The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-10

tnen stepped gingefly forward, Snlf-
fling at each step. shaking his head
in disapproval.
YOU'D better wait until get
clear" Ted called back. There's no
use in both getting stuck at the bot
tom of this ill-favored place"
She nodded and he caught a look
of anxiety in her eyes.
Very carefully the man led on. At
least the path was not slippery. He
held the reins loosely. letting the
horse choose his steps. Over half
way down. now. and the worst
seemed already behind him. And
perhaps they might safely have made
that hazardous descent had not dis
aster chosen to place loose rock in
the horses path. Ted heard the
stumble and felt sudden tug on the
bride. He turned in time to see the
big roan's forefeet miss the path and
plunge forward. The reins were torn
from his hand. and in another instant
the horse had crashed among the
rocks and cactus beneath.
Frantically Ted scrambled down
and reached the horses side. One
look at the legs and the man turned
away, sick at heart. He reached
into the saddle pocket and. pulling
out the automatic, shot twice. AS
the sound of the shots ratified and
echoed up the narrow caiion, he
heard the girl running down the
trail.
There was no other way" he
said. 1T was a long fall"
Il know. l could see from above"
Terror stood in her eyes. ut was
my fault. Thank God it wasn't YOU"
She bit her lip. Lets go back up"
Ted took off the saddle and lifted
it to high rock. then followed the
girl to the rim above.
THE horse is out of pain? Adela
asked.
Hes quite dead"
"Poor old fellow"
She walked little way down the
path and stood without a word gaz-
ing across the caiion. After q few
moments she returned.
"And now about us. What are we
going to do with one horse:"
I'VE can't be more than twenty
miles from home" Ted estimated.
Il can walk as fast as your mare
until we get out on the plains, then
you could gallop ahead and send
horse out for me. If have to spend
a night on the desert. that's no great
hardship"
Adela shook her head. "It's not
quite SO simple. For one thing, I'm
not sure we will get out of these
foothills before dark. and we haven't
crossed that canon yet"
Ted slipped the automatic into his
pocket. AT any rate. we'd better
get going. III walk ahead and we'll
skirt the canon. There must be some
break in it that we can cross"
But crossing the cafion seemed no
nearer a possibility when. at the end
OF an hour. they stopped again on
the edge of its vertical rim. Already
the shadows were frightening. and a
sudden GOODNESS in the air told of
evenings coming. Though neither
OF them spoke, to both came the
thought that night on the edge of
the desert awaited them. Once luck
favored them. Just before dusk the
canon headed abruptly into q broad
hillside. and in half an hour they had
crossed and at fast walk were de-
scending the long slope to the last
outpost of the foothills. Above the
GOODNESS Of the hills puffs of hot,
dry air came to them. telling Of the
nearness of the desert. The trees
were sparser and more gnarled, and
on the south slope of the knobs
cactus was reaching back out of the
sand.
Their threats were dry. and once
they stopped to drink sparingly from
the canteen in Adela's saddle pocket.
Then on again, and as the last light
faltered in the west. they emerged
from the timber and looked down
upon that world Of sand and cactus,