Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 November 1891 — ROYAL RANGER RALPH; The Waif of the Western Prairies. [ARTICLE]

ROYAL RANGER RALPH; The Waif of the Western Prairies.

BY WELDON J. COBE v THAPTER V—Continued. *“I :am giad the poor animal has es■caped,” breathed Inez. “It means danger lo us. ” “Danger to us?” “Yes. Despard will see the horse and think we are hero ” Inez looked distressed. “We dare not return to the main ■canyon, and wj will be found if he and liis men come this way. ” “What shall we do?" Darrel surveyed their situation critically. He observed that across the little 3tr am the canyon seemed to afford a large number of secure hiding-places. “Beyond the quicksands yonder we .iui?ht cross the river,” he said. “Will not Despard follow us there?” ■“No; the river will be a barrier.” '“And he may think we have perished in the quicksands.” “ies: we can at least conceal ourseves for a time.” They traversed the ledge to the verge of the stream. It was shallow at one place, and lifting the girl in his arms Dan el forded it in safety. Just as they reached the opposite .shore an ominous shout echoed down the valley. “Do you hear that?” asked Inez in a terrified tone. “Yes. ” “It is Despard and his men.” “Probably. We will go farther down the Stream. See! there seems to be •some kind of a cave yonder.” A few minutes later they reached a large cavern-like aperture In the rocks. Here they stood silently for some minutes, watching the stream and the quicksands beyond and awaiting developments. They came a few minutes later. Suddenly, some distance away, several forms ■came into view. “Despard and his men,” murmured Darrel. “They will discover us. ” “No. Retreat into the cave where they will not see you. ” Inez did so and Darrel, observing that the outlaws were nearing the spot, followed her. The cave seemed to have been occupied by some human being at some time, for it bore marks of habitation in the ashes of a fire and several broken Indian arrows. Darrel looked back from its shadows toward the quicksands. He could observe the outlaws without being seen, and saw them pause as they reached the quicksands. Despard seemed to converse in an ominous manner with his associates. Then the quartette retreated from the spot. Darrel breathed easier. “We are safe,” he spoke to Inez. “Undiscovered; supposed to be engulfed in the quicksands. 3 A sudden cry of alarm from Inez interrupted him. “We are lost!" she cried, wildly. Darrel Grey turned to face a new and terrible peril. Glowering upon them with ravenous, fiery eyes, there appeared at tho entrance of the cave three ■enormous panthers.

CHAPTER VI. IN THE CAVE. The truth came to the mind of Darrel Grey in a moment of time, as he faced the new foes which so strangely confronted him. “A panther’s den,' ho muttered grimly. “Quick, Inez! Miss Tracey, get behind me. ” With a low cry of dismay and dread the girl glided to the side of the cave. The panthers had advanced so as to cover the entire exit from the cave, and crouching there, they glared ferociously at the startled intruders. Darrel saw that a terrific combat with the infuriated brutes was imminent, and qnickly drew his knife and placed .himself on the defensive. Inez, shuddering and shrinking behind him, stood fascinated at the terrible pose of their new foes. For the next few moments the scene was one of iniense int ;rest and silence, broken only by the low, ominous growling of the panthers. Slowly, steadily they began to circle toward their intended victims, their fangs showing hideously, their eyes glaring with horrible ferocity. Suddenly one of them made a spring. It was only to receive a shot from the revolver which Darrel had drawn. The weapon contained but one cartridge. As he not'ifcfßd that the bullet had barely wounded the beast, but driven it to a temporary retreat, Darrel flung the revolver to tne ground. Then, alone and armed only with the knife, he stood at bay. Again the fierce brutes crouched for a spring. This time one of them sprang boldly upon Darrel The others circled around close at the side of the large animal, while Darrel plied the knife vigorously. v laez had recoiled in terror as she witnessed the attack of the panther. As her foot stumbled over some mbject on the ground she seized it. “An ax,” she murmured, “left here by some hunter or Indian. I can help him now.”

She summoned all her courage as she saw that Darrel Urey was engaged ita a terrible struggle with the panther. The ax in her hand, the intrepid girl hastened to the aid of her imperiled friend. The three panthers now entirely surrounded Darrei, harassing him on every side. Inez lifted the ax. It descended with all the force of her frail arm upon the .head of one of the attacking animals. That strength, however, was sufficient to send the panther to the ground with a howl of pain. She followed up the attack. Onfe of the panthers had already been dispatched by Darrel.and lay dying 6n the floor of the cave. A second blow of the ax killed one of the remaining ones, but the larger animal clung to Darrel, endeavoring to tear his face and hands The knife descended at last in a vital spot of the panther’s frame, and it fell (tying at Darrel’s feet It was all he cou’d do to stagger to the open air, weak with the loss of blood and exhausted from the terrible struggle in the cave. Inez bent over him with anxious, solicitous eyes. “You are not seriously injured?* she asked, in a tremulous tone. “No; only a few trifling bruises. ” Within half an hour Darrel was fully ■recuperated. “We will try to leave the gully,” he said. “By the way we came?” inquired Inez. . “No; I fear onr enemies might be in the vicinity of the canyon." “But there seems to be no outlet this way. ” “Then we will remain here until night.” It *as late in the afternoon when they gained a narrow gulch which they •isuhd led into the main canyon.

Two hours later, just at dusk, after traveling cautiously for some miles, they came out on a plateau. A mile beyond them the lights of a village showed plainly. “Miner’s Gulch, at last!” remarked Darrel. They descended toward the settlement, but paused as at the edge of au intervening thicket they heard human voices in the distance. “Remain here for a few minutes,” spoke Darrel. “It may be our enemies yonder. ” He penetrated the thicket by a wide detour and reconnoitered for some time Despard and Banton were conversing near a large tree, while their two comrades were at some distance. Sheltered by the darkness and the dense foliage, Darrel could distinctly overbear their conversation. “We had better leave here at' once, ” Despard was saying. “We lost two of our men at the train, but the girl’s fate is. settled.” “Yes, that is certain.” “We have learned one disastrous fact, however, our worst enemy has escaped. ” “Ranger Ralph?” “Exactly. He is at the village yonder, wounded but ready to give us trouble as soon as he recovers. We will get the horses and leave. Then for the fortune to which I am now sole heir. We are Ranger Rube’s two horses ahead anyway. ” Darrel crept from the spot at these words. He reached a place a minute later where six horses were tied. Two of them he recognized as the same ones that had borne Inez and himself to safety. The bandits had evidently found them in the canyon. Darrel secured them and began to lead them toward the spot where he had left Inez by a circuitous route. Suddenly he started. A wild scream of a’arm echoed through the silence of the scene. “Her voice! She Is in trouble again. Oh, why did I leave her!” ejaculated Darrel, wildly. He urged forward the horses, having lost much time In endeavoring to evade the outlaws. He reached the spot where he lied left Inez. Shfe was gone!

His eye swept the scene beyond the thicket. Some distance away be made out a body of horsemen driving rapidly toward the hills. < From their midst a second scream for help confirmed Darrel’s worst fears. Inez Tracey was again a prisoner in the hands of her enemies. For a moment he determined to start in immediate pursuit. As he realized his unarmed condition, however, he saw the folly of such an undertaking. “I will hasten to the village yonder,” he decided; “secure help, and start in immediate pursuit of those scoundrels.” Leading one horse and riding the other, Darrel Grey hastened towards the settlement. He did not pause until ho had reached a tavern before which stood a dozen men excitedly discussing some event, evidently of recent occurrence. He caught the words “train jvreckers” and “Ranger Ralph” several tiipes. “Hello, there!” he cried, without dismounting. “Can I speak to some of you?” His Intention was to arouse the men to instant pursuit of Despard. Before he could speak, however, one of the men sprang to the head of the horses and seized the bridle. “Where did you get those horses?” he demanded, gruffly. “I found them. ” “You did, eh? Bqfg, our game has come into camp by mistake. ” “What do you mean?” demanded the astonished Darrel. “You know well enough. Down with him, boys. Here’s a case for Judge Lynch, for these are Ranger Ralph’s horses, and this man is one of the train wreckers. ” Without being able to speak a word in defense amid the angry, excited crowd, Darrel Grey was dragged to the nearest tree. “A rope! A rope!” shouted the leader of the throng “One moment! You are making a terrible mistake. lam no thief or train wrecker. ” “Oh, no, of course not!” jeered the crowd. “Send for Ranger Ralph. He is here. Ask him if he knows me.” “He Is wounded—dying, for all we know. He’s one of them, boys. He’s tße very man the depot agent described. ” Amid that mad, unreasonable crowd Darrel Grey struggled vainly. It seemed all some terrible dream as the rope encircled his neck and was thrown over the limb of a tree. “Up with him, boys!” shouted the leader of the men. The next moment with a choking, blinded sensation, Darrel Grey felt himself dangling between heaven and earth. CHAPTER TIC. AT MINERS’ GULCH. , “Hold!” Amid the confusion and horror of his supreme moment of peril, Darrei Grey was dimly conscious that this word was pronounced in a tone that thrilled him with familiar accents. Then, too, In the flare of a torch carried by a man near the tree from which he hung suspended, the form of a newcomer on the scene was vaguely visible. “Cut him down!” “He’s a hoss thief, Ranger Ralph. ” “Cut him down, I say!” “An’ a train-wrecker. He answers the very description ” “Of the depot agent, who thought this one was in with the outlaws. This man wasn’t; I know him.” The rope wa# quickly slacked. Darrel fell in a heap to the ground, living, but insensible. The man who had saved his life spoke peremptorily to the lywchers. “Now get him to my cabin and take carre of him, and don’t make any mistakes next time,” he remarked.

It was Ranger Ralph who thus Interposed in so timely a manner in behalf of his acquaintance of the Ten Spot depot. He had returned to Miners’ Gulch that afternoon, still suffering from the wound in the head the cowardly Dyke Despard had dealt him. Several times its effects had driven him to his couch, and it was only by the meresj accident that, in a moment of temporary recuperation, he had wandered to the scene of the hanging. i Thus it was that, in less than an hour after the recapture of Inez Tracey by the bandits, Darrel Grey awoke to find himself an inmate of Ranger Ralph’s caDin. His senses were bewildered, his brow fevered, his neck and body in pain from his rough experience with the lynchers. Gradually, however, he realized it all,. and recognized the man who sat by his side holding a cup of Hquor in his hand. “Drink it, lad. It’s got some roots and herbs in it that have made a new man of me already. ” Darrel obeyed him, and then sat up on the couch of skins, staring mutely at the scout. “The man I saw at the depot?” “The same. ” “Who teki me about the train wreck-, ers?” “Yes, stranger; Ranger Ralph, that’s me, and lucky for you I strolled down to the tavern a Jittle while ago.” Darrel’s hand went involuntarily to his neck and he shuddered. “They tried to hang me, * he said huskily. “Yes, and almost succeeded.” "And you saved me?” “in the nick of time, lad. There,

r you’re getting back your color already. It was all a miserable mistake. ” “The lynching?" “Yes. The people are so excited over the train robbery that they act impulsively. ” “The train robbery'” ejaculated Darrel. “Tell me about, it” “They beat off the robbers and kil'ed two of the outlaws. They pursued the others to the north, and the vigilantes are after them now. ” “To the north?” repeated Darrel, disappointedly. “They have gone in the wrong direction. ” “How do you know?” “I just left their trail." “You!” exclaimed the scout, In tonss of the deepest amazement and Interest. “Not two hours since. It was to warn the people here to hasten in pursuit of them that I came to the tavern." Ranger Ralph’s face became serious. “It’s too late now,” he muttered. “Which way did they go?” “To the oast. ” “Toward their Indian allies. The trail will be tost among the hills. See here, stranger—let me see; what is your name?” “Darrel Grey." “Well, friend Darrel—for you’ve acted the friend to me in bringing back my horses—l’ve a question to ask you." “What is it?" “Thero was a deep motive for wrecking the railroad train at Ten Spot. ” “I know it" The scout started. “You do?” “Yes. * “What was it?" “First, robbery; next, to secure possession of a beautiful orphan heiress, a distant relativo to the leader of the band, Dyke Despard—lnez Tracey.” Ranger Ralph regarded Darrel in profound bewilderment. His face became intensely anxious and excited. “Then you saw the girl?” he asked. “I did. Let me tell my story, and you will know all about it.” Briefly, graphically, Darrel related all that had happened to him since ho had left the scout at the railroad station. He found an interested listener in Ranger Ralph, and when ho had concluded his recital, tho latter grasped his hand heartily. “Darrel Grey,” he said, in tones husky with emotion, “you have done me a great service in protecting the poor orphan child fate threw in your way. She’was the object of my coming to the depot I am her father’s oldest friend, and her own; while her enemies!—they are numerous and desporate. There’s a fortune beyond it, and Dyke Despard is determined to secure it. ” “He shall not if I can prevent him!” cried Darrel, with flashing, determined' eyes. “Ha!” cried the scout, as he read the enthusiasm of courage and the promptings of love in Darrel’s handsome face. “I think 1 understand you; Inez Tracey has captured your heart as she did mine when she was a baby girl. What is it, friend Darrel? Do wo abandon the fortune and the girl to tnat renegade and assassin, Dyke Despard?" “Never!” “No, never!” cried the ranger, “until his blood has washed out the cowardly blow he gave me last night. T don’t know you, except that you are a true, earnest man; but I’d rather have you aid me in hunting down Despard and recovering the girt Inez than all the vigilantes in the settlement. ” “Then It is a compact?” asked Darrel eagerly “Yes.” [TO BE CONTINUED,]