Evening star., 1935-03-30

another moment his voice might be-
gin to speak words that would bring
all the men Of the household lurching
in pursuit-but. ah. to be through
the shadow Of that arch and into the
open road!
He controlled the leaders to a mere
prancing walk, nevertheless, as they
went under the black of the shadow.
Good day, senor!" sang out guard.
saluting.
There was no answer. There never
would be any answer.
At smart clipping trot he sent the
team forward, and as they took the
bend of the road toward the lower
valley he heard Rubriz cry out, exult-
antly: There's nothing! We're clear
of them!"
Look again" called the Kid, "but
don't crane your neck. And keep
Juan-Silva straight in his place"
THE barelegged mozo has run out
into the road" said Rubriz. Hes
pointing after us. The two guards are
out there with him. Put the whip on
the horses! Make them gallop-for
our lives. Montana"
mo: they may be only suspecting.
They'll hardly be knowing-not yeti"
said the Kid. "Is there an alarm sig
nal in the valley?"
Still at a brisk trot, he drove the
team toward the lower mouth Of the
Valley Of the Dead And he heard
Rubriz make answer: Three shots-a
time between each one. That's the
alarm"
STEADY, steady!" answered the Kid.
never turning his head. There's the
guard at the mouth of the valley. Do
you think we can ride them down,
Mateo? Keep the dead body straight.
Look to the face of it. Don't let the
mouth sag. You hear?"
The Kid saw the lean, naked arm of
the captain Of the guard rise in
signal-the other horsemen instantly
spread to each side of the road.
Then, high-pealing. he heard the
challenge: Halt, there!"
The Kid stood up in his place.
"You goat-faced, chicken-legged
baboon!" he shouted, keeping the
horses at the full trot, "Are you stop
ping the senor himself?"
The gray-head jerked himself high
In his stirrups under the impact of
those insults, but the name Of the
"senor" had the effect Of checking and
bewildering him.
But here the captain shouted loudly:
"Rubriz-the friar-take aim, every
one. Halt, El Keed! Halt or we shoot
the horses first and you second"
The Kid looked wildly back, and he
saw the two friends seated dauntlessly
erect and-between them, the frail
body of Juan-Silva. That nodding
head, and the now partly opened
mouth of the dead man-might they
not seem like life If no pause were
made?
"Senor Juan-Silva" cried the Kid.
do you hear him? Do you hear the
drunken fool?"
1T Is Rubriz! BY the Mother of
Heaven, it is Rubriz! Where are you
taking him?"
Where Juan-Silva wants him to be.
Eat that and choke on It'll" cried the
Kid.
"on your own headl" yelled the
captain. "Fire."
And then, his voice pitched as high
as scream, almost, he cried out that
counted command. Hold your fire!
Hold your fire! My God! my brains
turning-but-the senor-"
And jerking his cantering horse to
q halt, he saluted with all dignity
while the carriage sped past him, and
instantly was out of view around the
next bend Of the pass.
And at the very instant Of passing
the teeth Of danger, it seemed to the
Kid that they had accomplished moth
ing-that all remained to be done.
He heard three gunshots, then. It
was the alarm, and now the Valley Of
the Dead would do its best to recover
its lost ones.
There was no more trotting, now.
Rubriz and the friar pitched the body
Of Juan-Silva from the carriage. And
the Kid, lashing the horses to q run
ming gallop, felt the carriage leaping
and bucking behind him.
"The guard is through the gate Of
the valley" shouted Rubriz "They
are riding hard, but they're far away.
And the damned Indians have rough
ground to cover before they'll ever get
down to us. Can we cut the horses
out Of the harness and ride away like
that? Now, anlingo, while there's still
time!"
'Pascual can hardly ride a mule. Do
you think he could keep his place bare
back on one of these white devils?"
The Kid looked back and saw the
good friar in the act Of leaping from
the carriage which his weight incum-
bered. But Rubriz grappled with the
big man and dragged him back.
Stay with us, Pascual!" cried the
Kid. IF you leave US, we have to
stop and fight for you. Pray for us,
Pascuali"
The friar was too simple to see
through this device, and dropping in
stantly on his knees, since he needed
the grip Of one hand to keep himself
from being jounced out Of the car
riage, he raised the other in what
might be called half of the gesture Of
supplication, exclaiming In his tre-
mendous voice:
Almighty Father, breathe the
breath Of hghtness into the bodies Of
these good horses. Give them strength
and give them courage. Make the
sand deep and soft as mud beneath
the hoofs Of those who follow us!"
And the four white hIeses proved