The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-07-13
"Knew whatr asked Madeline.

oh. VIC u SCHEME 10 IOOl tndl grill
ming Don Carlos. Get down, Madeline
-hurry"
Madeline dismounted.
Give me your white sweater. Take
1t off And that white hat Hurry,
Madeline" She had Invested herself
of 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. VIII you"
Il shall not allow you to do any
thing of the kind" returned Madeline.
1t was then that Florence's face,
changing, took on the hard. stern
sharpness 80 typical of cowboys.
Madeline had caught gllmpses of that
expression In Alfred's face, and on
Stewards when he was silent, and on
Stlllwells always. 1t was look OF
iron and Interchangeable, unquench-
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.
| Wen slip around through the brush.
out OF sight and sound, till we can
break out into the open. Then We'll
split. You make straight for the ranch.
| I'll cut loose for the valley where Gene
said positively the cowboys were with
the cattle. The vaqueros will take
me for you. They'll chase me- They'll
never get anywhere near me. And
you'll be on fast horse. He can take
you home ahead of any vaqueros. But
you won't be chased. I'm stalking all
on that. Trust me, Madeline. If 1t
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
the black and took up the bride. In
another moment she was guiding her
horse off the trail In the tracks of
Majesty. Florence led off at right an
giles, threading slow passage through
the mesquite. She favored sandy
patches and open alsles between the
trees and was careful not to break a
branch. Often she stopped to listen
This detOur of perhaps half mile
brought Madeline to where she could
see open ground, the ranch-house only
few miles off, and the cattle dotting
the valley. She had not lost her cour-
age, but It was certain that these IA
miliar sights somewhat lightened the
pressure upon her breast. Excitement
gripped her. The sllrill whistle of a
horse made both.the black and Majesty
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! That1l 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 unchanged
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-laid 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
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
vaqueros 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
front. When, presently, she turned
again to watch Florence, uncertainty
ceaSed in her mind. Tho strange fea
lures Of that race between girl and
vaqueros were no longer in evidence.
Majesty was in his beautiful, wonder
full stride, low down along the ground,
ctr with a