The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-08-09
The Rirnrock Trail
Serial Story by ]. Allan Dunn


waving ike the plume of a knight,
Sandy gently patted him, pressed him
down to crouch.
"Down charge, Grit" he whispered
In his ear. you've got 1t. You STAY
here.' Sandy had left his rife at the
cabin when he carried Grit out. now
he spun the two cylinders of his
Colts. lowered himself into the split.
holding on to the vine. looking
straight into Grit's lambert eyes.
"Stay here. son." he said softly,
and Grit licked the face now on a
level with his own. 'T'n be back"
Sandy had adventured more dan
gerous chances than this. He felt his
legs bangle into space and his hands
found a curving loop in the vine trunk
that sagged slightly under his weight.
Extended at full length, his toes
touched bottom. Letting 20. he
dropped lightly and stood In black.
ness. the crevice above him showing
a strip of azure light.
There was only the sound of drip
ping water. He ventured a match,
holding 1t at arms length In his left
hand. ficking friction with his nail.
an old trick. The match caught and
began to blaze instantly In the still
air. Low down, and to the right,
there showed a stab of fame, the roar
Of an exploding cartridge. the reek Of
high-powered gas seemed to ill the
cavern. The bullet passed through
Sandy's coat sleeve. II he had held
the match in front of him he would
have been, shot through heart or
lungs His right-hand gun barked
from his hip, straight for where the
flame had showed. then to right of II,
to left, above. his left-hand gun join
Ing In the merciless probe. No sec
ond shot came In answer.
Sandy lit another match. Its fare
showed him sandy floor, slightly
slop1ng, moist In one place, a charred
stick almost at his feet. It was
pine knot. half burned, and he light
ed 1t easily advancing toward the
spot where he had flung the shots he
knew had silenced whoever had fred
at the first match. He found Hahn,
crumpled up. shot through the right
arm and thigh, besides the other
wound in his shoulder.
Sandy turned him over, brought
Keith's flask into play. Hahn looked
up at him and essayed a grin.
"Yo're game all right, Ham," said
Sandy. You amt the man l was
lookin' TO-, but you fired first. see
I wasn't the first to plug you. Meb-
be can fix you up a bitY
Hahn shook his head.
"'Twouldn't be a mite of use" he
said huskily. mo grudge against
you, Sandy. l thought you one Of
Brandon's gang. They got Butch and
me an they're chasIn' Jim Plimsoll
to hell and gone-over Nipple peaks
If he beats 'em to Spur rock he'll
fool EN- on the black couldn't ride
he left me herewith the girl-but
the case Is empty and the banks
bu'sted-cashing- - time and NO
chips"
He was wandering in his mind,
speaking without control. but Sandy's
mouth frightened at the mention Of
Nipple Peaks, relaxed again on the
word girl" He gave Hahn the
last few drops of whisky. The dealer
coughed violently. collapsed, shud-
dered. writhed a little and was still
before he could answer Sandy's eager
question about Molly.
He found her without much search
Ing, rolled down little slope beyond
the crevice. Under the light of the
torch her eyes looked up at him. Her
hair was In disorder, her raiment
torn, her slender body wound about
by the lariat rope. her mouth and
chin hidden by the tightly drawn BAN
danna, but her gaze, rejecting the
flare Of the pine knot, held SO much
Of welcome, of faith. of pride and
courage. all sourced In something
deeper. far more wonderful, moving
beneath the surface like well
spring, that Sandy's heart swelled
with glad emotion, knowing she was
unframed, knowing that his coming
was no surprise, however welcome.
He found himself trembling as he
united her bonds and took away the
gag from the mouth that lifted to his.
She Struggled into his arms and. as
the torch sputtered out. leaving them
In the darkness, save for the luminous
beams that stole down from where
Grit whimpered In joyous impatience,