New Britain herald., 1925-01-22
MAX ppAND.
BEGIN HERE TODAY

It's power. If she could not proven,
 Or help, at least, she could be a
 witness. And if they flew again, she
 might help them flee! 1 She turned the head of the Cap-
 tain to follow, but as she did an l eighth horseman started out of the
 woods just beneath her and began
 to wind slowly along the hillside.
 Was this some man of the law.
 trailing the band? She stal~d un- til her eyes ached, but she could
 make out nothing more than his shadowy outline. He disappeared ! into the trees, and she followed.
 From a hill-top, she marked out the course which they must be talk Ing. They were crossing the sum- init, and dipping down on the farther side heading almost due west. She took different course, so that she might not be heard following them, and she sent the Captain in a wide detour to cut in ahead of them.
 They came to the ravine which She had selected as being the one through which the riders must pass And, ten minutes after the Captain had brought her there, she saw them pass.
 They rode in single file on ac- count of the broken nature of the ground with Macarthur, as his duty was, leading the way and making the trail. Behind him came the Six, and last of all was the bulky form of Harry Gloster.
 They passed on, but still she did not ride out. For there was yet an- other man to be watched, and this was the one she had seen on the mountainside following the others. A full ten minutes she waited, and then he came, jogging his cow pony steadily along. a man who wore his hat in strangely fam iliar way, canted to one side. He passed, and his horse stumbled
 Steady, boy!" muttered the rider, and rode on.
 Hut he left Joan stunned behind him, for she had heard and recog- nizcd the voice of Buck Daniels.
 CHAPTER XXXII
 A Fatal Mischance
 Samuel Carney was enough of a Christian to believe in the efficacy 1! of forgiveness of sins, but If he had l had any doubt it would have been | removed on this day. Even a sense Of shame had left him. He was filled | with a mild peace and feeling of !. purification.
 But the vision which occupied his | mind, in place of the unseen visage l of the Almighty Father, the fat and rosy face of Oscar Fern. The devo- i, ton which he felt for the good na- tured banker and millionaire was a cross between the devotion of soldier for his captain and of a son for his father.
 It was a strangely humbled sam ncl Carney, therefore, who prepared for the work which lay ahead of him that night It was not pleasant work. It meant that he must ride after dark out of the valley and into the foothills 10 the deserted shack on the old Thompson ranch.
 And Sam Carney was not at all fond of riding. He spent his days 1t his desk, his evening at his news paper and his books, and the nights over business problems and lighting for sleep. A spin through he fresh open air was an unknown novelty 10 him. But it was neces- ;ary this evening.
 Men were coming down from the mountains into a death trap which. hey had been assured by his own tps, would not exist. He must warn hem off. Therefore, he. saddled his lorse and rode away as soon as the darkness fell.
 He had in his pockets five hun fred dollars in cold cash. That night help to soothe the wounded ceilings of Joe Macarthur and pay him for the wasted ride of the night. If it would not do, he could not lelp it.
 One fierce ten minutes of conver- ,ation. and then the affair would be off his shoulders forever, and he could go on to face the prospect of I happy and peaceful life 10 the md of his days, music for his laughter health for his wife. and he undying love and faith of his employer.
 It was a two-hour ride to the rompson place. He would reach it ong before the outlaws arrived. But, no matter for that, he must ,e there in plenty of time. Other vise there was a chance that the ,ang might get by him and go on 0 the trap.
 He shuddered as he thought Of he precautions Of Oscar Fern. 'wenty men had been employed. hey were not casually picked up bout the town. but here and there trough the valley Fern had sent iis couriers. They hnd gone 10 call in old rat9rhars who had hoen {n