The Holly chieftain., 1924-01-10
The Finding Of Gomez.
CHAPTER xviis

Tho little squad of cavalry moved
ep the creek bottom with much eau
ton. The rangy young lieutenant, ex-
ercising his first Independent COM
mand. was determined to neglect no
precaution.
Deborah begged for haste. but the
officer remained adamant. and, at.fast.
In despair. utterly wsaried. her mind
in chaos she rode on listlessly be-
side him. Kelleen must be dead; she
dare not even dream anything
else. She had heard the shot,
seen the burst of flame, caught
sight of his toppllng body plung-
ing over the edge of the cliff. The
men who shot him had no doubt !;
they had fired to kill. believed they
had killed; and gone away satisfied
Bob, Meager and the Mexican. She
shivered at the memory of them. Her
husband! that murderer her husband I
He could claim her. would claim her
If he lived; legally she belonged to
him. The ceremony was sacriiege. q
hideous mockery. yet it was legal,
legal; It left her forever in the power
Of that brute. She shuddered at
recollection Of that scene in the
ranchhouse. the leering. drunken
faces. the sharp voice Of Judge Gar
nty. the brutal grip with which Bob
Neager held her. those hateful words
which bound her to such unspeakable
shame. And then the struggle to save
herself; the hours of torture waiting
for his coming, the broken door, the
clutch Of his hands, the hot, drunken
breath on her face. the blow which
set her free. Good GLdl could this
all be true! The fresh night air. the
escape through the black night. the
meeting with Daniel Kelleen.
He had been man, a real man ;
he had died for her. Unchecked. un-
noticed the tears welled into her eyes.
and fell on the saddle pommel. She
could see nothing but his face. realize
nothing but that they were riding now
to bring back his body. She had al
most known before that she loved
him. but now. In bereavement and de-
spair, she comprehended that all the
brightness and hope had gone from
life. She yet lived. must continue to
live-the wife of Bob Meager.
It must have been nearly noon when
the little cavalcade debouched from
the bed Of the stream. forced their
faded horses up the bank. and came
to where the riders could look down
into the half-concealed valley below.
Advance scouts awaited them here
among the rocks, to point out the trail.
curving downward through a ravine.
They had discovered no signs Of re
cent passage. no marks Of hoofs: nor
were there any signs Of human pres
ence in the lower valley.
The lieutenant studied the scene
through his glasses, yet vaguely sus-
picious of some trick. consulted with
the sergeant, and finally spoke to
Deborah. ....
"This must be the place." he said.
but 1t seems deserted. Do you rec
ognize anything?"
She sat straight in the saddle. a
new light in her eyes. as she pointed
the directions.
Il can never forget. Straight ahead
down there Is where they were stor-
ing the things-a fire bnrned there
BY that big rock: you can see whisp
Of smoke even now. This trail must
lead direct. Over there" she hid her
face for an instant in her hands as
though to shut out the sight. 'ls the
cliff over which Captain Kelleen fell.
and just beyond, at the upper end of
the valley Is the cave told you about.
IL am going down whether you and
your soldiers come or not. III must
learn the truth"
She forced her horse forward. and
the others followed. waiting for no
command. the sergeant riding almost
beside her In the narrow trail. They
found the storehouse, back within the
shadow of the great rock. SO concealed
by trees as to be invisible few yards
away. 1t was deserted, unguarded ;
and satisfied az to this fact, convinced
by hundred signs tnat the entire
outfit had indeed returned the way
tASy NauGs thc hculCuduI 6CHtlGEtu
his force to explore the upper valley.
His mood had changed frsp suspicion
Of this girl to faith in her strange
story. Things were exactly as she
mad described. DiSmounted, their
horses being led behind them in readI-
ness for any emergency. the squad ad-
vanced. the men with carblnes In their
hands. The sergeant kept close in
against the southern cliff until he
came to where Deborah pointed out
the spot of Kelleen's fall. They found
no body. no signs to indicate any such
tragedy. Carney gazed about in per-
plexity.
"You are sure this Is the place.
miss?' he asked doubtfully.
ayes. Sergeant; we were on the
rock up there. the one jutting out over
the edge; there Is no other spot
like It,"
His eyes. narrowed. surveyed the
distance marking every detail