The Holly chieftain., 1923-11-15
CHAPTER Ix-continued.

Her eyes traced the rugged bluff
hopelessly; to attempt scaling that
would only bring her into full view,
yet there was fringe of thick
bushes below into which she might
plunge. This seemed the only hiding
place available. and she crept through
| the thick fringe of brush into the
shadow. The two horsemen came
slowly, cautiously, up the slight slope.
| finding nothing at the summit but
bit of trampled grass to tell that the
| spot had been occupied previously.
Deborah, secure in a cleft of the
rock behind five-foot screen of
| chaparral. crouched motioniess. with
| ears strained to detect the slightest
sound. She was unable to see, but
difficulty In recognizing the voice of
| Sanchez.
"Whatever do you suppose has be-
come of them, JOSEF" he asked com
plainingly. "They were to have come
yesterday, you tell us, and yet they
are not here"
"But someone is, senor-see, there
has been camp made"
"That was the guard; the ranch
brand is on the pony grazing yonder;
took note as we rode by. I wonder
where in hi the fellow has gone?
But he has naught to do with Case
beers outfit. The gulcb is empty, ex-
cept for the lad we met below"
"And what does hO do IN here,
senior? Who was It you call him"
Sanchez laughed mirthiessly.
Hiding out, Jose; there is no rea-
son to fear that guy. He's the Kid !"
"The Frisco KidY" Sure. I hear
of him. They say he held up the Los
Colos stage"
Sanchez laughed.
"'Tis not all they say. He Is the
devils own. If half the tales be true
4 smooth-spoken boy enough. but not
the sort to make sport of. Meager
knows him-aye!" and he slapped his
knee roughly at the happy thought.
"and that Is why the lad is here, no
doubt. have It now; Bob could not
come himself. Jose. SO he sent this
fellow. But why the hi didn't he
tell me, I wonder?"
"Who tell you--the 'KidT"
"Either one of 'em; like to know
what Pm beIn stacked up against on
job like this. Casebeer's lucky, but
his outfit this trip would be a mighty
rich haul IL he should happen to fall
down."
"Guns?'
Ammunition, and booze for Villa !;
some combination that. 1t Is to go
over the border tonight and a nice
wad Of money comes back. That will
be the KIDS job, perhaps. If Meager
doesn't show up by dark; We haven't
any orders beyond here"
"You think Senor Bob maybe would
send him to bring back the money!"
Sure; it's fifty-hfty with Casebeer.
and Frisco is all right. He's square
as they make 'en, I've always heard.
Raises hi, of course, now an then,
Ain't that him roundin' that bluff
yonder? Sure 1t is-ridin' this way.
I'm goin' to ask him straight when he
gets here"
Deborah. frightened by what she
heard, lifted herself slightly so as to
see better up the narrow valley The
approaching horseman was In plain
view, and, even at that distance, the
girl had no doubt as to his identity.
Her very heart seemed to cease beat
ing as she knelt, anxiously watching
his approach. the horse Looping stead
lily. the man swaying gently to the
movement of the animal. Who, In
deed, was he-thIs Daniel Kelleen
this "Frisco Kid? Was he real
man in whom she could trust and be-
iieve7 in whose honor she could con-
nde?
Or was he what these rufiians so
confidently proclaimed-an outlaw, n
desperado of the frontier. an escaped
felon, hiding from justice, and even
now engaged in the committal of
crime? These fellows took 1t for
granted that he was present on the
game criminal mission ms themselves
he had deliberately left her and rode
away seeking traces of Casebeer's
gang in the valley-seemingly there
vas no escape from the one conclu-
! sion. that he was mart Of the con-