Phoenix tribune., 1925-01-10
CHAPTER XVII
The FIndino Of Gomez.


lion. The rangy young lieutenant. az.
ercising his first Independent com
mand. was determined to neglect no
prccaution.
Deborah begged for haste. but the
officer remained adamant, and, at last.
In despair. utterly wearied. 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 fame. caught
sight Of his toppling body plung-
ing over the edge Of the cliff. The
men who shot him had no doubt;
they had fred to kill. believed they
had killed; and gone away satisfied
Bob Meager and the Mexican. She
shivered at the memory Of them. Her
husbandl that murderer her husbandl
He could claim her, would claim her
II he lived; legally she belonged to
him. The ceremony was sacrilege, a
hideous mockery. yet 1t was legal,
legal; 1t left her forever in the power
Of that brute. She ahuddered at
recollection Of that scene in the
ranchhouse, the leering. drunken
faces, the sharp voice Of Judge Gar
rity. the brutal grip with which Bob
Meager 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 Cd could this
all be truel The fresh night air. the
escape through the black night, the
meeting with Daniel Kelleen.
He had been a 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
llve-the wife Of Bob Meager.
1t must have been nearly noon when
the little cavalcade debouched from
the bed Of the stream, forced their
jaded 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 yoa rec
ognize anythingT
"Who are your asked hOarse
voice sternly. '"Stop there until you
answer"
My Cd, sir" was the instant
cry. "Tm Carney, Sergeant Carney.
Captain. We've come here for you.
SIR"
The threatening revolver sank
weakly, and Carney and the lieu
tenant. oblivious to ali else, rushed
forward, circling the two dead bodies
in their eagerness to reach the one
live man beyond. held helpless in that
fall Of rock. Deborah, left in the dark
ness behind, CROPPED her way forward.
dazed, speechless. only one fact echo
ing in her mind-he was alive. Daniel
Kelleen was alivel
She dropped to her knees, and drew
his head into the comfort of her lap.
her hand smoothing back his hair.
There were glistening, unshed tears In
her eyes. and he saw them.
mo. / got away" she explained
hastily. ''They did not see me at all,
and then God guided me to your men"
Il know part Of it-Meager told
me-"
Bob Meager" her heart choked
her. He was really here with you,
then? What-what happenedf Can
you tell mei they will have those
rocks dug away in a moment"
Eyes, yes he was here, he and Gar
rity-the judge. you know. They
they are both in there now, buried
under tons of rock. Hardly know
what did happen; II all came on us
In flash. There was tunnel In
here a room. where old Alvara had
been mining years and years ago. He
must have died there all alone. for
saw his skeleton on a pile Of stone.
Then those two went in-Meager and
Garrity-with a broken lantern. T.
/ think one of them fell. and-there