The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-09-24
N R 6. MONTGOMERY
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY


 killing men sent to check his
 timbering activities at Three
 Rivers. Ball announces he Is making a personal check. DelO
 says he will personally see that
 he does not make the check.
 Leaving the office, Stan saves a
 girl irony kidnapcrs. She proves
 to be DONA DELO, Asper's
 daughter. When Stan learns her
 name he tells her he is STAN
 LEY BLACK and slips away.
 DUDLEY WINTERS, in love
 with Dona agrees to go to Three
 Rivers and bring Aspcr back.
 Dona goes with him and at a lit-
 tie ranch place on the way Dud-
 ley puts Il plan of marriage to
 Dona, hoping she will take this
 plan of getting Asper Dclo to re-
 turn. She agrees but holds back
 when Stan Ball, on his way to
 Three Rivers, steps out of the
 night and kisses her.
 At Three Rivers they meet
 .!ERGIN, Asper's timber boss,
 .,nd he says he Is ready to kill
 Ball, that Ball shot ranger.
 Dona decides to ride in the
 hunt for Ball. She catches bad
 horse and has to try to ride him
 to keep up her pride.
 DOna rides the rOan. Swergin
 tells her she must not ride with
 out a guard as Ball is a killer
 and is at large. She slips away
 and rides toward Pass Creek
 where she has been told not to Now GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER x
 Pass Creek canyo-. led down on the south side of Folly Noun tain. A rugged rim divided the creek country from the tim Der lands of the Delo Timber Company. None of the pine or spruce had been cut in the canyon and the trail was narrow, twisting in and around great trees and close under frowning walls. Dona pushed the big roan as fast as be could travel with safety.
 With reckless disregard for her own safety she kept to the trail. In the back of her mind lurked the idea that this man, Ball of Blind would not attack her unless she discovered him or his hiding place which she was sure would be high up among the towering rocks, possibly a cave with view of the valley.
 The canyon widened into a meadow and she could see a mile ahead. The roan lifted his head and snorted. Dona scanned the trail with alert eyes. Close to the edge of the timber a rider was skirting the open meadow. Dona touched the roan with her spurs. The rider was her father. Her mount leaped ahead but before she could enter the open Asper had vanished into the timber at the far side of the meadow. Dona thundered across the open grass land eager to catch up with him.
 The going was rough now but the roan tok it with the sure-foot- ed ease of COW horse. He swerved and his powerful forelegs struck out like flashing streaks of light as he lodged around grass hummocks and spring spots. Dona swayed with him in perfect rhythm. Her hat was gone and her brown hair flow ed back from her forehead. They entered the timber at the far side of the meadow and she could see her father plainly as he shd from a clump of aspens to the cover of berry thicket. He vanished from sight around a jutting shoulder ot rocks but she was sure she would overtake him when she rounded the turn.
 Suddenly the roan leaped side wise and tossed up his head. Dona cast q fieeting glance at the ridge above. She fancied she saw a flash of black in the high timber par allel to her course. It made cold chills run up her spine and she gent to pull the carbine from be- heath her stirrup flap. With the rifle across the saddle and ready for instant action she plunged on.
 Beyond the shoulder of rock she second glimpse of black. This time she was sure it was black horse galloping along the rim above. Its rider seemed to be crouching low over the neck of his mount and urging the horse on. In the brief moment that she saw him Dona was sure of his horse and and of his cowboy attire but he was too high above for her to recog- nize him.
 Panic gripped her. It was plain that the man above was not con- cerned with her at that instant. He was pushing his horse to head off her father. Dona starined her eyes 10 catch a glimpse of Asper but the dense growth held him in its green fastness. She sank her spurs into the roan's Hanks and he responded with his last ounce of speed. Branches dashed at her face and rocks flew from beneath the hoofs of the horse. She bent low, with he rufle bouncing against the sad He horn as they plunged into the wall of brush ahead. The trail was put dimly marked yet the roan seemed to know it.
 Crashing through the brush Do. 1a pulled her horse up with cruel sharpness. She could see her fa- her ahead in the open. Facing him was a cowboy on a black horse. Both men had swung broad side and were pulling their rifles rec. It was plain that they intend sd to shoot 1t out. The man on the black had all the advantage for he nad ridden out prepared to shoot while Asper Delo had been taken oy surprise. Asper was struggling with his gun which seemed to have taught in the trappings of the sad He.
 Dora forced the roan to a dead ton and har carhina flashed in