The Winslow mail., 1923-11-09
CHAPTER lX-Continued.

Her eyes traced the rugged bluff
hopeessly; 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,
staring about them suspciouSly, yet
finding nothing at. the summit but
bit of trampIed grass to tell that the
spot had been occupied previously.
Deborah, secure in a cleft of the
rock behind a five-foot screen of
chaparral, crouched mOtionless, with
ears strained to detect the slightest
sound. She was, unable to see, but
COULD hear plainly, and there was no
difficulty In recognizing the voice of
Sanchez.
Whatever do you suppose has be-
come of them, JOSEF" he asked com
pIainingly. "They were to have come
yesterday. you tell us, and yet they
are not here
But someone is, Sen0r-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 gulch is empty, ex-
60 H. L. hoIA
"And what does he do in here,
senor? Who was it you call him?"
Sanchez laughed mirthEessly.
Hiding out, Jose; there is no rea-
son to fear that guy. He's the Kid
''The Frisco Kid?'" Sure, l hear
of him. They say he held up the Los
Coos stage"
Sanchez laughed.
t'Tis not all they say. He is the
devils own, if half the tales be true
a 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,
land that is why the lad is here, no
doubt. I have it now; Bob could not
come himself, Jose, so he sent this
fellow. But why the HI didn't he
tell me- / worder?'
"WhO tell yOu-the KidY"
EITHER one of 'em; like to know
what I'm beln' stacked up against on
a job like this Casebeers lucky. but
his outfit this trip would be a mighty
rich haul if 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-ffty with Casebeer,
and Frisco is all right. He's square
as they make 'em, I've always heard
Raises HI, of course, now an then,
but he never dOuble-crOssed anybody.
Amt that him roundin' that bluff
yonder? Sure it 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, tho
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?
sthis "Frisco Kid? Was he real
man in whom she could trust and be-
ilieve? in whose honor she could con-
rfide?
Or was he what these ruffians so
confidently proclaimed-an outlaw,
desperate of the frontier an escaped
felon, hiding from justice. and even
now engaged in the committal of
crime? These fellows took it for
granted that he was present on the
yame criminal mission as themselves :;
ne had deliberately left her, and rode
away seeking traces Of Casebeer's
gang in the valley-seemingly there
was no escape from the one conclu-
sion that he was part Of the con-