Roanoke Rapids herald., 1923-10-19
"Knew whntf' asked Madeline.

on. I've a scheme to fool that grin.
ming Don Carlos. Get down, Madeline
hurry |" tts
Madeline dismounted.
Give me your white sweater. Take
1t Off And that white hat! Hurry,
Madeline She had divested herself
or sombrero and jacket. which she
held out to Madeline. "Heah. Take
these. Give me yours. Then get up
on the black. I'll ride Majesty. Rustic
now, Madeline. THIS is no time to
talk"
but, dear. why-why do you
want? All! You're going to make
the vaqueros take you for mel"
You guessed 1t. Will you"
Il shall not allow you to do any
thing of the kind" returned Madeline.
1t was then that Florences face.
changing, took on the hard. stern
sharpness so typical of cowboys.
Madeline had caught glimpses of that
expression in Alfred's face, and on
Siewart's when he was silent, and on
StillwelTs always. 1t was look of
iron and Interchangeable, unqnench-
able Will. There was even much of
violence in the swift action whereby
Florence compelled Madeline to the
change of apparel.
It'd been my idea, anyhow, If
Stewart hadn't told me to do it," said
Florence, her words as swift as her
hands, Don Carlos is after you--you,
Miss Madeline Hammond He wouldn't
ambush trail for any one else He
wants you for some reason. So Gene
thought, and now believe him. Well,
we'll know for sure In five minutes
You ride the black; I'll ride Majesty
Well slip around through the brush
out of sight and sound. till we can
break out into the open. Then we'll
split. 1ou make straight for the ranch.
I'll cut loose for the valley where Gene
said positively the cowboys were with
the cattle. The vnqueros will take
me for You. They'll chase me They'll
never get anywhere near me- And
you'll he on fast horse He can take
yon home ahead of any vaqueros But
you won't be chased I'm stalking all
on that. Trust me, Madeline If it
were only my calculation. maybe I'd
It's because remember Stewart.
That cowboy knows things. Come,
this heah's the safest and smartest
way to fool Don Carlos" Madeline
felt herself more forced than per
suaded into acquiescence. She mounted
th. hlnrl- A.. II.
another moment she was guiding her
horse off the trail In the tracks of
Majesty. Florence led off at right an.
giles. threading II slow passage through
the mesquite. She favored sandy
patches and open alsles between the
trees and was careful not TO break Il
branch Often she stopped to listen.
This detour Of perhaps half a mile
brought Madeline to where she could
see open ground. the ranch-house only
a few miles off, and the cattle dottinc
the valley. She had not lost her cour-
age but II was certain that these fa-
miliar sights somewhat lightened the
pressure upon her breast. Excitement
grlpped her. The shllll whistle of n
horse made both the black and Males
jump. Florence quickened the gait
down the slope. Soon Madeline saw
the edge of the brush, the gray-bleached
grass and level ground.
Florence waited AT the opening be-
tween the low trees. She gave Made
line quick, bright glance.
"All over but the ride. Thatll sure
be easy. Bolt now and keep your
nerve"
When Florence wheeled the fiery
roam and screamed in his ear Madeline
seemed suddenly to grow lax and help
less The big horse leaped Into thun-
dering action. Florence's hair streamed
on the wind and shone gold In the sun
light. Then hoarse shouts Unclaimed
Madeline's power of movement, and
she spurred the black into the open.
He wanted to run and he was swift.
Madeline loosened the reins--Iaid them
loose upon his neck. His action was
strange to her He was hard to ride.
But he was fast, and she cared for
nothing else. She was running away
from something; what that was she
did not know. But she remembered
Florence. and she wanted to look back.
yet hated to do so for fear of the
nameless danger Florence had men
toned.
Madeline listened for the pounding
Of pursuing hoofs in her rear. Invol-
unfairly she glanced back. On the
mile or more of gray level between
her and the ridge there was not n
horse, a man, or anything living. She
wheeled to look back on the other
side, down the valley slope.
The sight of Florence riding Majesty
in zigzag flight before whole troop of
vnqueros blanched Madeline's cheek
and made her grip the pommel of her
saddle In terror. That strange gait
of her roam was not his wonderful
stride. Could Majesty be running
wild? 1t flashed over Madeline that
Florence was putting the horse to
some such awkward flight as might
have been expected of an eastern girl
frightened out of her wits. Madeline
made sure of this when, after looking
again, she saw that Florence, in spite
of the horses breaking gait and the
irregular course, was drawing slowly
and surely down the valley.
Madeline had NOT lost her head
to the extent of forgetting her own
mount and the nature of the ground In