The Winslow mail., 1923-11-23
Gift Of the Desert


drawn his revolver, and held 1t care
lessly in his hand.
You are such a dirty, low-down
BRUTE" he said coldly, at would really
be a pleasure to put you out Of the
world sometimes wonder why I
don't The Mex tells me you got mar
ried last night. Was it the real thing
this timer"
That's none of your id business"
Perhaps not, but let's be social
while we are together. Partners ought
not to quarrel. Surprises me you
should desert the fair bride so soon.
You seem to have your head wrapped
up-couldn't be love tap, could itT'
Meager's temper obtained full con-
troll at this unpleasantry.
HI, l was drunk |" he growled
viciously. But she'll pay for 1t, the
next time 1 get hands on the wench."
$50, she got away, then? Lord,
woman tanner This one Is of another
sort, then, than those you are accus-
toned to handling; doesn't take kind
ly to the cave-man stuff?'
"Shell take 1t, all right, the d-n
little vixen. She hit me when / was
drunk, and then got away; hid in the
old lady's room, reckon, for couldn't
find her nowhere. But I'll bring the
girl out O. there tonight, by Cd, an
she won't have no drunk man to deal
with neither"
Kelleen laughed, evidently we'll sat
isfled with what he had learned, and
having no further desire to add to
Meager's discontinue. His restive
horse suddenly sprang forward under
the quick thrust of the mans heel,
crushing through the tangle of sage,
and up the steep bank to the level of
the desert above. Deborah hadbarely
time to sink her body lower into the
sand behind her covert, when the
startled animal swept past, one hoof
scarcely missing her. Meager with
an oath, swung a hand back to his pis-
tol butt, yet was already too late
Kelleen had gone over the crest, the
faint echo of laugh floating behind
MN IdnIallZlngly.
All the girl could do was to remain
silently where she lay behind that
cluster Of sage. It was already grow
ing dusk, and shadows hung over the
gully, becoming deeper with every
passing moment. If she had escaped
observation so far she would soon be
perfectly safe. And she was-she was
The certainty was like a glass Of
wine. the blood coming back to her
heart, her pulse steadying. Kelleen
had ridden on, never pausing; she
could hear the dull thud of his horses
| hOofs in the sand, until the sound died
away In the distance. And Meager
stood there, revolver in hand, cursing
tmpotently; finally leaping forward
across the gully to where he could
stare out over the edge Of the bank
toward where his enemy had disap-
| peared. Neither man, then, had seen
her; yet she dare not move or attempt
to change position; the slightest mo-
tion might mean betrayal. She shrank
even closer IN the shadow waiting.
Would Meager stay there. or go away?
In truth Of the two men she dreaded
him the least, despising the fellow so
| thoroughly as to have largely lost her
| fear-but Kelleen! She was actually
afraid Of him. If she had still retained
any lingering doubt as to what he was,
that doubt had entirely vanished dur
ing this conversation. The man had
worn no mask talking with Bob Mea-
ger; made no attempt to disguise
himself. She recognized him now as
thief and border desperate, no better,
probably, than those he associated
with-and far more dangerous.
1t seemed to Deborah as though
that dimly outlined figure standing at
the edge of the bank would never
move. His actions, and certain NUT
tered words, aroused her interest, and
| held her in Concealment watching his
every movement. The fellow pur-
| posed something-but what? Those
surely were night glasses through
which he searched the horizon, cross
ing from side to side Of the ravine,
and lying fiat on the sand while sweep
ing the circle before him inch by inch
Evidently nothing was discovered to
awaken suspicion, for he came back
to his horse and loosened a long rope
coiled about the saddle pommel, and,
with this on his arm, tramped down
the gully, within q yard of where
she lay, his figure fading almost in
stantly into the darker shadows below.
At that moment the girl scarcely
conceived what his mission might be.
Her whole mind seemed to concentrate
on the opportunity for escape which
his absence offered She arose crouch
ing upon her feet, yet hesitated an in
slant, feeling a sudden curiosity to
learn what Meager might be searching
for He could not go far, for the ra-
vine ended abruptly against a rock