Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1891 — ROYAL RANGER RALPH; The Waif of the Western Prairies. [ARTICLE]

ROYAL RANGER RALPH; The Waif of the Western Prairies.

BY WELDON J. COBB.

CHAPTER XV. THE PURSUIT. On and on with the speed of the wind dashed the.two horses, bearing in flight to safety the intrepid Darrel Grey and the courageous and lovely Jnoz Tracey. Before them, mile after mile, spread the broad, level prairie, in Diaces like «n emerald carpet dotted with spangles ■of flowers of the rarest hue and beauty, •and again grown high with rank, heavy grass. The horses they role were rapid travelers, and within an hour, as they glanced backward, they saw no sign of their pursuers. “Your enemies havo either abandoned the chase, or the long grpss hides them,” remarked Darrel, as he allowed the horses to proceed more s'owly and glanced over tho fair mconlit picture spread before them, and then at the girl at his side. r Darrel Grey had led an adventurous li/e and had seen many fair women in many climes, but, he confessed, as he gazed at the lovely creature who was his companion ia flight, none so beautiful as Inez Tracey. Perhaps it was the novelty and excitement of their situation; perhaps it was because two earnest, ingenuous spirits ihad met and recognize 1 a magnetic congeniality in youth and beanty; but at all events, as their eyes met, love became mutual though unexpressed. Inez Tracey found an interested listener in Darrel Grey, when she briefly rekited her past and the events that lia<l •culminated in the adventure 6f the night. In return, Darrol told her who ho was —a surveyor sent West on business. He had become fascinated with a wild Western life, and had for some years been engaged in the iaw and mining business in California. He was about to return East in a few weeks, and quite by accident had come to the little station at Ten Spot, crossing thither in a stago coach from a mining settlement located in the mountains that day. Darrel briefly related tho episode of the wounded messenger, and moiestly referred to his adventure at the trestle. The deep blue eyes of Inez Tracey looked into his own, as she listened breathlessly to bis story of the attempted signal to the train. “We have been proceeding aimlessly, thinking only of evading our foes.” said Darrel, finally. “I am, in a measure, unacquainted in this locality except at the mining camps in the bills.” “I wished to reach Miner’s Gulch, if possible,” said Inez, “but I am at a loss to locate it.”

“Then you have been here before?” asked Darrel. “Yes; I came to see my father about five years ago. Since then I have been at school in California, which I left last week when I received a letter directing me to come here, and that a friend of my dead father would meet and care for me. ” “And this man whom you call Despard —he is a relative, you say?” inquired Darrel, curiously. “A very distant one of my father, who never liked him and warned me against him Last summer he met me at a summer resort, whither our teachers had taken us for a week’s vacation. I had met him at my father's ranch, beyond Miner’s Gulqh, and I never liked him. He annoyed me with his attentions, and left me very angry when I avoided h : m, and told him finally that I did not wish to continue the acquaintance, for I received a letter from my father warning me against him, and telling m i that Dyke Despard was plotting against him and myself, and that he was a renegade and an outlaw. “And since then?” asked Darrel. “I have never mot him until to-night, when you heard what he said, and know that he must have some deep object in preventing my going to the Gulch. ” “Then he will be disappointed for once, Miss Tracey,” said Darrel; “for we can find the place by morning. Ob, it Just occurred to me! You say you expected a friend to meet you at the depot?” “Yes; an old friend of my father; a mas who has been known in this region for years as a scout. His name is Banger Ralph.” “I have heard of him. Do you know him—that is, well enough to recognize him from description?” “I have not s.een him since I was a child. Ido not think I would. Why do you ask?” “Because I have an idea that these horses belong to him, and that he is the man who to'd me first of the trainwreckers. If this is so, the horses probably came from Miner’s Gulch, and we will allow them to proceed their own way. They may lead us to the very place to which you desire to go.” Darjel loosened the rudely improvised bridle and allowed the steeds to take their own course. They now began to leave tho prairie and finally entered a canyon, following the course of a little stream. “There seems to be a regular trail here,” said Darrel. “I beiieve we are on the right road at last, Miss Tracey.” “Ycju are taking a great deal of trouble for me,” murmured Inez, gratefully. “What! in .running away from the outlaw myself to a place "of safety?” laughed Darrel, bauteringly. “No, no; we were partners in peril at the railroad train, and but for you I might have remained and been killed As it is, as soon as I havo placed you out of danger, I will return and learn the fate of those who were attacked by the train wreckers. ” As they rode on, however, Darrel wished that such charming companionship could last always. The dawn had come while they were ■riding through the canyon. It was scarcely distinguishable from the moonlight as yet, but soon they knew the full day would break, • enabling them more accurately to determine their whereabouts. That the horses were leading them direct to Miners’ Gulch Darrel did not donbt; but a new discovery soon caused the animals to come under the guidanqe of Darrel again. For at a point where the canyon divided into several minor branches, the girl startled him with a low cry ot alarm. “What is it?” asked Darrel quickly. “Look!” He repeated her own ejaculation of -concern, as the advancing daylight showed an obstacle to their onward progress down the main canyon. Coming rapidly toward them from the direction in which they were going were four horsemen. The/were some distance away, but as Inez shnddered and paled, her escort knew that, like himself, she had reoognlzeti the leader of the quartette. “It is Despard and his men!” she gasp* ed, in tones of horror and alarm. “I fear so. Miss Tracey. ” “Aid they are coming straight toward «*. Oh, what shall we do!”

Darrel Grey had taken a revolver from his belt and a determined look came into his face. “Drive the horses around the rocks yonder so you will be sheltered, ” ho said, as he prepared to dismount. A trembling hand detained his own. “No, no! Atr Grey, you must not meet thjjsfi men, they arb armed and desperate, and four to one ” “I see no way except to meet and repel them,” taid Darrel, stanchly; “these 'mon have not come across us again by accident. ” “By design?” “Evidently. They know the country and knew we would probably come this way, and have intercepted us by reaching the canyon here in advance of us.” “Are we discovered?” “They cannot but have seen us. Miss Tracey, I beg of you to obey me, and leave mo here alone.” “But your peril—for my sake!” “I will not invite any unnecessary risk. Ride as rapidly as you can down on e of tho side canyons, and do not wait for me nor delay on my account. I will cover your escape and, once satisfied ypu are out of danger of recapture, will rejoin you unless you reach the gulch before I do so. ” Darrel cut loose the connecting strip of lasso as he spoke. Inez cast an anxious, longing glance at her brave protector. “Heaven g ant you may not be forced to meet Despard and his men!” she breathed fervently. “Fly!”-spoke Darrel, excitedly. 110 cou d see that the horsemen down the canyon ivero winding in and out the rocks as sapidiy as they could, and would soon reach the spot where he was. Dar.el dismounted and led the horse toward the shelter of a small c.ump of high, thick bushes Then ho hi i.self sele:ted a place of espionage and defense behind soma rocks. The four riders came into view as he caso a qu.ck glanoo down the canyon wheie Inez had gone. To liis surprise ho could observe no trace of her. “She mu-t have reached some diverging gulch and have pursued a new cour.-e, ” l.e decided. “At all events, she is not in sight for the bandits to discover ” Darrol lose ved to force no encounter with the latter unless necessity demanded it; for his single revolver would be a poor match for the full accouterments of his enemies. The hoofs of horses rang out sharply on the clear morning air, and the quartette rounded the last of the rocks which had temporarily shut out a view of the persons they tought. “Nowhere in sight, Despard,” spoke one of the men. “We certainiy saw them here,” remarked Danton. “Then they have taken the side canyons,” spoue Despard. , URntop laughed triumphantly. “They are our game if they have,” he said. “W hy so?” asked one of the men. “Because every last one of them ends in a blank wall.” Darrel Grey, from his place of concealment, started violently.

“What shall we do, Captain?” asked one of the men of Despard. “Divide. Here are four of these side canyons Down one of them our people have certainly gone.” “They are nowhere in sight. ” “They could have gone nowhere else. Let each man follow one of these side branches, and signal when he discovers them. ” “They will be found, never fear,” said Danton. “They thought to escape, but they are in a trap this time. Hold on, Vance.” The man he had addressed had started his horse toward the side canyon down which Inez had disappeared a few moments before. “Why, what’s the master?” “You needn't search that pass. ” “Not search it?” “fro. ” “Why not?” “It would be no use, and dangerous to yourself. That is Quicksand Gully. ” “I never heard of it before,” said Vance. “That’s because you don’t know the country as I do. The man who rides into the shifting sands at the endot that guliy never comes out again. ” The heart of the horrified watcher behind the rocks stood still. An appalled sense -of peril overwhelmed the startled Darrel Grey. “Quicksand Gully! Great heavens!” he gasped wildly. “Can this be true? The quicksands! Is that the meaning of the sudden disappearance of Inez Tracey?”

CHAPTER V. THE QUICKSANDS. “Help!” The cry rang out wild and alarmed, but it met no responsive echo from the gloomy depths of Quicksand Gully. It emanated from the lips of Inez Tracey, and announced precisely the peril to which Dauton had alluded—the quicksands! When Inez had iqft Darrel Grey she started down the side canyon, satisfied that to delay or disobey her brave protector would be only to enhance her own peril and to obstruct his movements against their enemies. “When he sees I am at a safe distance he will fol.ow me, and a conflict with Despard and Ms men may bo avoided,” murmured Inez hopefully. The horse she rode made rapid progress, but when she came to a point where the road bed of the gully narrowed and descended, the animal seemed loath to proceed. It was with difficulty that she induced the steed tp proceed, and. when he did so, she noticed tnat his footing was insecure and that there seemed no outlet beyond the narrow cut’ she had entered A little stream seemed to lose its way by a sinuous course around a sharp curve in her path, and, hopeful that beyond that the canyon might widen again, Inez urged tho horse over a sandy stretc i of soil. Above her the ledges of rocks frowned down ominously, and she felt a vague sense of uneasiness, as once or twice the horse came to a dead stop and neighed and trembled with a strange terror she eould not comprehend At last his fore feet sank deep in the sand; he made a desperate effort to lift his hoofs, and then, stumbling, came to a second stop, panting with fright and inability to proceed. “This is strange,” murmured Inez, concernedly. “The horse must be exhausted with tho long drive.” Her face became white as marble the next moment, however. She had made a sudden discovery, so startling and appalling that a low cry of dread escaped her lips. “The horsp is sinking!” Merciful heavens! I understand now!” she gasped “We are in the qhicksauds!” For a single moment the thought paralyzed every energy. She saw the horse flounder and try to free himself vainly, she feR the shifting sands incase her own feet, and then she made a desperate effort at escape. A blank despair settled down over her mind as she did so. Behind and on all sides of her the dawning day showed plainly tho full extent of her awful peril. A sickening dread possessed her, and her eyes closed In prayer as they fell upon the changing mass of sand, to step Upon which meant to ensnare herself more deeply in its grasp. “Help!” One single cry for aid, one last prayer to heaven, and Inez Tracey resigned

herself to a fate that seemed Inevitable! Meanwhile, in the mak canyon, Despard and nis men were searching every nook and corner in the branch gullies for the missing girl and her companion. The latter, Darrel Grey, knew but one impulse as he reca.lcd the terrible words of V’anco. Inez Tracey had rode on to peril, perhaps to death itsolf, and he knew that every moment of delay might be fatal to the devoted life of the girl he was fast learuing to love. He t'ou’d not secure the horse and lea'v'e the Spot unporceivod, however, for Despard and his men were In the vicinity. There was only one way to gain the side gully, down which Inez Tracey had disappeared. This was to crawl along the ground, and, reaching the dense undergrowth which abounded in the place, reach the edge of the roadway, ascend the deep side of the canyon which was not high at this point, and drop down on the other side. This Darrel started to do at once, and succeeded so far that five minutes later, with somo few bruises, he dropped into Quicksand Gully. His gait was a rapid one as he sped down the gully, taking the same course followed by Inez a few moments previously. A cry of mingled hope and suspense broke from his lips as he turned a point in the gully which enabled a view of the stream. Across the treacherous sandy bottom of tho gully he saw the missing girl. The horse had sunk deep into the shifting sands, and held the animal and its rider secure prisoners. “Inez! Miss Tracey.” cried Darrel, in agitated tones. A glad cry broke from the lips of the imperiled girl. Darrel comprehended the situation at a glance. He knew that to rush towards her over the sands would only be to involve himself in similar peril. He therefore began to climb the ledge of rocks by the side of the place, eagerly scanning the ground as he did so. Then, with his hunting knife, he cut a long length of heavy trailing vine. “Do not despair,” he cried down to Inez, as he leaned ovor the edge of the rocks. “I am about to ipwer a vine to you, seize it, and hold firmly to it” The girl grasped tho extended means of escape a minute later. \Vitn prodigious strength, nerved by love and courage, Darrel Grey pulled at the other end. He thriMed with wild delight as he observed that the effort freed Inez from the encroaching sand. She clutched at the shrubs on the rocky wall as she began to ascend. “Thank heaven, you are safe!” It was a wild, grateful aspiration that escaped Darrel’s lips, as he lilted Inez over the ledge, and telt her soft, clinging touch, and saw-the light of love and dovotion in her grateful eyes. The horse, relieved of the weight of its rider, made one last effort to free himself, floundered and turned. Then, with a wild neigh of delight at escape, the steed dashed down the canyon road in the direction whence it had come. [to be CONHNUED.|