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m£*r r- ■' jfe few’- | HL I- This Blighting . .' Disease of 1,1 ro ^IT blKCtS S eral U causes! boUi^e herediu^‘!, lk , the - v d< ™ a °P fronl the sa,,ie S e “- povished blood Supply j ^ aild dependent upon an impure and lm- ^S^OOK V» the lungs ; in Scrofula the glan&^f?} 1011 ^e disease fastens itseif upon -T the eyes are inflanied and , f £ the neck and throat swell and suppurate, causing ugly running sores; bones ache and white swell’ ■ there is a!1 almost continual discharge from the ears, the limbs swell, the skin, producing iiidr,,?n Ire quently a result, causing the diseased bones to work out through •rood • the'blood is Doisnn d P am and - suffering. Cutting away a sore or diseased gland does no ^generations has polluted every d ° ld scrofulous taint which lias probably come down through several condHTo°n U beforl U ae S tIrriKl° U a- per5islent treatment. The blood must be brought back to a healthy other poisonous mineralsusuafl'f^ ™ be St0pped ? itS WO ? ° f destruction Mercury potash and and leave the system in a ST £> nvei ? 111 such cases do more harm than good; they rrnn the digestion and^forccs'evciv'vcstib^of^poLmi^ 1 d 5 e P f ” seate d blood troubles like Scrofula. It goes down to the very roots of the disease and f ry J? pmson out of the blood. S. S. S. is the only purely vegetable blood purifier known. The roots and ler . ... contain wonderful blood purifying properties, which no poison, however powerful, can «•> JB !//£" “WF.-MST * lo ngresist. s.s. S. stimulates and purifies the blood, increases the Jf Bh a BsSmI E#IgilaLflLagy frfpl appetite, aids the digestion and restores health and strength to the children ^ “ ft «»W no poisonous minerals. S. S. S. is pre-eminently a remedy for to almost despaired of her life. A few bottles of Swift’s fpSSK of th ?i t \ me ’ however, and go direct to the cause of the trouble. I do not l>eliev.; it has an eouaT £?«?, e KK^ mpletely V a i' i i^ e H which are beyond the power of other socalled blood remedies. for stuhlxira^sMof Moog diseases Our medical department is in charge of experienced physicians who have made Scrofula and other blood diseases a hf e study. Write them about’ your case, or anv one you are interested in Your letter will receive prompt and careful attention. We make no charge whatever for this. Address, THE SWIFT SPECIFIC COMPANY. ATLANTA. GA. SPIDER’S CHAPS BY WOLCOTT LE CLEAR BEARD TALE OF THE CATTLE THIEVES OF AG-UA CALIEHTE. JioOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Not tor a moment did rsuppose that i ng over the back of one cow after an other and yelling frightfnllly as he came, Hollis at last dropped with a splash into the shallow water near the shore. The cowboy cast loose the rope from his saddle horn and cantered after Lee. Released from control, the cattle scattered and soon, except for the three dead ones, there was not a cow in sight. Another attempt to cross the river then was impossible. We bad done onr best and had failed. CHAPTER IIL IK WHICH SPIDER MYSTERIOUSLY LEAVES CAMP. It was in a most dismal frame of mind that we retnrned to onr camp, rather to the place where onr-camp had been. Onr reception was corresponding ly dismal. In fact, it would be nearer the truth to say that we had no recep tion, for while we were .trying to get the cattle over the river the Ballet Girl had packed up everything there was to pack and bad departed in search of a ford ora boat or some means of getting across without having to ferry himself over on his timber leg. as be told ns afterward. Therefore there was no din ner awaiting tis when we arrived and no means of getting any. When, after considerable search, we finally discovered our missing kitchen, it had succeeded in crossing, and then, in the face of the rising water, it had to return. It was quite nightfall when it reached ns. The Ballet Girl was in a particularly bad humor. For this rea son our supper, when we got it. was a wretched one. Still, bad as it was, it was welcome As the men gathered about tbefire their I should again see Hollis alive—not once in a thousand such occurrences would I have had an opportunity. As it was, by a miracle of good fortune, he came up near the heads of the cattle between which he had fallen. I saw his hand clutching at a horn. The head to which the horn belonged bellowed and tossed in its efforts to free itself. Twice it broke his hold, and twice Hollis reap peared, grasping for his life at the nearest support. Spider instantly turned his horse and spurred straight into the press of cattle, striking and shouting and trying to scatter it. Only on the edge of the herd did he succeed. The rest of the cattle were packed too closely, and there was not time for them to move. Still spur ring, Spider snatched his lariat from where it hung on his saddle, closing the loop in order to increase its length. He swung it and cast. The rope fell fair and true across the neck of the steer to which Hollis was clinging. Hollis grasp ed it instantly. The cattle heaved and pushed as they felt the strain of the tightened line over their backs. Spider tried desperately to bring the end of his lariat to the saddle horn, where ho could secure it, but he was forced away by the cattle until the rope would not reach. Then the cattle gave back a little. Hollis took in the slack afforded by this movement, and opening the loop wi.th one hand, tried to get it over his head and shoulders. “Le' me have it 1’’ shrieked Spider. “Le’ me have the slack—I can’t get the rope t' the horn ’less you da I can’t pull y’out with jus’ my ban’. Le’ me have it—quick I” Hollis strained the rope harder than ever. Though ho could not get the loop over bis shoulders, be did get one arm through, and then, clutching the lariat in his hand, he jerked the line danger ously as he struggled to rise between the cattle “Slack off till I e'n fast the rope!” called Spider despairingly “I can’t hoi' ter my saddle else." Tlio rope was strained until it sung like a harp string. With a quick turn of his wrist Spider wrapped the end of ~ the lariat around his hand and held on with all the strength of bis tough little body. Clinging to the horn with his left hand, he was dragged farther and far ther out of his saddle. Finally his hold on the horn was broken, his pony dashed riderless up the hank, while Spide. hung by the rope, counterbalanced by ■ Hollis at the other end. “Let gol” I roared to him aslpushed my horses down the bank in order to attempt the assistance that I knew I could not give. “Let go the line and get out while you can I Don’t you see they’re closing around you ? Let gol” Spider heard and shook his head. He had no intention whatever of letting go. Dragged upward by Hollis’ superior weight, he was hanging with his feet jnst touching the water. In spite of his desperate hdld the lariat was slipping through Spider’s hands. His face was getting white under its tan, but his teeth were set and still he held fast “Let gol Let go, now!” I called again. Spider did not let go, and then it was too late. A bunch of cattle, con fused by the stir, that were lumbering aimlessly about, crowded against him and hemmed him in. As I rode I drew my pistol and fired three shots'in rapid succession. It is a distress signal that is universally known, and if it was heard it could not fail to bring the men back to Spider’s aid. ' For a moment no one answered. There was no time for an answer. But I did not realize that then. I rode at the cattle and_ fired three more shots, this time straight into them, and three of them rolled .over into the muddy wa ter. I was so close that I conld not miss, and I would cheerfully have sacri ficed the whole herd jnst then if it •would have helped Spider out. Bnt my .pistol was empty, and all I could do . was to try, with the able assistance of the little bay mare I rode, to scatter the cattle that held him into the herd. Indeed the mare did far more than I in the minute that followed. Seeming to realize the situation, she plunged, " kicked and even bit as she tried to force her way. ■ The press got thicker and thicker. The Tittle mare could only struggle faintly against it. I was quite close to Spider now. but I might as well have been a mile away, for I conld not reach ■him. I' caught sight of his red head only once. The rest o f <he time I conld see nothing but the strained line that hummed between the hoy and the heavy man tiia*. was trying to climb by it. I ccnld still yell, and I did. Three shots came back in answer, and in another moment help had arrived. The cattle that held us into the herd were scattered. One of the cowboys caught my mare by the bridle and led her, protesting against the indignity, up the bank. As we went I turned my bead in time to see that Cappy Lee had picked Spider np bodily by his belt and that he looked more spiderlike than ever with bis' legs and arms nourishing in the air as lie was lifted to a seat in front of his rescuer. At the same time another man cut Spider’s rope. Then, carrying the loose end to his saddle horn, he took a qnick turn and gal loped away Of course the strain on Hollis’ arm mnst have been terrible. No man could have held on. even though Spider was sobbing ns though his heart would break. spirits rose amazingly, even though their wet clothes steamed more than the scalding coffee that the cook poured into the big tin enps. It was all in the day’s work—of a cowboy. We bad nearly finished supper when I noticed that Spider was not there. It was so unusual for him to absent him self from a meal that I went in search of him, fearing that something might be wrong. It was some time before I conld find him in the darkness; but, hearing an odd sound from behind my tent. I followed it With his arms thrown around the neck of the horse that he had ridden that day, Spider was sobbing as though his heart would break. I stood still tor a moment, sur prised. He had not heard me. and 1 knew that he would be terribly morti fied should he find that I had been a witness of his weakness, so I coughed in a discreet manner to warn him of my approach. The effect was instantaneous. Spider straightened up immediately and began to hum a little tune to himself, while the horse looked around at him with an expression of mild surprise at. bis sudden change of mood. I asked him why he did not come to supper. He answered that he “didn’ seem ter want none jus now somehow. This was very startling. When I com mended his bravery and magnanimity in doing what he bad done to save the life of an enemy,, he observed that “it wasn’ no great shakes nohow, ” and that as be intended to square matters with Hollis sooner or • later he didn't want Hollis drowned, as that obviously would prevent any snch reckoning.. It was like Spider to attach the low est possible motive to anything that he might do. but I knew better. There was no nse in saying anything more. 1 held put my hand. Spider winced as he took it. Then I found that his right palm had been ent almost to the bone by the rope that bad been polled through it I took him back to the camp and dressed his band as well as I was able l-ith the limited resources at onr com mand, "and at last he rolled np in his blanket and fell into the deep sleep of ntter exhaustion. I had retnrned to my own tent .and sat under the fly, looking out at the dismal landscape and feeling very bine indeed. There was nothing, as far as the eye conld reach, bnt rock, cactus and sand. How the cattle were to live I conld not - see Something mnst be done. I was about to call the foreman for a consultation when I saw him coming toward me. “Evenin,” he remarked as though he had not seen me before that day “Though: I'd come over an see what we’d best do with them there critters while the river's goin down We can't his life depended upon it, but Hollis | stay here.’’ . u had.secnreil the loop around his wrist I didn’t in the least kno what to going dov n It was rising. “Yaas, so 'tis. That’s what made me think that maybe, after all. we’ll have ter take the herd ter ol' Lorena’s range fer a bit. Can’t do no better as I e’n see. ” “Where is Lorena’s range?” I asked. “Is there feed there ?” “ ’Bont 40 mile down the river. Oh. yes,' there’s grass there, all right enough. ’’ He spoke so dubiously that I asked for an exjdanation. “Oh, yes, there's grass there, all right enough,” be repeated. “But then Lorena, he’s there too. 1 don't like Lorena none too well. He’s a greaser, an therS ain’t no worse one nowhere. He’s got an all fired bad lot aronn him, too, down there to Agua Caliente. Yon'M have ter pay fer the nse er the range, of course, an I reckon maybe we won't have no trou ble. Anyhow, it looks like it’s all we ;’n do. ” I was not borrowing trouble. I said that I thought we'd better start for Lo rena’s as soon as we conld get away in the morning. “I reckon,” agreed the foreman. “Now there's another thing I wanted ter say. Yon see how we was at the river thismornin. We’re short handed, that’s what we are. an we want more help.” ’ This fact was not news to me, and I said so. “Well, we’re shorter’n ever now,” the foreman went on. “Hollis he won’t be no good fer awhile—one of his arms is a foot an a half longer’n the other, an it'll take er month ter get it hack where it was.- Now there’s that kid— Spider. He done some mighty good work yes’day iu the lierdin, not ter talk erbont that job he done fer Hollis—a man what tried ter throw him down all he knowed. S’pcse we take him on. ” “Bnt what will the cook do?” I ob jected. “He’s all right. We c'n pick nn a Chinaman er snnthin fer him bimeby, an now he says the kid'll be a sight more nse roun the cattle than ever he was with the cook outfit. I guess we c'n call that settled, so fur es the Bally Gurl goes. Conrse I know the kid can’t do a man’s work yet, an I enjy mean ter give him boy’s pay fer now, till we see how he does. Are yon willin?” I was perfectly willing—more than that. I was delighted to give Spider his chance, but I did not say so. I only asked how Spider was to get a suitable outfit—apart from the horse. If he had taken a fancy to the ugly brute he bad ridden that day he might have the creature and welcome. ' “I guess that lets us cut—the horse.’ responded the foreman. “The boys has got np a sorter chip in fer the rest Hollis, he’ll come up with consid’able of it, I reckon. He will fer tho chaps anyhow. He owes it. ” Hollis certainly did owe the chaps, but I was rather surprised from my knowledge of the man that he should so readily acknowledge his debt. “Oh, yes. Hollis is mighty grateful. I reckon," replied the foreman when I expressed my astonishment “Hollis’ll come down with the money all right, don't yon fear." There was something peculiar in the foreman’s tone that made me suspicions. “Does Hollis know that he’s expected to contribute?" 1 asked. “No, not yet. He will, though. I’m a-gonter see him now. ’’ The foreman hitched his holster conveniently for ward and departed. I shouted an order after him to the effect that, whatever Hollis might or might not be willing to give, there should be no coercion in the matter. I never knew whether or not this order was obeyed. I rather think it was not I did not witness the announcement of Spider’s promotion. Long before sun rise I had started ont with the foreman to arrange with Lorena for the nse of his pastures. The herd was to follow ns. As the foreman had said, I found Lo rena to be a. most villainous old Mexi can and surronnde-l by a most villain ous crew of followers. He knew that we were at his mercy, and. therefore over charged us frightfully. The pasturage on his range was good, and that at least was a comfort, but I didn't at all like the prospects in other ways. Two days later, when the cattle arrived, we camped, as before, on the banks of the river. Our ostensible reason for camp ing there was. of conrse. that we would be on hand at the earliest possible mo ment when the river should fall enough to allow ns to cross. Bnt teally we chose this place, the foreman and I, in order to he as far away as we could from the wicked little town of Agna Caliente. the headquarters of Lorena and his friends. At best the town was far nearer us than we liked. The dis tance was only 20 miles or so For a week or two after we arrived we did not seem to me to have much cause for alarm. In fact, I wonld have been rather relieved had not the fore man kept np a continual croaking. The cattle were in no way interfered with. It is true that many of onr men would avail themselves of every possible .op portunity to get to Agna Caliente, and wonld frequently stay there much longer than, they ought; but this, in view of the time that had lapsed since they had seen a town of any kind at all, was no mere than one mnst expect There was little for the men to do. In fact, for this first fortnight, the life settled back to its old monotony as far as I was concerned. To Spider the new responsibilities that he had as- snmed seemed a never failing delight. He worked indefatigably. and at night was quite ready to go to sleep without the preamble of setting the camp by the ears, according to his former habit. Apart from other reasons, I think that Spider wonld at this time have consid ered such an outbreak beneath his dig nity, unless committed for weighty and well considered reasons. Besides,- his outfit arrived.'which placed him, when the first stunning shock of surprise had subsided, on the pinnacle of all earthly bliss. Spider might well be pleased. The “boys’’ had done their best, and Spider was equipped from head to heel with cowboy paraphernalia—saddle, bridle. cm. rue'new .leather.’made ms legs, so the men said. look like, those of a newly hatched chicken, they were so yellow So taken with them was Spider'that he was nearly thrown several times the first day he wore them becanse. instead" of looking.to see where his horse was going, be-if as admiring his legs "But a glory greater even than the chaps lay in his “gnp. ■' the heavy pistol, that with its holster and well filled car tridge belt Spider proudly buckled around his waist He seemed to have grown two inches taller as he strutted about the camp. The outfit wonld have been woefully incomplete without this weapon. If a herder becomes nnhorsed, the' half wild cattle will attack him oftener than not and without this means af defense he would be helpless. Spider threw himself into his. work with an energy greater, if possible, than before. Lack of energy was at no time one of Spider's faults. aDd this was most fortunate, for we Deeded him and every one on whom we could depend more and more as the days passed by. Matters in the camp were going from bad to worse. Those men who went most frequent ly to Agna Caliente began going often er than ever. Sometimes they would leave their work in order to go there, and when they retnrned they would be filled with the malignant whisky preva lent in that region or with the still more malignant mescal Conld we have replaced them these men would have been discharged at once, bnt we could not replace them. For a time I was comforted by the reflection that as soon as their money gave out this conduct must cease. It did not cease, bntin- stead it became worse than ever. Some of the cowboys left. Some became so useless that, great as our need was. we had to discharge them. Of all the men who went often to Agna Caliente. Hollis alone wonld return sober. “An he’s jus’ the las' one I care about,” said the foreman as for the hundredth time we were holding a conneil. “He’s ban’ in glove with Lo rena an the hull gang It's them what get the boys away—it’s their reg'lar trick. They wants ter weaken us all they can an then sneak the cattle. Been stealin cattle fer years, they have, only no one couldn't prove nothin They ain’t takin uo chances they c'n help, but the river's goin down party fas’ now. an they know it. so I reckon they'll make ther try fer onr herd in a night er two—t'uight. inaybe Better get the cattle together There ain’t no nse in our foolin onrselves—things don’t look none ton gandy. no way you c’n see ’em. What the foreman said was perfectly true I fully realized that now. and at once gave orders to round np the cattle. The river had fallen considerably, and it was decided that we should move the camp and gather the cattle at the near est ford, 12 miles below. In this way it was just possible that, if the river al lowed ns. wo might get across and away before there was an opportunity for tronble All of onr men were at snpper that night, and all of them, with the excep tion of Hoilis. were trustworthy. The others bad been weeded ont days before. As the’hasty meal was finished the fore man stood up and made a little speech to the men. it was very short. “Boys." he said. “I reckon you all knows what yen got ter do. New yon wauter saddle up an do it jus' as qnick as you know how. There'll he tronble else at both ends erthe line. Now’s the time ter start. " The boys saddled and started. In a few minutes, except for the Ballet Girl, who was hurriedly striking camp, there was not a human-being in sight.. Driving the spare horses ahead "of me, I went directly to onr new camping place, gathering by the way what few Rattle I conld get. I was the first to ar rive at the ford. I built a fire to guide the others to this point and eat down to keep it going until the cook conld come np and relieve me. Few of the cattle had strayed far Followed by a shouting cowboy or two. small bunches soon began to come in These bunches would be united on the river bank, and their- herders wonld gallop off after more. Then the cook wagon drew np at the fire, which was utilized by the Ballet Girl for the man ufacture and maintenance of a huge pot of coffee, kept for the benefit of all comers. There was no time to stop and eat. The men came and went and came again, all of them, except Spider and Hollis. I had not seen them since sup per. I began to get very uneasy about Spider and made inquiries as the men came in. Capjiy Lee, it seemed, was the last to see them. It was early in the evening. Spider was spurring along di rectly in Hollis’ wake and both of them heading for Agna Caliente. It was long jiast midnight when Lee in- scorn EMULSION OF COD-LIVER OIL WITH HYPOPHOSPHITES should always be kept in the house for the fol“ lowing reasons: FIRST- Because, if any member - of the family has a hard cold, it will cure it. SECOND- Because, if the chil dren are delicate and sickly, it will make them strong and well. THIRD—Because, if the father or mother is losing flesh and becom ing thin and emaciated, it will build them up and give them flesh and strength. FOURTH —' Because it is the ■ standard remedy in all throat and lung affections. No household should be without it. It can be taken in summer as wail as in winter. 50c. and $t.oo, all druggists. -■ ■ ' lormea me" or mis. tailing the rore- man, I hurriedly told him about Spi der’s absence and iu whose, company he was last seen. I also told him that I was very much afraid that something had happened to the boy and that I in tended to start out at once in search of him. • “Ridin jealous er Hollis, I s’pose, liko he always does." said the foreman. “Well. I reckon yon’d better go,"he went on, after thinking a moment. “Oughtn’t ter go alone, though”— “He won’t go alone, you bet yon.” Lee interrupted. “Jus’ wait till I sad dle up a fresh horse an get my rifle outer the wagon. I won’t be long.” “What about yer work?” asked the foreman reprovingly. “Have ter get 'long without me the best it kin, I reckon." responded Lee as he walked away to make his prepara tions. The foreman made a qnick stride after him and then stopped. “He hadn't no bnsiness ter talk like that, bnt I reckon he’s right. He onght ler go, an maybe I'd dene the same if I was him. Look here. Don't you get in ter no fights yon c'n help. If you don't come hack by an honr after sun np, er if ther's anything ben done ter that ther kid. I'll let the cattle go. an I'll take every one er the boys—I'll head 'em myself—an I'll burn Agna Caliente nn shoot every man ther is in the place." I laughed. “Yon needn’t ter laugh," cried the foreman indignantly. “You know’ I don’t talk 'less I mean it. If me an the boys can live ter do it. I’ll do every las’ thing I said. ” At first I had thought that he was joking, but it was as he said. He meant every word. Of course I would not for a moment consent to snch a plan as that he proposed, one that might in volve the killing of men who had not done or intended ns any harm. I gave the foreman orders to stop where he was nntil the following noon, and then, if we had not retnrned. to send a search party. Bnt I ccnld not see that we were in any danger. “Danger?" responded the foreman obstinately. “Well, I reckon maybe I know some better than yon do If yon ain’t back when I said, we’ll all be a search party I’m boss when you ain’t here. I’m a-gonter hoi' all the boys as they come in an give 'em a night’s rest. We c’n start work in the mnrnin one way er another—an hour after sun np. Hoi’ on a minute." He ran to the wagon and took out a rifle, which he fastened to my saddle. “Take this along. Maybe you'll want it,” he said, shoving a handful of car tridges into my pocket “Here comes Lee." As he spoke the cowboy, freshly mounted, came cantering up. and we started off. “Yon needn’t be afraid of ns hnrtin no innereent men,” tho foreman called after ns reassuringly. “We wouldn’t do that." He waited until we were some distance away, and then, making a speaking trumpet of his hands, he bawled; “In—Agna Caliente there—ain't— no—innereent—men 1" CHA-PTER IV. IN WHICH TIIK CATTLE ARE STAMPEDED BY LORENA’S QANO. I had not an idea as to Spider’s prob able whereabouts. The desert was so very large and Spider so very minute a speck upon its surface that it struck me after we had started out that onr qnest was a singularly hopeless one Lee. however, differed from me. “I don’t see no tronble in knowin where ter go. ” he said. “Png Hollis, he’ll be prntty sure ter strike to’rds Agna Caliente. an Spider’ll sure be in bis wake. Ali we got ter do is ter go ter Agna Caliente, too; that’s all. If anything’s wrong an that kid’s alive, he’ll be makin some noise er other ter let ns know. He’s a star at makin a noise, Spider is. It’s right in his line.” By this time we were well away from the camp, ont cf sight of the fire. Bnt for the pole star that hung burning brightly over our heads I- would not have had the faintest notion of the di rection in which we were going. But Lee, with the plainsman’s unerring in stinct, loped steadily along without ever raising his eyes. Lee was not a talkative person The only sonnd that broke the oppressive stillness was the dismal yell) of a distant coyote, the smothered pad of the hoofs of our mounts as they fell on the soft sand and the regular click of the spur chains against our heavy wooden stirrups Only once did Lee speak. “Moon’scomin np. SeeV That’s tine. C’n tell what we’re doin now." He pointed to a silvery sheen on ihe dark bine horizon, into which a few minntes later the full moon climbed, streaking the rolling surface of the Resort with bright light and blackest shadow and silvering the stately forms of the tree cactns that studded the desert thickly A faint white line a mile ahead marked the conrse of a trail, toward which, by tacit consent, we turned onr horses. Suddenly Lee held np his hand as a signal that I should listen. At first I could hear nothing Then, sounding faint in the distance, there came three pops of a pistoL “That’s him—somebody what wants help, anyhow, ” called Lee “Over be- yon’ the rise, thar, they are. We c’n see. from the top. Le’s hustle—quick I’" Putting spurs to our horses, we soon! were climbing a long, stony ridge that ] for miles divided the plain, concealing one half from the other. ! Onr horses stopped of their own ac- •’ cord as they reached the top. At first, we conld see nothing. Then my atten-’ tion was attracted by a moving blot' near the edge of the black shadow thrown by the ridge. As we looked the 1 blot passed ont of the shadow and was at once defined as a bnneb of cattle driven by three horsemen toward Agna Caliente. Who these men were we conld not tell at that distance, but they were not of onr force, and one of them, from the peaked crown of his hat, was probably a Mexican. They were driving the cattle rapidly. One of the men stop ped, and, tnrning. looked intently in the direction from which he had come. One of his companions came back and joined him. Then, after a moment, they both wheeled and galloped back to the herd, where the third man seemed anx iously to await them. Evidently the three were uneasy about something. “They think somebody is a-follerin ’em.’’ said Lee softly in my ear. They were not far from the truth if they did think so. A horseman emerged from the shadow, and the brilliant moonlight fell on the diminutive form and bright, new chaps of Spider. The men saw Spider nearly as soon as I. Two of them at once polled np their horses and stopped, evidently intending to bar the way Spidc-r stopped also. The men rode on. and Spider followed, preserving his distance nnchanged. They repeated this maneuver two or three times nntil at last the man with the Mexican bat lost his temper. He turned suddenly and darted after Spider at the full speed of his horse. Firing three quick shots at his pur suer, Spider whirled about, and. with a yell of delight, vanished into the shad ow. aisappeartng as completely though the earth had swallow^ Evidently recognizing the p getting closer to an,y seen himself, cane” _ rarireir ms nbrse toward tne neru. Emerging once more from the shadow. Spider fallowed as before. Jnst what Spider was trying to do I did not know. It was plain, however, that he was in some need of assistance, as there were three men opposed to him: I was about to start at full speed down the hilt when Lee stopped me. “HoV. on!" he whispered excitedly, catching my horse by the bridle. “Don’t start ter run down this yer slope—you'll only break yer neck, an then yon won't be no good to nobody. Ther's plenty er time. That kid, he’s jus’ worrvin them three chumps into a fit—without no danger to himself too. Don’t you see how he keeps jus’ outer pistol shot? Take it easy down the slope. Once we’re on the level, then we’ll rush 'em." Onr horses picked their own way down the dark, bowlder strewn hillside. When we reached the plain, there was an instant's pause. Lee drew his rifle from the becket that rested nnder his left knee. “Ready?" he asked. I was quite as ready as I was likely to be. but he wait ed for no reply Dropping the reins on the neck of his horse, he sent home his spnrs and dashed ont into the moon light, yelling like an Indian and pump ing his repeating rifle with both hands as he went. As we came Spider swerv ed his horse and drew his pistol. Then he recognized ns. “Hooray!" he yelled at the top of his shrill voice. “I knowed yon’d come. We got 'em! Whcopl Yip. yip, yip 1 Come on I I ben a-follerin them thieves all night." Lee and I were riding side by side. Spider was some little distance ahead, shouting these remarks over his shoul der. He intended to stay ahead, too, for, ride as we might, neither Lee nor I conld catch him The three men who were driving onr cattle did not wait for ns. Firing an ineffective shot or two they turned to one side and vanished in the shadow of the hill Spider turned his horse in pnrsuit. “Come back!” called Lee. “Come back here, you kid! You crazy?" Spider paid no attention whatever, but rode on at the best speed his pony conld show “Come back, 1 say. or I'll rope your pony an throw him!" shouted Lee again. “Have ter get within east first, an yon can't do it,” retnrned Spider de fiantly What he said was quite true We were losing ground at every stride We were well into the shadow now. “Come back!" I called in despair. “Will yon obey orders or not?” Spider stopped instantly. “Conrse, if it's an order it goes,” be eaid. “But what d'yon wanter pnll np fer when we jus’ got er chance ter get them- thieves?" Lee had no words to waste at the time He took Spider by the collar of his flannel shirt, lifted him half out of bis saddle, shook him soundly, cuffed his ears and then re tnrned him. with a thnmp, to his seat. “S’pose yon wanter get.er hole shot in your fool little hide jus’ because you think it’s smart." said Lee. when he had completed these operations to his satisfaction “Yon couldn’t tell where them rustlers was a-waitin fer you in the dark there. Now get them cattle movin fer home er I’ll take off yer chaps an spank you with ’em." To my great surprise Spider took these correc tions and cantered away to obey his orders without a word. But. then. Lee had always been very good to Spider. “S’pose I reeliy oughter not a shook ’im so.” the cowboy went on regretful ly when Spider had left. "I couldn’t let ’im get so uppity, though. Ther "HoorayP’ wonldn’ be no livin in the same camp with ’im. But he scared me, that’s a fact. That’s reeliy why I thumped ’im. I’d be mighty sorry if that kid got hurt, an he was fixin ter get hurt the very best he knowed. Here he comes, now, grinnin sn the grin runs ever his face all down his back." “Them rustlers was a-waitin fer me, was they?” called Spider as soon as he got close enough. “Well, jus’ yon look over there once." He pointed to a moonlit space between two deej) shad ows nearly a mile away. Three men on horseback were crossing it rabidly, going in the direction of Agna Caliente. There was no doubt about their being the thieves. No other men wonld have been likely to be in that deserted place at such a time. or. if they had been, they wonld have shown themselves be fore when Spider was firing distress signals. “Do you snppose that those fellows will go after more men and then come down on us?" 1 asked Lee as Spider re tnrned to his work. “Nope," replied the cowboy "They can’t afford fer take no chances, er they’d ’a’ staid an fonght it ont. It ain’t no joke fer a man ter get ketched Iiftin cattle ronn here. Yon c'n raise the country ter go after 'im. an if he’s caught he don't get ter jail alive. Them fellers was gonter take these here cattle across the line into Mexico—it ain't more'n 20 miles from Agua Caliente— an sell 'em there. Better get them cat tle over the divide an movin to'rds home, though, as soon ns we kin It’s mos’ snn up now " [to be COXTIXUED-l An Kp’idr-mic ol* Whooping Cough. Last winter during an epidemic of whooping congh my children contracted the disease, having severe coughing spells. We had used Chamberlain’s Congh Remedy very successfully for cronp and naturally turned to it at that time and fonud it relieved the congh and effected a complete e rre.—.Tonn E. Clifford" Proprietor Norwood House, Norwood, N. Y. This remedy is for sale by E. Bradford. Tho average man imagines good judgment is synonymous with his own personal opinion. 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