New Britain herald., 1923-02-13

San, he Nsald say somstimes
these stars af ours ailA shlRe aaaand
tbs s0Fld same dag
"iinl his happiness Nas shRTtriiFei
"a mere matter nj few pirasaRi
weeks as We sol farther down Iaaanl
cur aesiinstiaR-iaF aRe gorgeous
twilight as wF made readF % eamp
in fold of the hills, tao masked men
dropped fFom . r0fks pass and am
hnshsd the camp, II aas a staring
thing, bold AMI rleaHseut, AMI took
ns nnaNaHfs, who we're always pre-
pared They sfre ghite men not
MeAieans, and both weTr big men.
The two handlers ard ! s'fFe willing
20 obey the guns Ne faped-hul this
Kentucky gentleman, this fieFf Old
father OF mins-ah, he was a tighter
born And II was his hnFses that tho
masked men wanted, his malehless
racers
$50 he refused ami leaned for his
sun beside a rack=and the leader
shot him as he ran. Shot him dead
in his tracks, reaching for tbs gum |
think | went mad that minute, for |
ieaped AZ the bandit then, half up on
his horse went, elawing like q
cat ! carried knife and tried 10
kill him with IL, but he boat me or
with his gun butt, As fell, my
face battered TO a pulp bY the failing
butt, r8ked him with my elutehing
fingers-and tore away his mask. |
saw his face, lust ono swift second he
fore the darkness Of failing sight
hlotted II out, and If was a handsome
face. mlddle-aged and eagle keen. and
the long dark eyes that lighted II
we're hard as steel and terrible.
When ! cane back 10 earth we were
two dead men and two living ones.
for one OF the handlers had been
killed also. The other was a brave
chap and he brought me round.
helped TO gather up the scat
tered horses. and the next day we
buried our dead at the foot OF the
hill. There AT that unmarked grave
] made my oath. and started out to
keep IL. For four years have
searched the earth for a big gray man
with long dark eyes that glittered
with mad excitement-and some
day ] shall find him. There was but
enc bit OF good left me from that Bit
Comet. who loved me
hest of all who touched him. would
have none Of the strangers.
"The trainer said he went mad as
a lunatic when they tried to take him.
Wild, screaming, furious. he charged
them full, broke his rope and literal
ly drove them into the sanctuary OF
the pass-but they took his gentler
double, the starry-eyed Meteor. out
OF the chasms and defiles The Comet
came next day at my ceaseless calling. |
came rampant and blowing. and we've |
Leen together ever since"
yelantrie ceased, rolled his wide
aimlessly between his fingers and
set 1t back upon his head. He pulled
It well down above his eyes and
turned to the girl with his old gentle |
smile.
.Come. Miss Harmon" he said, 'let |
me take you down. The tale is told |
the story finished. Now you know
veIantrie, sometime of the Border,
save and except the fashion Of my
living. That can be told in breath. |
hate oppression. In Mexico it
.hrives appallingly. / have had to
.rnvel ceaselcssly. | have put my
land against every man who wrongs
!. helpless one. and ! have enjoyed the
price, I've made them pay wherever
md whenever could. | have stolen
,irht and left. / have kept nothing
or myself except the bread | ate.
md always have searched
searched for The Meteor and the man
Who rides him-for / mean to have
hem BOTH
He reached for her hand with a
lrm grip and drew her with him out
rom the shelter Of the council-house
o where the horses stood at the
teen trails head. AS they paused to
mount. Val again put her hand on his