White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-07-10

were many tracks going to and from
the ranch. Hugh made no attempt to
decipher Pink's from among them.
The red spots still danced before
Hugh's eyes. If Pink had harmed
Jessie! Why, good God, Jessie was
his wife! 1t was to her that the
sp;endor of his boys first love had
gone. He recalled now with thrilling
vividness the madness and the Joy OF
these first few years Of his marriage.
Jessie!
No one must hurt her. She had been
hurt enough. What could Pink have
done? Surely. surely, the vague hor.
ror that was shaping within him
would have no proof in fact. Pink
could not, would not have tried to
shoot her.
But Pink was drunk, shockingly
drunk. His drunkenness had been ac-
cumulating for days. He was poten
TALLY mailman.
Hugh twisted his gloved hands to-
gether.
Jessie! Indolent, care-free, indiffer-
ent no longer. Jessie, the strong, the
self-denying; Jessie, the great lover.
Why, to compare himself or Miriam to
the human being Jessie had grown to
be was to compare the foothills
around Cheyenne to the crest of Big
Fang. Hugh knew this now. Now
that it might be too late. The horror
thickened in his heart.
That was the longest ride Hugh
ever had taken, although when he
reached the ranch door it was only
midmorning, and Fossils foreshoul.
ders were trembling from over-exer-
ton.
Ii Wing came to the door, blinking
in the sunshine.
Where's Mrs. Stewart, Ii Wing?"
cried Hugh.
"She went Folt Sioux, last night,
bout half-past eight"
"Let me use the telephone, will
your" asked Hugh, throwing himself
from his horse.
Telephone, him busted. Look all
same wiles clut last night"
did you see Mrs. Stewart go, Ii
Wing?"
The old Chinaman's face began to
pucker with anxiety.
"She came dole, Ii Wing in bed
Going to Folt Sioux she say. That
light aftel Ii Wing go bed. What
mlatta, boss?"
"She's not in Fort Sioux, Ii Wing
Hugh hesitated. But Ii Wing had
been Booklets cook in the old blessed
days. "Her father tackled me this
morning. He's very drunk. He said
he'd fixed Mrs. Stewart up here. He
said he'd cut the telephone wires"
The old Chinaman threw up his
withered hands.
"Is Maggie in the stable, Ii Wing?'
asked Hugh.
yes! Yes! But him lame! She
Tide other pony"
Lii Wing shuffled toward the corral
Hugh following. Ii Wing stood be.
side the gate for moment examining
the horses munching alfalfa in the in
closure. Jack Labbit, he gone!"
Hugh slowly made wide circle o.
the corral. On the far side, the soutl
side, of the fence he made discov
cry. A single fresh horse track LEI
fn he IN fho ,irrlf
two horse tracks led back. Hugh re
turned grimly to the shivering China
man.
Il "You unsaddle Fossil. I'll take thai
dapple gray over there and follow
those tracks,"
The saddle was transferred will
marvellous speed, and Hugh galloped
out across the field where the two
trails led toward distant cedar
grove. AS he neared this grove Hugh
saw white horse emerge from the
blue-green background and trot Sc
dately toward him. The saddle was
empty. Hugh's heart thumped heav
lily against his ribs. He roped Jacl
Rabbit as he came up. A red scarf O
Jessie's was knotted around one stir
rup. Hugh dug the spurs into thu
dapple gray and, leading Jack Rabbit
lunged on into the grove.
Here there was little snow, but thu
heavy growth Of trees made the goini
slow, and the tracks of the horse!
difficult to follow. But there was no
far to go. Not ten minutes after HI
entered the grove, Hugh saw Jessie
huddled against tree trunk.
He threw himself from his horse
"Jessie!"
She smiled up at him. Where OF
earth did you come from, Hughie?"
What did he do to you? Where
are you, hurt? How did he get away
from your" Hugh was kneeling be