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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (July 26, 1923)
BED OLOCD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF The Light of IDestem Stars CHAPTER XVI 13 BorUta. Hnvlnp exhausted nil flip resource f the momitnln, micli Hint hnil Interest for thorn, Mnth.'lli.e'H KtiPMtH nettled quietly down for a rest, which Made Hue know wotdd noon end In a desire for clvlll.od comforts. Thoy wore nl niOHt tlrod of roitKhlriK It. Helen's d In content manifested Itself In her re murk, "I Ritess nothing In Klng to hap pen, after all." Madeline awaited tholr pleasure In regard to the breaking of camp; mid meanwhile, an none of them cared for more exertion, hIio took her walks without thotn, Botnct lines accompanied by one of the cowboys, always by the ntfiK'liminilft. One day, while walking nlone, before she realized It fihe had gone a long way down n dim trnll winding among the rocks. It was the middle of a summer afternoon, and nit about her wore shadows of the crngs crossing the sunlit patches. The quiet was undisturbed. She went on and on, not blind to the fact that she was per haps going too far from camp, hut risking It liecHtue she was sure of her way back, and enjoylm: the wild, craggy recesses that Mere new to her. Finally she rni'i t upon a bank that broke abru;t . i.ito a bountiful little .Inde. Hero she sat down to rest be fore undertaking the return trip. Suddenly Ituss, the keener of the stag-hounds, raised his head and growled. Madeline feared he might hnve scented a niountaln-llon or wild oat. She quieted him and carefully looked around. The little glade was open and grassy, with hero n pine tree, there a boulder. The outlet seemed to down Into a wilderness of canyons nnd ridges. Looking In this direction. Madeline saw the slight, dark figure of a woman coming stealthily along un der the pines. Madeline was amazed, then a little frightened, for that stealthy walk from tree to tree was suggestive of secrecy, If nothing worse. Presently the woman was Joined by n tnll man who carried a package, which he gave to her. Thoy came on tip the glude and appeared to he talk ing earnestly. In another moment Madeline recognized Stewart. She had no greater fooling of surprise than had at first been hers. Hut for the next moment she senrcely thought nt all merely watched the couple approach ing. In a Hash came back her former curiosity as to Stewart's strange ab sences from camp, and then with the return of her doubt of him the recog nition of the woman. The small, dark bead, the brown face, the big eyes Madellni! now saw distinctly be longed to the Mexican girl ISnnltn. Stewart had met her there. This was the secret of hN lonely trips, taken ever since he had come to work for Madeline. This secluded glnile was a rendezvous. He had her bidden there. Quietly Madeline arose, with a ges ture to the dogs, and went back along the trail toward camp. Succeeding her mirprlse was a feeling of sorrow that Slewart's regeneration bad not been complete. Sorrow gave place to In suiYernble distrust that while she had been romancing about this cowboy, dreaming of her good Inlluence over lilm, he had been merely base. Some how it stung her. Stewart had been nothing to her. she thought, yet she bad been proud of him. She tried to revolve the tiling, to bo fair to him, when every Instinctive tendency wns to expel him, nnd all pertaining tjo him, from her thoughts. And her effort at sympathy, at extenuation, fnlled utter ly before her pride. Kxortlng her will power, she dismissed Stewart from her mind. Madeline did not think of him ngaln till late that afternoon, when, ns she was leaving her tent to Join severnl of lier guests. Stewart appeared suddenly In her pntli. "Miss Hammond, t snw your tracks down the trnll," he began, eagerly, but his tone was eajy and natural. "I'm thinking well, maybe you sure got the Idea" "I do not wish for an explanation," Interrupted Madeline. Stewart gave a slight start. His manner had a aeinblap.ee of the old, I cool nui'tielty. As he looked down at her It subtly changed. What effrontery, Madeline thought, to face her before her guests with an xplnnntlon of his conduct 1 Suddenly flio felt an Inward flash of fire that was pain, so strange, so Incomprehen sible, that her mind whirled. Then an ger possessed her, not at Stewart, but at herself, that anything could rouse In her n raw emotion. He stood there, outwardly cool, serene, with level, haughty eyes upon Stewart; but In wardly she was burning with rage and tihiiiiie. "I'm suro not Rolng to hnvo you think" He begun passionately, but he broke off. and n slow, dull crimson blotted over the healthy red-brown of bis neck nnd cheeks. "What you do or think, Stewart, Is no concern of mine." "Miss Miss Hammond! You don't believe-'-" faltered Stewart. The crimson receded from bis face, leaving It pule. Ills eyes were, appeal ing. They bad a kind of timid took that struck Madeline, even In her tin Mfc Thcrt wu ofBbtn Ujffjah Hill! about him then, ile took a step for ward and reached out with his hand open-pnlmed In a gesture that wns humble, yet held a certain dignity. "Hut listen. Never mind now what you you think about me. There'B u good reason " "I have no wish to hear your rea son." "Hut you ought," bo persisted. "Slrl" Stewart underwent another; swift change. He started violently, A dark tide shaded his face and a glitter leaped to his eyes. He took two strides loomed over her. "I'm not thinking about myself," he thundered. "Will you listen?" "No," she replied; nnd there was freezing hauteur In her voice. With a slight gesture of dismissal, unmlstuk able In Its finality, she turned her back upon him. Then she Joined her guests. Stewart stood perfectly motionless. Then slowly he began to lift his right hand In which ho held his sombrero. He swept It up and up, high over his bond. Ills tnll form towered. With tierce suddenness he Hung his sombrero down. He leaped nt his black horse and dragged him to where his saddle lay. With one pitch he tossed the saddle upon the horso's back. His strong band flashed nt girths and straps. ICvery action was swift, de cisive, tierce. Hounding for his bridle, which bung over u bush, be ran against a cowboy who awkwardly tried to avoid the onslaught. "(let out of my wnyl" he yelled. Then with the same snvnge baste be adjusted the bridle on his horse. "Mobbe you better hold on n mln nit. (icne, ole feller," snld Monty Price. "Monty, do you want me to brain you?" said Stewart, with the short, hard ring In his voice. "Now, conslderln the high class of my brains. I oughter be real careful to keep 'em," replied Monty. "You can botcher life, dene, I nln't goln' to git In front of you. Hut I Jest says Listen!" f Stewart raised his dark face. Ev erybody listened. And everybody hoard the rapid beat of n horse's hoofs. The sun had set, but the park was light. Nols appeared down the trnll. and his horse wns running. In another moment he was in the circle, pulling his liny hack to a sliding halt. He leaped off abreast of Stewart. Madeline saw and felt a difference In Nols' presence. "What's up, (lone?" he queried, sharply. Nols' long nrm shot out, and his baud foil upon Stewart, holding him down. "Shore I'm sorry." said Nols, slow ly. "Then you was goln' to hit the trail?" "I am going to. Let go, Nols." "Shore you ain't goln', dene?" "Lot go, d n you!" cried Stewart, as he wrestled free. "What's wrong?" asked Nels, lifting bis baud again. "Man! Uon't touch me!" Nels stepped back Instantly. He seemed to become aware of Stewart's "What You Do or Think, Stewart, Is No Concern of Mine." white, wild passion. Again Stewart moved to mount. "Nels, don't make me forget we've Ih'oii friends," he said. "Shore 1 ain't forgettln," replied Nols. "An' I resign my Job right here an' now !" His strange speech checked the mounting cowboy. Stewart stepped down from ".!ie atlrrup. Then their hard faces were still and cold while their eyes locked glnnces, Madeline was as much startled by Nols' speech as Ktewart. Quick to note a change In these men, she now soused one that was unfathomable. itoslgu?" questional Stewart. "Shore. What'd you think I'd do un. dor circumstances slch as has come up?" "Hut see here. Nels, I won't stand for it." "You're- not my boss no more, an' HP?- Biiiiipuii :: x ain't beholdln' to Miss Hammond, neither. I'm my own boss, an' Til do as I plcnse. Sabe, senor?" Nels' words were nt variance with the meaning In his face. "Gene, you sent me on n little scout down In the mountains, didn't you?" "Yes, 1 did," replied Stewnrt, with n new sharpness in his voice. "Wal, shore you was so good an' right In your flggerln', ns opposed to mine, that I'm sick with ndmtrln' of you. If you hedn't sent me waJ, I'm reckonln' somethlu' might hcv hap pened. As It Is we're shore up against a hell of a proposition!" How significant was the effect of his words upon all the cowboys I Stewart mndu a fierce and violent motion, ter rible where his other motions hnd been but passionate. Monty leaped straight up Into the air In n singular action ns suggestive of surprise ns It wns of wild ncceptnnce of menace. Like a stalking giant Nick Steele strode over to Nels and Stewart. The other cow boys rose silently, without a word. Madeline nnd her guests, In a little group, watched and listened, unable to divine what all this strange talk and action meant. "Hold on, Nels, they don't need to hoar It," said Stewart, hoarsely, as he waved a baud toward Madeline's silent group. "Wal. I'm sorry, bnt I reckon they'd an well know fust as last. Mobbe thet yoarnln' wish of Miss Helen's fer somethlu' to happen will come true. Shore I" "Cut out the Joshln'," rang out Monty's strident voice. It hnd as decided an effect as any preceding words or action. Perhnps It was the last thing needed to trans form these men, doing unnccustomed duty as escorts of beautiful women, to their natural state us men of the wild. "Toll us what's what," said Stewart, cool and grim. "Don Carlos on' his guerrillas are campln' on tho trails thet lead up here. They've got them trails blocked. Ily tomorrer they'd bed us corralled. Mobbe they meant to surprise us. He's got a lot of dreasors an' outlaws. They're well armed. Now, what do they mean? You-all can llggcr It out to suit yourselves. Mobbe the Hon wants to pay a sociable call on our ladles. Mobbe. his gang Is some hun gry, as usual. Mobbe they want to steal a few bosses, or anythln' they can lay hands on. Mobbe they mean wuss, too. Now, my Idea Is this, an' mobbe It's wrong. I long since separated from love with dreasors. Thet black faced Don Carlos has got a deep game. Thet two-bit of a revolution Is hevln' hard times. The rebels want Amer ican Intervention. They'd stretch any point to make trouble. We're only ton miles from the bonier. Suppose them guerrillas got our crowd across thet border? The United States cavalry would foller. You-all know what thet'd moan. Mobbe Don Carlos' mind works thet way. Mobbe It don't. I reckon we'll know soon. An' now, Stewart, whatever the Don's game Is, shore you're the man to outflgger him. Mob be It's just as well you're good an' mad about somethlu'. An' I'm going to resign my Job because I want to feel unbeholdln' to anybody. Shore It struck me long since thet tho old days bed come back for a little spoil, an' there 1 was trallln' a promise not to hurt any dreaser." CHAPTER XVII Don Carlos, Stewart took Nels, Monty and Nick Steele aside out of earshot, and they evidently entered upon an earnest col loquy. Presently the other cowboys were called. They nil talked more or loss, but the deep voice of Stewart predominated over the others. Then the consultation broke up, and the cowboys scattered. "Hustle, you Indians!" ordered Stewart The ensuing scone of action was not reassuring to Madeline and her frichds. They were quiet, nwaltlng some one to toll them what to do. At the offset the cowboys nppeared to have for gotten Madeline. Some of them ran off Into the woods, others into the open, grassy places, where thoy rounded up the horses and burros. Several cow boys spread tarpaulins upon the ground and began to awlect and roll small packs, evidently for hurried travel. Nels mounted his horse to ride down the trail. Monty and Nick Steele went off Into the grove, leading their horses. Stewart climbed up a steep Jumble of stone between two sections of low, cracked cliff back of the camp. Madeline's friends all Importuned her: Was there real danger? Were the guerrillas coming? Would u start be made at onco for the ranch? Why had the cowboys suddenly become, so different? Madeline answered as best she could ; but her replies were only conjecture, and modltled to allay the fears of her guests. Helen was In a white glow of excitement. Soon the cowboys nppeared riding barebacked horses, driving In others and the burros. Some of those horses wore taken away and evidently hidden In deep recesses between the crags. The string of burro ware packed uud A Romance jj Btj Zane Qreu j Copqriqht bq Harper and Brother j lif sent off down the trail In charge of a cowboy. Nick Steele and Monty re turned. Then Stewart appeared, clambering down the break between the cliffs. Ills next move wns to order nil the baggage belonging to Mudollne and her guests taken up the cliff. This was strenuous toll, requiring the need of lassoes to haul up the effects. "dot ready to climb," said Stewart, turning to Madeline's party. "Wherrt?" asked Helen. He waved his hand nt the nscent to bo made. Exclamations of dismay fol lowed bis gesture. "Mr. Stewnrt. In there danger?" asked Dorothy; nnd her voice trem bled. This wns the question Mndcllne had upon her lips to nsk Stewnrt, but she could not speak It. "No, there's no danger," replied Stewart, "but we're taking precautions we nil agreed on as best." Dorothy whispered that she believed Stewnrt lied. Cnst'aton nsked another question, and then Harvey followed suit. Mrs. Hock made n timid query. "Plense keep qn1- t and do as you're told," said Stewnrt, bluntly. At this Juncture, when the Inst of the baggage wns luvig hnuled up the cliff, Monty appnviohed Madeline nnd removed bis sombrero. His black fuce seemed the snme, yet this was a vastly changed Monty. "Miss Hnnimond, I'm glvln' notice I resign my Job," he snld. "Monty! What do you mean? What does Nels mean now, when danger threatens?" "We Jest quit. That's nil." replied Monty, tersely. He wns stern and somber; he could not stnnd still; his eyes roved everywhere. Cnstleton Jumped up from the log where he hnd been sitting, and his face was very red. "Mr. Price, does all this blooming fuss mean we nre to be robbed or at tacked or abducted by n lot of ruga mutlln guerrillas?" "You've called the bet." Dorothy turned a very pale face toward Monty. "Mr. Price, you wouldn't you couldn't desert us now? You and Mr. Nels" "Desert you?" asked Monty, blankly. "Yes, desert us. Leave us when we may need you so much, with some thing dreadful coming." Monty uttered n short, hard laugh as be bent a strange look upon the girl. "Mo an' Nols Is pnrty much scared, an we're goln' to slope. Miss Dor othy, boln' as we've rustled round so much, It sorta hurts us to see nice young girls dragged off by the hair." Dorothy uttered n little cry and then became hysterical. Castloton for once was fully aroused. "Hy dad! You and your partner are u couple of blooming cowards. Where now Is that courage you boasted of?" -Monty's dark face expressed extreme sarcasm. "Dook, In my time I've seen some bright fellers, but you take the cake. It's most marvelous bow blight you are. Klgger'n' mo an' Nols so correct. Say, Dook, If you don't git rustled off to Mexico an' roped to a cactus bush you'll hev a swell story fer your Eng lish chums. Hah Jove! You'll toll 'em how you soon two old-time gun-men run like, scared Jack-rabbits from a lot of dreasors. Like h 1 you will !" "Monty, shut up!" yelled Stewart, as he came hurriedly up. Then Mont slouched away, cursing to himself. Madeline and Helen, assisted by Castloton, worked over Dorothy, and with somo dltllculty (piloted her. Stewart passed several times without noticing them, and Monty, who had boon so ridiculously eager to pay every little attention to Dorothy, did not see her at all. Hudo It seemed ; in Monty's case more than that. Madeline hardly knew what to make of It. Stewart directed cowboys to go to the head of the open place In the cliff and let down lassoes. Then, with lit le waste of words, he urged the women toward this rough ladder of stones. "We want to hide yon," he said, when they demurred. "If the guer rillas come we'll tell them you've all gone down to the ranch. If we have to tight you'll be safe up there." Helen stopped boldly forward and let Stewart put the loop of a lasso round her and tighten It. He waved bis band to the cowboys above. ".lust walk up, now," bo directed Helen. It proved to the watchers to be mi easy, safe and rapid menus of scaling the stoop passage. The men climbed up without asslsttnce. Edith Wayne nnd Mndcllri cllubcd last, and, once up, Mndollno snw n narrow bench, thick with shruho and overshadowed by huge, leaning crags. There were holes In the rock, and dark fissures loading buck. It was n rough, wild place. Tarpaulins and bedding were thou hauled up, uud fond and water. Tho cowboys spread comfortable bods In several of the caves, and told Made Hue and her friends to be as quiet as possible, not to make a light, and to sleep dressed, ready for travel at u moment's notice, I Madeline deplored tho discomfort and Htr?M but felt bo roal alarm, She wan more Inclined to evasive kind ness here than to sincerity, for she had a decided uneasiness. The swift change In the manner and looks of her cowboys bnd been a shock to her. The Inst glnncc she hnd of Stewart's face, then stern, almost sad, and hag gnrd with worry, remained to aug ment her foreboding. Darkness uppeured to drop swiftly down; the coyotes began their haunt ing, mournful howls; the stars showed and grew brighter; the wind moaned through the tips of the pines. The cowboys below had built a tire, and the light from It rose In a huge, fan shaped glow. Madeline peered down from the cliff. The distance was short, and occasionally she could distinguish a word spoken by the cowboys. They were unconcernedly cooking and eating. Presently Nick Steele silenced tho cnmpflre circle by raising a warning hand. The cowboys bent their beads, listening. Madeline listened with all her might. She heard one of the bounds whine, then the faint beat of horse's hoofs. The beat of hoofs grew louder, entered the grove, then tho circle of light. The rider wus Nels. He dismounted, and the sound of bis low voice Just reached Madeline. "done, it's Nels. Something doinV Madeline heard one of tho cowboys cull, softly. "Send him over," replied Stewnrt. Nels stalked away from the lire. "See here, Nels, the boys are nil right, but I don't want them to know "By Gadl You and Your Partner Aro a Couple of Blooming Cowards." everything about this mix-up." said Stewart, us Nols came up. "Did you find the girl?" .Madeline guessed that Stewart re ferred to the Mexican girl Houila. "No. Hut I met" Madeline did nr.t catch the name "an ho was wild. Ile was with n forest -ranger. An' they said Pat lluwe had trailed her an' was takln her down under arrest." Stewart muttered deep under his breath, evidently cursing. "Wonder why be didn't come on up hero?" he queried, pre.-eiitly. "Ho can see a trail." "Wal, done. Pat kimwod you was hero all right, for thet ranger said Put bed wind of the guerrillas, an' Pat said if Don Carlos didn't kill you which ho hoped he'd do -then it'll be time enough to put you in J a I i when you come down," "He's dead set to arrest me, Nclv' "An' he'll do It. like the old lady who kept tavern out West, done, tho reason thet red-faced coyote didn't trull you up hero Is because he's scared. Ho alius wan seared of you. Hut I reckon ho'. shore seared to death of mo an' Monty." "Well, we'll take Pat In ids turn. The thing now Is, when will that dreuser stalk us. uud what'll we do when ho comes?" "My boy, I hero's only one way to tiumtle a dreaser. I shore told you thet. Ile menus rough toward us. He'll come smilln' up, all sodiile like, In sinuatln' an' sweeter 'n n woman. Hut he's treacherous; he's wuss than an Indian. An', done, we know for a positive fact bow his gang hev been operntln' between those hills an' Agua Piioth. We know Jest about what thet rebel war down there Hinounts to. It's guerrilla wur. an' shore some har vest time fer u lot of cheap thieves an' outcasts." "Oh, you're right, Nels. I'm not dis puting that," replied Stewart. "If It wasn't for Miss Hammond and tho other women, I'd rather enjoy seeing you and Monty open up on that bunch. I't, thlnkln' I'd bo glad to moot Don Carlos. Hut Miss Hammond! Why, Nols, such a woman ns she Is would never recover from the sight of real .:.vpiuy, lot alone any stunts with n rope. Those eastern women are differ ent. I'm not beflttllng our western women! It's In the blood. Miss Hnni mond Is Is " "Shore she Is." Interrupted Nols; "but she's got a d n sight more spunk than you think she mis, done Stewart. I'm no thlek-skullotl cow. I'd bate soinetbin' powerful to hev Miss limn, moiid see any rough work, let alone me an' Monty startlu' somethln'. An' m an' Monty'll stick to you. dene, as long as seems reasonable. Mind, ole feller, hoggin' your pardon, you're shore stuck on Miss Hammond, an' overtunder not to hurt her feelln's or make her sick by lottln' somo blood. Wo'ro In bad here, an' iiiebbo we'll hev to fight. Salm, senor? Wal, If wo do you can Jest gamble thet Miss Ilammondll ho ciunu, (TO BE COMT1NUUD.) TT After Every Heal Havo a packet in your pocket for ever-ready refreshment Aids digestion. Allays thirst. Soothes the throat. For Qiality, Flavor aid the Sailed Package, t .3 Baltlmoro'o Bus Traffic. More than u quarter of n million pas sengers aro carried monthly In tho busses of tho Haltlmoro Tiunslt com pany, Haltlmore, Md. The uompany op erates 10 of these vehicles, which hnvo un average seating capacity of l.'i'I nnfl a total scheduled dally mileage of 2,097. 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I'alf lioguf, W.T. HIMDERCORNS ,,vm. n,, Iodm. eta., ttope all pain, rniurra comfortto tii frft. makua walking nil. llu. br mall or at Drue Cllta llltoor.Cbenileal Worki, 1'itcbugue, N. T. Cuticura Soap SHAVES Without Mug CaUooraSoap U the fiTOriU f 01 taf etrraiorthaf lac W. N. U.. LINCOLN, NO. 29-1923. rC3VvweW! 6 U- IWWTSS LATHROP'S HAARLEM OIL Ksvlr X3 JL i