New Britain herald., 1925-01-06

found the rderless horse and came back to look for him. he might be able to get sufficient distance and disappear in the night, but he was scarcely out of the willows when he heard the yell which announced that his second mount of that night had been found.
 On he ran.
 The searchers scattered here and there, rode toward him, then turned and rode back again. Plain ly they did not know what to do, and then he heard the voice of the sheriff as plainly as if the latter had. been at his elbow. Scatter down the trees. Five of you - you five there! - ride down a mile, then cut through the trees and start working down toward me. Five more ride up mile and do the same thing. Half dozen more so through to the opposite side and watch, scattered out. The rest of us will stay here. Take your rifles. boys. If you do any talking. make it short. If you start shooting when you see him, you won't get hanged for it. Now go."
 He waited to see no but crawled a hundred va u his hands and knees until he "as over the ridge and until the voices from the hollow came small and faint to him. Then he arose to his feet and struck away across the sand at a dog trot,
 For a full five miles he did not sIacken; then, as the wind fresh ened to the north and west, coming fulf in his face, he dropped to a walk, but kept steadily on. A shadow formed against the sky to his right. There was a sharp nessa of outline which could only come from a house. He turned straight toward it, and in a few minutes he was sure.
 A little later and he saw the whole cluster of the ranch build ings. It grew in distinctness, and now he put on his best speed. For, as ne glanced behind him, he saw that a light was winking on the desert, then other lights, like a swarm of distant flrefiies of a giant size. He knew what they meant. They had been using their pocket electric torches to find his trail, and, having found it, they were doubt less tracking him across the desert ! almost as fast as their horses could eallop.
 By tho time he reached the barns and sheds of the ranch the lights | had disappeared behind him. They had made up their minds that he ! was breaking for the sheds, and. for that matter, he did not need 1 the light 10 tell him of the rate of their approach, for now in the starlight he could make out the in- 1 distinct forms of the horsemen, a great blot of shadow coming rapid ! ly oyer the sands.
 He found the saddles after brief search in one of the sheds. And with saddle and bride over his arm, he ran out into the corral. The horses miIled before him; but he pressed rcsolutely in, regardless of possible flying heels, for in the dis tance that beat of hoofs was grow ing and he could hear voice call ing that must be the sheriff -- Spread out. Spread out" 1 He crowded d horse into a corner and in a moment had the saddle and bride on it. Then he let down the bars to the corral. They would have their work cut out forFthem 1 if they tried to catch fresh mounts to follow him, while those mus tangs had a thousand acre field to run in. He yelled, and the horses poured through the gap and away into freedom, snorting and tossing their heels in the air.
 It was all over in two minutes The tagged mounts of the posse dropped almost instantly behind him: their guns began to pop at random sure sign that they were beaten on this stage of the hunt, al the least,
 CHAPTER XVII Halr Queen and Half Child
 It did not matter that they were long overdue at home, Peter was sent slowly home that night: For now and again. Joan was biindc, to the way recalling how Harr. Gloster had come laundering out O. the jail with the splinters of tn . broken door showering about him and how he had beaten the thre' men to the earth and thrown on' of them into the face of the crowo which was attacking. (To Be Continued)