nd and alkali, another party equipped with tough, desert-bred horses and a knowledge, so intimate as t

ch she had lain awake in the rough hotel of Blue Creek. Had the party possessed the power of seeing through partitions of solid timber, they

rain whose keenly observing eyes had surveyed the little party as they disembarked. His companion, the man with the drooping moustache was likewise invested with a somewhat sinister reputation.

ion. It was evident, as they talked, that their main desire was to trap or deco

ark-mustached man, who seemed to be a little less ruffian

Summers, wrinkling his low forehead, "but I

els on his red sash, and jingling his silver-mounted spurs in

ntion to the other's conversation, "Jim Bell's got a desert mine some p

suggested

ship, I read that in the papers. It's pretty clear to my mind that this air ship i

ight. If he's got a paying mi

l's too old a fox to go inter the desert

with a grin, "build an aeroplane, too. For myself I'm free to

instrel show,"

er see I lier doctor and git some medicine. Ther doc he says, 'I want you to take three drops in water very day.' Ther young chap fai

down to bizness. Those folks leave here to-morrow. They'll go early in the morning. "We can't follow the

ervants or help?" aske

they

re ce

to find out. They are

engaged,

is

xican, a chap nam

aimed Bellew slapping

't be

know

e'll have to do

ke him obey

he was mixed up. If he won't do what we te

onies. Let's go down there now and rouse him out

eeable.

ors. Following a long passage they presently emerged into a star-lit stable-yard. In that part

whispered Buck as they

reaser's asleep this side of it. Right unde

ght. Co

le, they crept across the yard. Presently they came upon a

he thing moved, stirred and finally galvanized into life. It was finally revealed as the figure of

, Juan!" greet

n thees way. Know that to-morrow with the rising of the sun I have to awake

out, Juan," said Bellew. He bent low and pushed his face

ow me!" he

aramba! It is th

body around who would recognize that

u wish with

ly he feared this tall, good-looki

ingos headed by a Senor Bell as

re the rising of the sun must I be

e bit of work for you to perform, too. If y

ot se

want you to ride with these gringos. Listen to all that th

wh

going-what they are going to do when the

they have paid me we

is a good m

do what I

as sharp an

d do much for

pread his han

ould be too bad

it was you who was concerned in the theft of those horses from

nds were raised in mute appeal. His teeth' ch

Santa Maria, no,

" was the cold response.

times yes, senor. Anyt

ph to the two silent spectators of the scene, who nodded smilingly. Th

mation you can. Then, when you have found out all about where they mean to go, and how lon

uavered the m

e met by us. We shal

Bell and th

of them, too," wa

wly in the opposite direction to that in which the other party had gone, till they had gotten out of sight of the little town. Then, taking

n?" asked the black-mustached ma

f profitable busines

ng som

ng out. Boys, Jim B

a laugh in which Bellew chimed in

to acrimonious retort. "I reckon your

know so much,

loser to his companions, rowelling his little active "

tone although there was no one about to hear but his companions, a

led no location of ther

ified by the results of this announcement. Buck Bellew whistled.

-o-

their leader. "Sounds foolish-like, but it's tru

some place else," suggeste

g cold water as usual,

what it is. Do you s'pose that any man 'ud be foolish enou

ain't over and above anxious fer anyone ter go in alongside of

k; "fer my part I guess Red is right. Jim Bell ain't

er fer us. Wonder ef thet f

ers was t

rap," volunteered Bellew

iv' him las' night he'll want to be, al

ck; "if he ain't, it'l

f them, and on all sides-the desert, vast, illimitable

tiny blue cloud, resting on

s mine is, I'll bet a

horse and pointing to

d, his keen eyes narrowing to slits he gazed straight ahea

ish cloud-almost vaporish, arose. It seemed to be a sort of water spout on land. It drifted lazily upwar

y, not one of the three figures topin

of the desolation about them. There was a something impressive about them as they stood there in the midst of

ir damp sides, broke into a lope. As they galloped, Red Bill burst into a s

out on lo

snakes and t

ear on my sa

lone prair-

r ponies' hoofs making an accom

ll shift in t

l rot in the

ier there th

n the lone pra

the desert kept it up. He bellowed it out now in a harsh, shrill vo

on the ju

ners their d

and bind me an

on the lone pra

ng back at the singer from behind a neighboring ridge, upon which the lon

-e-e-

s gruesome echoes. All at once it was taken up from another point. Then another ech

e riders were, it appeared to ma

Carson wuz that?" deman

fun with that ther cheerful little song

ike to find the varmint. I

erves had been unpleasantly sha

"tell you what, let's jes' look aroun' and s

he grinned to himself. Plainl

" he said,

could discover no trace of any agency that could have produced the weird

d Summers. "I don't eve

ious men, a failing apparently not shared by Bellew, who stood regar

ook. You alters wuz a good tracker?"

s the easy response, "ef

ok or any such pack uv

mm

e black-mustached man w

puttered Red Bill "thar ai

recollec' hearing my old grandmother, back East, tell a

taking silence for

retty late afore he got out again. Well, on his way he had to pass a cemetery, a buryin' ground you know, and I tell you he didn't like

m ter think that some night as he wuz

ped Summers looking nervously abo

am, ai

ast en

ost story and ghos

aughed Bell

seeing a tall form, all in white, come gliding down among them

ow

had crawled to neck and laid clammy feet upon him. It was an immense dragon fly, but he had

es, be I?" asked the black

th your fool story

wuz supposin' that ef something said to hi

ything like that ever did happen. He'd come home and talk to grandma'am at n

you long-leg

hev bin ef you'd bin in m

ht. Perceed.

come ter pass. He was goin' by ther graveyard wh

-ow-ee

r of the ghost story, as badly scared as his companion, followed him at post haste. Ther Bellew laughing heartily, turned and followed them. But at a more leisurely speed. From time to time, as he pu

of riding he over

urry?" he inq

"my pony scairt at suthin, I reckon, and jes' natural

hyar," said the b

h a pair of cowards. Don't pull your gun on me, S

llenly put

tter with you, Buck?

an? Why, you dashed off like a girl in

Summers, shifting his little eyes. Som

hat made 'em run wa

es. All at once the air became filled with the same myster

e-e-ow-w-w-w-w

!" shouted Summers, vastly relieved as Be

ne show, eh?" chuckled Bellew, rolling about in

in' ter practice, jes'

sh grin as he spoke. The black-mus

, wouldn't it?" ask

eckon you could imi

. Lis

a coyote's yapping, h

we can use t

our story progresses. But the next time Buck Bellew gave that thrilling, spine-tightening cry, was to be under far d