Evening star., 1931-05-22

nun. 4 SnOuiQ Snllle IN peTLlCulaf
thet he will We seen his outfit on
your trail!"
"Shet upl Hoses comin'l"
The ensuing rush was quelled by
Smoky's ringing order. Hold onl
It's jeff"
The opening in the grove showed
Bridges plufging upon them.
"HeeSeman's outfits trailtn' u.s." he
announced. Back about five miles
when 1 left my post"
"Fellers, grab your rifles an take to
cover" yelled Smoky.
Hays made a dive for his horse and,
mounting, leaned over 10 take up a
rope halter round the neck of the horse
Miss Herrick was riding.
You hed--to me-" she cried, angrily.
you assured me that If I'd come with
out resistance you'd soon arrange for my
freedom. Here we are miles from Star
ranch
Hays paid not the slightest attention
to her, but started off, leading her
horse.
Jim Wall, are you going to permit
this outrage?"
I'm powerless, Miss Herrick," he re-
piled, hurriedly. IF Heeseman catches
us you'll be worse off"
The leader headed down the slope
dragging Miss HerrickS horse. Jim
could hear the girls protestationS. The
other riders made haste to line the
pack horses. Smoky brought up the
rear.
NO doubt about Hays knowing his
way! He rode as one familiar with this
red clay and gray gravel canyon. The
pack horses kicked up dust like red
cloud
Jim kept unobtrusively working ahead
until there were only three pack horses
in front Of him, and he could see Hays
and the girl at intervals.
Hays yelled back at his riders to
hurry. He pointed to the left wall as if
eny moment their pursuers might ap-
pSar there.
The next sign from Smoky was q
rife shot. Jim espied something flash
along the rim, high up and far back,
out of range, if II were q pursuer
"Rustle!' shrilled Smoky. L seen
riders. Th,y ducked back. They'll aim
to head us Off"
Hays brawled back an order and
pointed aloft.
Suddenly riders popped into view on
the point of an intersecting canyon.
Hays and Latiner opened fire with thsir
revolvers. The riders began to return
the fire with rifles. Jim saw Latin1er
knocked off his horse, but he leaped up
and mounted again, apparently not
badly injured. He raced ahead after
Hays, who RODE fast, dragging the girls
morse, and at the same time shooting at
the rid rs until he passed around cor
ner OF the canyon. LatimeT soon dis
appeared after him. Then the riders
above turned their attention to the rest
Of Hays outfit
Jim had a quart.r of mhe to ride to
pass th2 corner ahead to safety. The
pack horses we're scattered, tearing up
the canyon Jim gained on them. Then
he bcgan to shoot
One CT his FIRST shots hit horse, anc
his seventh connected with a rider, who
plunged like a crippled rabbit back out
OF sight. The others of Heeseman's
OUTFIT tock ALARM lodged here and there
TO hide, or run back. Jim emptied the
magazine Of his rifle Just before he
passed round into the zone of safety.
Jim hauled Bay to halt, and soon
the pack horses gallopsd by, every pack
riding we'll Lincoln dashed into sight
hTst, closely followed by Mac, Happy
JACK and jeff, all with guns smoking.
Ana lastly came Slocum, hatless, blood
on his face.
Jest barked," painted Slocum. Load
yer guns-an' ride on!"
Around the next turn they came upon
Hays and his two riders. With another
pig ntersecting canyon on the right. it
l2oGed as II their pursuers were held up.
Deeper and deeper grew the canyon.
Midatternoon found the fugitives enter
ing less CONSTRUCTED area, where sum
light and open ahead atteSted to the
vicinity Of a wider canyon, surely the
Dirty Devil. And so it proved.
Hays waited for his riders and the
pack animals to reach him.
Hank, air you aimin' for tlaet roost
you always give us a hunch about but
never produced?" asked Slocum.
I've saved It up, Smoky, fer jest some
such deal as this
Jim, over the back of his horse.
watched Miss Herrick. She was tirina
and her head dropped.
The robber took up her halter and,
straddling his horse, he spurred into the
muddy stream. Hays led into the mid
ole OF the river and then turned down
stream
An hour later he turned into a crack
that could not be seen a hundred wards
back. and when Jim reached it he was
amazed to see the rebber leading up an
other narrow gorge, down which ran
another swift, narrow stream. Jim ap-
preclated that a man would have to
know where this entrance was. or he
could never have found 1t. The OPEN
ing was hidden by point of wall which
curved out and around.
rms cash wound like a snake into the
bowels OF the colored. overhankinp earth
Two long hours later Hays led up out of
the boxing canyon. A hummocky. lone
~. olack and gray landscape rolled
away on every side to the horizon of
SUITS. Then abruptly they began to
descend into a black. round hole the
dimensions of which were vague. Pres
entity they reached a bottom from which
weird black, bold walls stood up. ragged
OF rim against the sky.
,,Hyar we air." called out Havs.
Throw saddles an packs. Let the
NOSES NOSES go. No fear of hosses ever leavin'
Jim's night-owl eyes discerned Hays
tnIitg MISS Herrtck off her horse
,1i,, and nan carrying her off toward the
IustIlng cottonwoods. Jim, making
pretense Of leading his horse. followed
WILL HAYS stopped at the border of
Wnag appeared a round grove of cotton
woods impenctrable to the sight.
On, for Gods sake-let go Of mel"
gaSped the girl, and sank down on the
grass. VAC
You may as wal get used to thet."
replied Hays, in a low voice. "Do YOU
want anythin 70 eat?"
WaCer-only water. rm-chskinx.
IN fetch some an a bed fer YOU. -
Little did Hays realize, as he strobe
pack to the horses, that Jim stood
there In the gloom, a clutching hand
on his gun and mad lust for blood
IN his heart. Jim knew he meanI b,
XIII Hays. Why not now? But, IS
before, he had the sagacity and tho
will to resist a terrible craving.
With nervelesS hands he unp2cked
his outfit. Then he sat down upon
his bed roll, exhausted, and gazed
around him. The place fascinated. An
owl hooted down somewhere in the
canyon, and far away wolf bayed
bloodthirstily
(To Be Continued.)
RESORTS