the Indian.
 Gale wondered, fearfully, what had become of Lash. Presently, when ROjas came out of the cracks and ruts of lava there might be a chance of disabling him by long shot His progress was now slow But he was making straight for Mercedes hiding place. What was IL leading him there an eagle eye, or hate, or instinct? Why did he go on when there could be no turning back for him on that trail2 Ladd was slow, heavy, stag gering on the trail but he was re- lentless. Only death could stop the ranger now. Surely Rojas must have known that when he chose the trail. From time to time Gale caught glimpses of Yaquis dark figure steal. ing along the higher rim of the crater. He was making for point above the bandit.
 Ladd staggered along the trail; at times he crawled. The YaQui gained; | he might have had wings; he leaped | from jagged crust to jagged crust; his | surefootedness was wonderful thing. |
 But for Gale the marvel of that | endless period of watching was the purpose of the bandit Rojas. He had | now no weapon. Gales glass made | this fact plain. There was death be- hind him, death below him, death be- fore him, and though he could not |