Part 51 (1/2)

Bridge was through it in an instant, with a parting, ”God bless you, little girl!” as he passed her Then the door was closed with a bang

Barbara turned the key, withdrew it from the lock and threw it across the darkened room

Grayson and the unwounded Mexicans leaped after the fugitive only to find their way barred by the locked door Outside Bridge ran to the horses standing patiently with lowered heads awaiting the return of their masters In an instant he was astride one of the the others ahead of hiht

By the tih one of the sht and earshot

As the ranch foreive chase to the fugitive the boss strolled in and touched him on the arm

”Mr Grayson,” he said, ”I haveto ask you now not to pursue Mr Bridge I shall be glad if he ht--he is a fellow-American We cannot turn him over to Villa, or any other Mexican to be ly Grayson unsaddled ”Ef you'd seen what I've seen around here,” he said, ”I guess you wouldn't be so keen to save this feller's hide”

”What do you mean?” asked the boss

”I hter”

The older hed ”Don't be a fool, Grayson,” he said, and walked away

An hour later Barbara was strolling up and down before the ranchhouse in the cool and refreshi+ng air of the Chihuahua night Herreflections of the past few hours Her pride was immeasurably hurt by the part impulse had forced her to take in the affair at the office Not that she regretted that she had connived in the escape of Bridge; but it was huirl of her position should have been compelled to play so melodramatic a part before Grayson and his Mexican vaqueros

Then, too, was she disappointed in Bridge She had looked upon hientleman whom misfortune and wanderlust had reduced to the lowest stratued to that substratunizes as a part of itself, and which is composed solely of the criminal class

It was hard for Barbara to realize that she had associated with a thief--just for a moment it was hard, until recollection forced upon her the unwelcome fact of the status of another whoirl did not wince at the thought--instead she squared her shoulders and raised her chin

”I am proud of him, whatever heof the new bookkeeper When she did think again of Bridge it was to be glad that he had escaped--”for he is an American, like myself”

”Well!” exclaimed a voice behind her ”You played us a pretty trick, Miss Barbara”

The girl turned to see Grayson approaching To her surprise he seereeted him courteously

”I couldn't let you turn an American over to General Villa,” she said, ”no matter what he had done”

”I liked your spirit,” said the irl I ben lookin' fer all ot 'em both

You liked thet bookkeepin' critter, an' he wasn't half a man I like you an' I airl drew back in astonish yourself”

”No I ain't,” he cried hoarsely ”I love you an' I'oin' to have you

You'd love me too ef you knew rasped her arirl pushed him aith one hand, and with the other struck him across the face

Grayson dropped her arht and looked hio now,” she said, her voice like ice ”I shall never speak of this to anyone--provided you never attempt to repeat it”