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“sure; loan "to the nm or a pen; an said It. was pom “act the 3‘31.“ “ATEâ€"1°61; 'o: ”Vim deter-mo lion swept Into Hmpton'l gloom: vegâ€"beyond doubt. this must In hh "Did you overhm him any uythlu definite about his plans for the trip?" “Whnt. him? He never talks. that follow. He can't do nothing but sput- urunem Butlvroteouthlnqn- «mudthoyswohhn tome 80110 nuke the BI; Horn. You mn‘t plan- 'flmmxuuxommmhu could onflnke bun within two dun; my businéu in at some lmportnco." "Well, stranger. 1_ should reckon you might do tin; with I dag-gone good outfit. Murphy’s we to like mun pretty easy today, and he's Ilmoit certain to follow the old mining tall us tar as the ford over the Belle Foul-cue. And that: 'pluln' enough to travel. Beyond um point the devil only knows when he will so. to: than in, when his hard rldln’ begins,” The memory or hip old plain craft would not permit my neglect of the few necepuriee «it the trip. He bought without haggling over prices, ~but hill-ted on the but 80 it was four in an niterhoon'when he finally struck into the nail leading north- ward. He rode e mettlesome. halt- broken bronco, n wicked-eyed brute. which required to be conquered twice within the first hour of travel; a tee- ond and more quiet enimnl trailed be- hind at the end of u larint. bearing the necessary equipment The moment the operation mentioned that odd scar on Murphy’s “21¢.”qu vesflge of hesitation vanished. Be- yond any possibility of doubt he was on the tight mt thin time. limphy was riding nova upon a mm a: desperate an ever man was called upon to 901101111. The chance a: hit coming tozth alive mom that Indian- hauntod Band m. as the operator truthful” said, barely one out of e hundred. To the end, to the aim it need were, he would follow! Ha land, by pérulqtaent questioning, acquired considerable Infomwom dur- ing that hm hom- spent In Cheyenne. regarding the ontracked region- lying before him. to well u the character and disposition of the man he pur- sued. Both by instinct. I'm! truning he was able to comprehend those brief hints that must prove of not benefit In the pathlen wilderness. "How may hone did I. hue?!" Tho Bight wu already dark. but turn wero gleaming brilliantly ovofi- m 11mm x or DLACERJJV’ ' ‘k I mmr/n’oram am CHAPTER XX\"H.â€"Cuntinued Mill WNW? WW 77/”ka mam/mm / « , had. Ind the trail remained easily tunable. It becune terribly lonely on the! wilderness stretching ewny for unknown leagues In every direcâ€" tion. yet Hsnpton aceroely noted this. no watchful we. be lest be mine the mu. To his hdment, Murphy would not he likely to ride during the night until After he had cro’lgod the [Mm-chm There new reason to suspect am there were he! mm. Indian: math of that etreun. Ind probebly therefore the old wont wouid endeavor to con- servehumm Itrenlth mmmm horses. an the more perilous travel beyond About midnight. the trail becoming obac'ure. the ride? made camp, confl- dmt he must 113% already gumd heavily on the nun he pursued. He Muted his horses and flinging mm. immediately dropped asleep. He was up again before dlyllght, and, after a lusty med, menu! on. The nature at the country had changed consider ably. becoming mine broken. the view circumscribed by towering c113: end deep nvinea. Late in (116 afternoon he rained up his horse and gum! forward into a brads! valley. bounded with 'precipi-' tons Mufls. 'The trail led directly down toward where a considerable stream of Watch 1110116 dlvqry in the Inn. half concealed behind a fringe 01 willows. And yonder, close in against those distant willows, some black dots yore moving. Hampton glued his anxious eyes to the glass. The leveled tubes clearly revealed a mm on horse- back, loading anothor horse. The am. male won minding. There could be little doubt that am Wu Silent Mar» phy ‘ Hampton lsmted' his tired horses behind the him! And returned to the s,nmmit lying flat upon the ground, with the held-glass at his eyes. The distant figures pound slovly forward into the midst of the willows, and for half an hour the patient watcher scanned the snrtsce of the stream be- yond. but there we no sign at at- tempted passage. The sun ssnk lower end finally disappeared behind those desolate ridges to the westward. Hempton’e knowledge of plainscratt rendered Murphy’s actions sufficiently clear. This was the Fourche; beyond those wateri lay the terrible peril of Indian raiders. Further advance must he nude by swift, secret night riding, and never-ceasing vigilance. This was what Murphy had been uvingvhimselt and his horses for Beyond conjec- ture. he was resting now within the shadows of those willows, studying the opposite shore and making ready for the dash northward. l-lsmpton he- soft turf, “most Itovod he \voma ungu- an up who. mu!_U_ mo (In. “tor «It. to 300 I! In“ fin- would um w W abundant otmu,hmmmmgm rubbed than down with (fin. and than no N. lonely m. nit: mum In: to fight a are. certain um “I?- phy’n on. wen nun-Ins «an inch of skyline. Dortm- clno POW”!- ‘Mh limp. ton at plant“ It!!! no down of Mn nut- wort. m. with the m antmls tum“ can“!!! behind In ten his slow way on toot dawn on steep blufl. into the (leaner hm of the alley. CHAPTER XXVlll. The Haunting o! I Grunt. Murphy rooted on M: back in the midst of t thicket of willow; wtde nwake, yet not unite radar to ford Ow Fonrche um plunge Into tho demo shadows unloading the northern than. Branched behind a log. in u no ta 7:016“ unto mountain u to Mt his p ’9. .‘iurphy Md been mid just Inch unpleasant environment: many time. before. And the experience hm! mun somewhat prom Even [admin-scout- In; degenerate. hto I. commonplace it Int. 80 Murphy puffed oonwntodly tt. his old pipe. But suddenly 'there was the hint crackle o! n braneh to Me left. and One bend Inmmly closed over his pIpe bowl. the other mepIng the heavy :6 when nt his hip. There cam'e a plum. nndIeguIeed mamas In the man.â€" eome prowling coyote, probably; then his teneé muscle; Immediately re lexed. and he earned himselt nor beIng so maxed, yet he. .eonunued to grasp the “45" In hi: rid); hand. In; eyes alert. “Murphy!" ‘ The single ward, hurled thus unex- “Hampton Glued HI: Anxious Eyu co tho Gian." ' pectedly out of mémuk night, atfi'tled him more tumult! a volley .9! anon. Ho sprang halt erect, than “63’ mm: cro’uchgd behind a willow, utterly un~ able to articulate For the instant hll vm blood ran 901mm appeared to ahrlvel up. “011; who; Mu'rphy: speak up. um; I know you’re in here.” That terror of the unknown instant: ly unmixed. Th1- wn the resume:- lnngunse'd the World“ and. however the fellow came to be there. it 'wu muted]: 1 man who spoke. "Whoâ€"the hell-cu ye?" he blurt- ed out. The visitor flashed. the bushes â€"â€"ctop m' I’llâ€"let drive. Yo an no â€"-lrItâ€"-vho yo be.” The Dude: paused. but In W a. nervous ting. pruning the m: an and. huts to must. “it'- u! â€"yor volesâ€"atom.” 3.1.13.1, W I now service In the Seventh.” , Murphy um: um I ma. Melon. “Hov'd ya (it yore? Bow‘d yo come at knowâ€"vb" I Inn!" The man hushed min. -“Sortar hum yer perteulounl locum. don't it. old teller. to be dropped In on In this uncoremonionl wuy? But It mum «snowmen. Yeeeelhenpened thro' Cheyenne only. 3 couple 0' hours behind ye. with e bunch 0' never: for the Yellowstone. The mm. plain enough out this fer, end i loved 1on3 at a pretty tux- hickory, no thet I van up on the bluff yonder. end at ye no nto camp ”to Suit ntore dark. You mu e-keepln' yer eye: skinned across the Fourche. and numlly didn't ex- pect no canon from them hm- he- hlnd. The rest. vun nuthln'. nn' here I am. It’s a darn sight pleunter tor hev company traveltn', tor my notion. Nov kin I cum on?" Murphy reluctantly loworbd his Colt. every movement betnylng annoyance. “I reckon. But’ I'dâ€"u dung lintâ€"- nther risk lapâ€"alone." , The stranger came forward vithout further hesitation. The night '3. hr too dark to reveal rectum, but to Murphy's strained vision the new- comer appeared somewhat siendor in build. and of good height. ' ‘ “Whamâ€"~73 say ye-vv'm beau?" . “Meuth o’ the Powder. ‘ We kin ride tergether fer a nisiit or two." -v.r_,V-_.-V “Ye ktnâ€"do u yeâ€"please, butâ€"I ain’t a mayâ€"no company,â€"â€"9.n' I'm a 'â€"â€"goln’ 'cl‘OlI now.” He advanced a few strides toward his horses. Then suddenly he gave vent to a. smothmd cry. up startling an to cause the stranger. to spring hastily after film. “0h! MyGod! OhLLook them!” “Ye no? list the ”noâ€"I‘ve loud “What Is it, man?" “There! there! The platinum Don’t yOu‘jee'!" ‘ 7 “Ngw; I don't we thin’. To ain’t gunefcmkednhev ye? ‘ Whose pio- tux ?” ’ “It’s there2â€"O Dormâ€"w: there! My God! can’t ye se'ofrâ€"An' It’s his face-11“ aoglelmln' with (rem: name: â€"Ho!y Maryéan’ I unfit mfi it» afore inn-15 year! ” He seemed suddenly to (Beluga, and the stranger permitted him to drop limp to the earth. "Darn it I km see anythin', old man, bit I‘ll scout 'round that a bit, jest ter ease yer mind, an‘ see what I kin skeer‘ up.” He had hardly taken a hut dozen ,ateps betm‘e Murphy called after him: “Don't-don't 50' an’ leave naeâ€"It’s not mere nowâ€"«horn queer!" The other returned and, stood gazing don upon his huddied figure. “You're a fine scout! “end 0' men. Do ye take these yere turns often? For If ye do. I reckon :- how I‘d manor be rhiln" filoue.” (Continued on page 8) yo. I'm one 0’ WI