Evening star., 1935-08-18
Magazine Section

alilh aNOOA lOI DClOlN
she handed him the pail and sent him
down the trail to the spring
The man walked slowly. and as he
passed the open shed. he paused.
Mack's heart stood still - he cursed
softly under his breath - for he'd
failed TO pull tarpaulin over the car.
The radio was out in plain sight in the
drivers compartment, but the man,
with kick at the tank to prove that it
was empty, turned back to the trail.
Mack crouched low in the brush,
waiting in growing tenseness. He
saw Mary come out of the cabin and
dodge around the corner on the side
where a broken window had been
boarded up. She climbed the steep
trail to the tunnel in swift rush
Mack swore again, softly, from
sheer relief Gosh! The desert was no
place for a woman. Why had he got
her into such a mess2 Well, he'd get
her out just as soon as - he smiled
grimly as hoarse below of pain and
rage drifted family out of the canyon.
Things were breaking, after all.
Enemy number one was out of COM
mission.
Silently he slipped through the
shadowed brush on the hillside. The
mouth of the tunnel gaped in front of
10 rattnI anl xxyatfaA
while Mary came to him out of the
dark. They talked. whispering, and
when she had finished telling how
things were in the cabin. she clung to
him.
What are you going to do, now"
Just you stay here" Gently he
pushed her away. as another frantic
cry came from the canyon. He turned
and strode hurriedly away in the
direction of the house.
Without hesitating he leaped
through the doorway and launched
himself, almost blindly, at the man
who lay on the bed.
Like striking snake, the mans
hand darted to the chair beside him.
His gun roared once, deafeningly,
before Mack loosed terrific, sledge-
hammer blow.
1t had been close, too close. and
Mack trembled with the reaction of
his narrow escape as he bound his
captive. He started violently, whirling,
as Mary burst through the doorway
and threw herself upon him.
''Oh, Mack. Mack! / thought you'd
been shot" She knelt beside him,
laughing and crying Historically. He
shook her roughly and as she sobered,
he picked up the gun from the floor.
Il told you to stay in the tunnel"
he said. His tone was softened by the
light in his eyes. "As long as you're
here you might as well watch this
yegg but he's not apt to raise any fuss
for good long time" Mary could not
repress smile at the hint of small-boy
pride in his voice. Pm going for the
other one," he continued.
Mack. you be careful. even if you
have got gun now. That fellows a
thousand times worse than this one"
Mack laughed shortly I've got
him caught in that old bear trap. It's
a fact, honey. planted it at the
spring. Mary. if by any chance this
fellow should come around and get
obstreperous. you hit him with some
thing. The axe, maybe"
Far away, but bright in the clear
night air of the desert, the lights of
the town glowed steadily. Steam
ceased blowing from the radiator,
and as the gurgles in the engine died
away, Mack could hear his prisoners
talking in the rear of the car.
Don't be sap," one said. you
wreck the bus in this God d-forsaken
hole, and then expect me to know
that couple of hill-billies would
have radio in an old crate like this"
Mack chuckled and nudged Mary.