Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-05-31

OUTSIDE nHu hItfacteu MS ATTENTION
Madeline listened. Low voices of men
the softer liquid tones of a woman
drifted In through the open door
They spoke In Spanish. and the
voices grew louder. Then the woman's
voice. hurried and broken, rising
higher, was eloquent OF vain appeal
The cowboys demeanor startled
Madeline into anticipation of some
thing dreadful. She was not deceived.
From outside came the sound Of a
scufie-a muffied shot, a groan, the
thud of a falling body. a woman's
low cry, and footsteps padding away
In rapid retreat.
Madeline Hammond leaned weakly
back In her seat, cold and sick, and
for q N her ears %throbbed to
the tramp of the dancers across the
way and the rhythm Of the cheap
music. Then into the open door-place
flashed a girls tragic face. lighted by
dark eyes and framed by dusky hair.
The girl reached a slim brown hand
round the side of the door and held
on as II TO support herself.
"Senor-Gene !" she exclaimed and
%breathless glad recognition made a
sudden break in her terror.
Bonita !" The cowboy leaped to
her. "Girli Are you hurt7"
mo, senor."
He took hold of her. ~ heard
somebody got shot. Was Ii Danny?"
"No. senior"
ibid Danny do the shooting7 Tell
me, girl"
mo, senor.'
"rm sure glad. I thought Danny
was mixed up In that. He had Still
wells money for the boys-I was
afraid. /. Say, Bonita. but you'll
get In trouble. Who was with your
What did you do?"
"Senor Gene-they Don Carlos
vaqueros-they quarrel over me. 1
only dance + leetie, smile "A leetle,
and they quarrel. | beg they be good
watch u for Sheriff Have
and now Sheriff Have put me In jail
] so brighten; he try make leetle love
to Bonita once. and now he hate me
like he hate Senior Gene"
"Pat Have won't put you In jail.
Take my horse and hit the Peloncillo
trail. Bonita, promise to stay away
from Ell Cajon."
"Si. Senor.'
He led her outside. Madeline heard
the horse snort and champ his bit
Tfx1 1OurL2, c.alxa lOuy Arlu q fow
words were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. . .
wait out Of town
mountain trail d.. now
ride 7"
A moments silence ensued, and was
broken by a pounding OF hoofs, a pat
tering of gravel. Then Madeline saw
a big, dark horse run into the wide
space. She caught a glimpse of wind
swept scarf and hair, a little form
low down in the saddle. The horse
was outlined In black against the line
of dim lights. There was something
wild and splendid In his flight.
Directly the cowboy appeared again
in the doorway.
miss Hammond, / reckon we want
TO rustic out of here. Been bad goings-
And there's a train due"
She hurried into the open air, not
daring to look back or to either side.
Her guide strobe swiftly. She had
almost to run to keep up with him.
Suddenly aware that she had been
led beyond the line of houses, she
"Where are you taking me?"
ITO Florence Kingsley" he replied.
"yyho is she?"
81 reckon she's your brothers best
friend out here"
Madeline kept pace with the cow
boy for q few moments longer, and
she stopped. 1t was as much
from necessity to catch her breath
1t was from recurring fear. The
cowboy, missing her, came back the
few intervening steps. Then he
waited. still silent. looming beside her.
tits so dark, so lonely" she fal-
tered. "How do / know what
can you give me that you
that no harm Will befall me IL l go
f~artherT'
"None, Miss Hammond, except that
I've seen your face"