The Snowflake herald., 1923-04-20

heavy as shot She saw Sandy ahead,
dimiy, like sheeted ghost, twisted In
his saddle, watching her.
To her right was the cliff, sliyny
with water. the trail SO narrow that
now and then her elbow dug into the
soft stuff. The light rayed upward
at ali acute angle. In a few moments
It would be dark. But they were
close to the top. The mare already
stood on level ledge of side-jutting
rock, from which one could look down
into the canyon of the oaks and the
! unfailing stream.
Sandy heard cry from Molly and
! saw, through the curtain Of the. fall
/ ing rain, the wide-flared nostrils of
her horse. it's eyes protruding as the
brute, with the ground stopping away
beneath him, slid slowly down toward
the gulf, the girl her weight flung for
ward on the withers. her face white
as paper, turning to him mutely for
help. 1t was bad moment Sandy
had no space to turn In, no chance
to whirl his lariat, even for side
throw. There was no time to spin a
loop. But his hand detached the rope,
flying fingers found the free end as
he pivoted in the saddle, thighs weld
ed to the mare.
Take turn about the horn y he
shouted. Hang to the end yo'sef y
He sent the line jerking back, whis-
Ting as il streaked across the girls
shoulders. She clutch2d for it, with
plenty Of slack. snubbed ii about the
saddle horn, clung to the end made
a blight of ii about her body
Sandy spoke to the mare.
STEADY. lii lady, steady" The
rope was about his own horn; he
thanked God that he had examined the
cinches of Moily's saddle The bay
was cat-footed with the help of the
mare Sandy believed he could dig and
scrape and climb to safety.
He felt Goldie sti4en beneath him,
braced against the strain she knew
was coming. The taut lariat hulnmed
it bruised into Sandys thigh. Behind.
the bay snorted. struggling calamity
They were poised on the brink of
death for moment, two-three-and
then the mare began 10 move slowly
forward. neck curved, ears cooked to
her masters urging while the bay
Sloshed through the treacherouS muck,
found foothola. lost ii. made frantic
leap, another. and landed trembling
on the ledge. Sandy leaped from his
utrht clS,
her seat in sheer exhaustion and the
revulsion of terror, clinging closely
TO him.
I'm all right" she said. ~ was
scared an yet | knew you'd pull me
out. I'm plumb shamed of myself.
Jest like Il ID gel to act that way"
"Shucks You wasn't bali as scared
as the bay. Wonder did he strain
himself?" He passed clever hands
over the bays legs, talking to it.
'Yo're all rixht, OF surelegs. Right
as rain Sandy recoiled his lariat.
gave Molly hand 10 her foot 10 lift
her 10 her saddle mounted himself.
and they rode slowly down The tur-
moil of running waters far below bur
dened the night. but the danger from
the storm was over
Train time was long past SANDY
knew nothing of the change of sched
ule. bat he was confident of winning
clear lie knew man in the tile
town they were aiming for whose liv-
cry stable WAS. in the march of the
times. divided between horses and ma
chimes. There he expected 10 put up
the horses until they could be re.
turned TO Three Star, and there he
figured on hiring a. car and driver
If. as he anticipated. there were No
more trains that night. He believed
that Mormon and Sam had delayed
the sheriff. Probably the latter had
given up the chase, but there was no
telling. They should lose no time in
getting out of the state.