White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-12-11
A Compelling Story Of the Romantic West
THE FIGHTING RANGER
BY F. J. MCCONNELL and GEORGE W. PIPER
Copyright 1926

Jay before. Iuo UHlleu OIdIcS 6o'-
eminent does not share it's secrets,
even with those who are hospitable
to it's agents, and Terence was a gov
eminent ranger on secret service. 1t
was in the performance Of his duties
on this mission that on the day be-
fore he had been shot when he just
barely escaped with his life in his
plane from a gang of outlaws. The
wound that Mary had nursed. He
was glad Of that wound now.
Mary-Mary. Her name. and her
picture, kept passing through his
mind as he rode toward town. Tenn
porarily she crowded out of his mind
even the duties of his mission. He
could think OF nothing else but Mary:
The clear sky, the sunlight, the green
trees, the birds, everything spoke to
him of love on this morning.
His reverie was interrupted sud
denly by a cloud Of dust on the
horizon. He pulled up and watched
intently. The dust was quickly COM
ing toward him. He pulled his horse
aside under cover of the brush, and
watered. The sound of hools was
coming closer. Then group of four
men, riding furiously, tore past him.
In the instant that they were rid
ing by him flash of recognition had
come to him. The man in the lead
was the one he had seen captive at
the Marshalls' the night before
Buck.
Suspicious, Terence emerged from
his cover, and cautiously started
after the band, holding far enough
behind to just keep them in sight.
His suspicion hat something un-
toward was under way received con-
firmation when another mile or so
down the road he saw the four men
suddenly pull up at mountain
spring, and ambush themselves in the
brushwood near it. Terence found an
other mountain trail leading to Ia
point just above the ambush where,
without being seen himself, he could
watch downward from crag and see
whatever took place.. He assembled
this trail, and reaching the vantage
point he desired, dismounted and
watched
The ambushed men had crept fur
Their back into the brush behind the
springs, although out of sight.
The clatter of hoofs sounded from
around bend in the road in the op-
posite direction from the springs. A
moment later blackboard, tearing
along at great speed, hove into sight.
AS it came up to the springs Terence
saw the driver pulI.Hp, and jump down
with pail to water the horses. His
heart beat fast as he caught a
glimpse of the .buckboard's other oc-
cupant-Mary!
Tense for quick action, his nerves
now on edge Terence watched and
waited in alarm. The driver, Miguel,
was loosening the horses reins. Then
he started off with his pail to get the
water from the springs.
Suddenly the hidden band of men
charged forth from the brush upon
Miguel. Mary screamed in terror.
Miguel, hopelessly overwhelmed by
his attackers, was fighting back des-
perately. The horses with the buck
board, frightened, plunged down the
road. The reins dangling, Mary was
helpless to control the runaways.
Down the road the wagon sped, tip
ping and lurching dangerously.
Terence leaped to his horse, and
spurred him down the trail, hoping
to intercept the runaway team where
the trail met the road.
AS the wagon with Mary plunged
away from the springs, the attackers
dropped the combat with Miguel, leav-
ing him lying, badly beaten, and
quickly mounting their horses started
in wild pursuit Of Mary.
Slipping and sliding perilously
down the mountain side, Terence
reached the road just too late to stop
the runaway. He spurred his horse
on, and followed desperately. Behind
him the band of desperadoes kept
coming on in pursuit.
Suddenly around bend one side
Of the road dropped off into swift
rocky incline, facing a damn over
which water Numbered into a huge
reservoir. Terrible forebodings filled
Terence's mind. If only the horses
would keep we'll to the closed side of
the road, along the face of the noun
tain, he would be able to catch up
with them yet and stop the runaway
But If they lurched too far toward
the open side
A chill Of horror ran down his
spine as he saw, at the very moment
the thought had come into his mind,
the blackboard veering on the brink.
The rear wheel caught the edge of
the open side of the road. The buck
board started sliding down the rocky
incline, dragging the horses with 1t.
Mary was clinging desperately to the
seat