Nogales international., 1928-12-04
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were no shots fired.
Jennie seemed able to stay on her
horse; but without stirrups she
bounced so hard that Duane rode
closer and reached out to grasp her
arm.
Thus they rode through the valley
to the trail that led up over the steep
and broken RIM Rock. AS they began
to climb Duane looked back. No pur-
suers were in sight.
Jennie, we're going to get away"
he cried, exultation for her in his
voice.
She was gazing, horror stricken, az
his breast as, in turning to look back,
he faced her.
ooh, Duane, your shirts all bloody r.
she faltered, pointing with trembling
finger.
With her words Duane became
aware Of two things-the hand he in
stinctively placed to his breast still held
his gurl-and he had sustained ter
rible wound.
He had been shot through the breast
far enough down to give him grave
apprehension of his life. Little pain
attended the injury, and no sense of
weakness yet. The clean-cut bullet
hole bled freely both at its entrance
and where it had come, but with no
signs of hemorrhage He did not bleed
at the mouth; however, he began to
cough up reddish tinged foam.
Jennie, with pale face and mute
lips looked at him.
I'm badly hurt, Jennie" he said;
but | guess I'll stick it out"
''The wonlan-did she shoot you?"
eyes. She was devil. Euchre told
me to look out for her wasn't
quick enough"
"You didn't have to-to--'' sliv-
cred the girl.
my God, mol" he replied.
They did not stop climbing while
Duane tore scarf and made COM
presses, which he bound tightly over
his wounds. The fresh horses made
fast time up the rough trail. From
open places Duane looked down.
When they surmounted the steep
ascent and stood on top Of the Rim
Rock, with no signs Of pursuit down
the valley and with the wild, broken
Businesses before them, Duane turned
to the girl and assured her that they
now had every chance of escape.
Jennie, we're going to get away"
he said with gladness. "I'll be we'll in
a few days. You don't know how
strong I am. Well hide by day and
travel by night. l can get you across
the. river"
And them" she asked.
Well find some honest rancher."
And them" she persisted
"Why-" he began slowly. That's
as far as my thought ever got It was
pretty hard, l tell you, to assure my
self of so much. It means your safe
ty. You'll tell your story. You'll be
sent to some village or town and taken
care of until a relative or friend is
notified"
"And your" she inquired in strange
voice.
Duane kept silence.
"What will you do?" she went on.
Jennie, I'll go back to the brakes.
| daren't show my face among re-
spectacle people. I'm an outlaw"
You're no criminal |" she declared
with deep passion.
Jennie, on this border the little diff
ference between an outlaw and GRIM
inal doesn't count for much"
You won't go back among those
terrible men? You, with your gentle
ness and sweetness-al1 that's GOOD
about you'll Oh, Duane, don't, don't
go!"
Il can't go back to the outlaws, at
least Bland's band. No, I'll go alone.
I'll lone wolf it, as they say Oh the
border. What else can l do, Jennie ?"
ooh, I don't know. Couldn't you
hide? Couldn't you slip out of Texas
go far away?"
i could never get out of Texas
without being arrested. l could hide.
but a man must live. Never mind
about me, Jennie"
Duane, if ever I'm safe out of this
awful country" she cried, "I'll go to
VIZ AOFNAAiOA' II tCiI illIL your story.
III tell him mine. I'll get you par
doned."
AS he looked down upon her, a slight
slender girl with bedraggled dress and
disheleved hair, her face pale and quiet,
little stern in sleep, and her long,
dark lasheS lying on her cheeks, he
seemed to see her fragility, her pretti-
ness, her femininity as never before.
But for him she might at that very
moment have been broken, ruined
girl, lying back in that cabin of the
Blands.
Tomorrow she would be gone.
among good kind people, with a pos
sibility of finding her relatives. He
thanked God for that; nevertheless he
felt pang.
She slept more than half the day.
Duane kept guard, always alert,
whether he was sitting, standing, or
walking. The rain pattered steadily on
the -oof and sometimes came in gusty
tiurries through the door. The horses
were outside in shed that afforded
poor shelter, and they stamped restless
ly. Duane kept them saddled and
bridled.
Continued Next WeeI-
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