The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-07-18

her guests taken up the cliff. This
was strenuous toll, requiring the need
of lassoes to haul up the effects.
Get ready to climb" said Stewart.
turning to Madeline's party.
"Where?" asked Helen.
He waved his hand at the ascent to
be made. Explanations of dismay fol
lowed his gesture.
Mr.. Stewart, is there danger?"
asked Dorothy; and her voice trem-
bled.
This was the question Madeline had
upon her lips to ask Stewart, but She
could not speak 1t.
NO, there's no danger" replied
Stewart, but we're taking precautions
We all agreed On as best"
Dorothy whispered that she believed
Stewart lied. CastletOn asked another
question, and then Harvey followed
suit. Mrs. Beck made a tlmid query.
please keep quiet and do as you're
told" said Stewart, bluntly.
At this %juncture, when the last of
the baggage was being hauled up the
cliff. Monty approached Madeline and
removed his sombrero. His black face
seemed the same, yet this was a vastly
changed Monty.
Miss Hammond. I'm giyin' notice l
resign my job" he said.
Monty! What do you mean? What
does Nels mean now, when danger
threatens?"
I'VE jest quit. That's ALL" replied
Monty, tersely. He was stern and
somber; he could not stand still his
eyes roved everywhere.
Castleton Jumped up from the log
where he had been sitting, and his
face was very red.
MIR. Price,. does all this blooming
fuss mean we are to be robbed or at
tackled or abducted by a lot of raga-
muffin guerrillas?'
you've called the bet"
Dorothy turned a very pale face
toward Monty.
"Mr. Price, you wouldn't-you
couldn't desert us now? You and Mr..
Nels-'
Desert your asked Monty, blankly.
Eyes, desert us. Leave us when we
may need you so much, with some
thing dreadful coming"
Monty uttered a short, hard laugh
as he bent a strange look upon the
girl.
ME an Nels is purity much scared,
an we're goin' to slope. Miss Dor
othy. bein' as we've rustled round so
much, it sorta hurts US to see nice
young girls dragged off by the hair"
Dorothy uttered a little cry and her
became hysterical. Castleton for once
was fully aroused.
by Cad! You and your partner
are a couple of blooming towards.
Where now is that courage you boosted
off,"
Monty's dark face expressed extreme
sarcasm.
book, in my time I've seen some
bright fellers, but you take the cake.
It's most marvellous how bright you
are. Figger'n' me an Nels so correct.
Say, Dock, if you don't git rustled off
to Mexico an roped to a cactus bush
you'll hev a swell story fer your Eng
lish chums. Bah Joyel You'll tell 'em
how you seen two old-time gun-men
run like scared jack-rabbits from a
lot of Greasers. Like HI you will -
Monty, shut up" yelled Stewart.
as he came hurriedly up. Then Monty
slouched away, cursing to himself.
Madeline and Helen, assisted by
Castleton, worked oyer Dorothy, and
with some difficulty quoted her.
Stewart passed several times without
noticing them, and Monty, who had
been so ridiculousls eager to pay every
little attention to Dorothy, did not see
her at all. Rude it seemed in Monty's
case more than that. Madeline hardly
knew what 10 make of it.
Stewart directed cowboys to go to
the head of the open place in the cliff
and let down lassoes. Then, with lit
tie waste of words, he urged the women
toward this rough ladder of stones.
"We want to hide you," he said,
when they demurred. IF the guer-
rillas come We'll tell them you've all
gone down to the ranch. If we have
to fight you'll be safe up there"
Helen stepped boldly forward and
let Stewart put the loop of a lasso
round her and tighten it. He waved
his hand to the cowboys above.
"Just walk up, now" he directed
Helen.
1t proved to the watchers to be an
easy, safe and rapid means Of scaling
the steep passage. The men climbed