Show ir E- E ik k f F i x t P ft II On n 5 hs hsU Q U Fighting Ranger Lp 4 i tab t b By F. F J. J McCONNELL McCONNELLY and GEORGE W. W Y for fOT New Newspaper i paper G Serialization by I II aft I leg p H V HORACE EATON F WN J ill 1925 25 UniT sr l Picture Pictures mt Corporation X X i X r i r ir sr i h SYNOPSIS Mary Marshall eighteen and p pretty lives Ives with her dad In ly Paradise canyon canon a mysterious retreat just across the border o from Arizona The only persons whom Mary ever met were her dad Bud Hughes Ruches a soldier of or oft t p fortune and Miguel and Ramon 2 two young Mexicans Mary and Flit her father are startled when an p aviator plunges to earth The They rescue the unknown flyer from his wrecked plane Mary falls C In love with her patient Komi I the last survivor of a once conQuerIng conquering con con- Cl race of YaquI chiefs Dort warns Bud Hughes of danger Marys Mary's father Is followed by byS S 1 three men John Marshall Is suspIcious suspicious sus sus- I of the Injured aviator The flyer nyer tells Mar Mary and her fan fa father father fa- fa n ther that his name Is Terence and that he was born In the vicinity of Paradise canyon cr He also tells them that his fa father father fn- fn ther a n prospector was killed while prospecting In the canyon I Terence refuses to divulge what i business brought him to the can can- yon Bud and Miguel l capture one 7 Ii of ot the strangers who followed Marys Mary's father home borne Terence tells Mary that he adores her a Marys Mary's father tells her why he fled tied from his ranch In Arizona fifteen years ac ago Buck McLeod ii Ti the prisoner escapes and overa overhears overhears over over- ort a hears Marshall tell his dau daughter that he was forced to kill a R man manIn manIn H In self defense and that he fled to Mexico to escape the law and tai that he left leCt his affairs In the caro care of ot his attorney a man manI I named Tags Taggart Mar Mary offers her father that was left lert to her hor by her gran grandfather Cather Her father fa father father fa- fa ther needs the money to pay the mortgage on the ranch Mary Iary plans lans to take the money to the i bank herself Buck tells Taggart a of Marys Mary's plans and they plan to toof of rob her Taggart plots to get I the ranch away from irom Marshall II CHAPTER III III-Continued III Continued tl W 4 A e Ta Taggart gart puffed at his cigar and mi continued Im I Now If he falls fails to raise the cash his ranch will be sold for taxes lie tr paused paused puffed slapped his knee and n leering went on And we can buy the place In with the money we got from that last bunch of steers nodded and chuckled Lets have another drink on that he said and called the bartender An excited man burst through the swinging doors and rushed up to Taggarts Taggarts Taggart's Tag- Tag garts garts gart's ta table e. e It was the keeper of the time I general genera store around the corner 4 Look Mr Taggart at ut these said i the storekeeper holding a hand lland fu full of brown topaz stones under Tag Tag- Vart's garts gart's e eyes es like them Are they real rean mm Taggart gg t excitedly c y era examined ed the I gems Jems and asked you ou get em em Bill Dm i That old In Injun just Komi Komi just gave em 11 to me for some grub replied the time storekeeper I Yes the they're re real all right Billi Bill Bill- i pretty good bargain for you he said Bald tr Beneath his exterior pretense preten e of calm a great wave of excitement te stirred stilTed b by the gems was surging surging- In Ina a his mind Taggart and Taggart alone I knew something of the strange secret guarded b by Komi And this secret was the rea real reason for his desire to acquire acquire acquire ac ac- ac- ac quire the Marshall ranch Well thanks Mr Ir I. I Taggart Taggart said Bald Bill Bm and departed Taggart and Willets had barely recommenced recommenced re re- commenced chatting when they worn were again Interrupted by a n newcomer entering entering en en- the thc saloon This time It was wasBuck wasBuck wasBuck Buck McLeod the escaped prisoner oner y from Paradise can canyon on who had spied z at Marshalls Marshall's wIndow the time night bo- bo fore Buck Bucl lost no time In reaching 13 Taggarts Taggart's table and seating himself Well Buck lin any news lag Taggart art asked eagerly News chief chen Buck grinned and quaffed at the drink which hud had been brought him Ive got ot news that'll make your our ayes oyes pop out Well Weli out with It it quick quick what Is IsIt IsIt isit It Taggart laggart Buck related his adventures In Paradise canyon and ended with wIlh emphasis emphasis em em- on th the statement So Marshall Ls Li sending his girl In Into Into to the Wc bank this morning ng with 00 50 GO- GO T Taggart's Taggarts eyes flashed at this announcement announcement an an- he hc jumped up ex- ex I III knew the old fox tox had hud some cash caRh planted somewhere That's why I told st him his ranch affairs were in such bad shape He lIe doesn't dare Ilare show himself ef for for fear of capture Doc Will eta leaned forward grinning grinning grin grIn- ning and said Look here Topaz lopaz this Is too good gooda It a chance to overlook c Wallets glanced at Buck and winked winked Taggart dropped back back- In his chair grinning 1111 Right night you u are ure bo boys s. he saidI saidI said I get you Doc answered Taggart I with a broad leer Jeer Well theres there's no nonine nine lime to lose You know your our stuff such Buck Are you ou ready j Buck Due Taggart rose and called caned to three cow punchers at the bar Got a Job for tor you boys cried Taggart The men followed him and Buck to the door Whets grinning came up behind The group talked In low voices Just outside the saloon the men menI I nodding as they grasped Taggarts Taggart's InI In In- I Then Buck mounted his horse and the other four tour quickly followed followed followed fol fol- lowed suit Taggart and Millets at their cigars watched grinning us Buck Duck and ancI his men disappeared In a cloud of or dust CHAPTER PTER IV Terent Terene d Moves On Terence awoke In the morning feeling feeling feel teel- ing much better than he would have hn liked to His Ills hurts of ot the day clay before before be bo- fore so well nursed b by Mary had hadI healed to such an extent that they I gave him trim no c- c excuse euse for tor remaining In Paradise canyon He would have liked to continue his hastily begun and Impetuous wooing wooIng- of Mar Mary but buthIs buthis buthis his host John Marshall had made It plain that he lie would not be a welcome guest any longer than necessary You can cnn take one of our horses said Marshall at breakfast That seemed to settle It it When they had finished the meal three horses were were- brought and Terence I Mary and Marshall 1 ro rode rodo e over o to the the spot where the thc wrecked plane lay hay n They rhey found Bud Hughes Hug Interestedly Interested tinkering with It Bud Dud saluted them and said I learned to fly one of these timings things when I 1 in the thc myself was army Maybe Maybe May May- be I can fix her up Im afraid she's a total loss replied replied replied re re- re- re plied Terence But if you jOU can put her tier together again she's yours jours old man man so so go to It It Bud thanked him profusely and the three rode away toward the secret gap leading out of Paradise canyon As the they approached the time guard Ramon namon S 4 Terence with whom 1 was waiting on horseback Marshall reined In and produced produced produced pro pro- a bandanna handkerchief Terence had been expressing his gratitude to him and Mary Marj quite all right suid said Marshall Mai We were glad gad to help you And now now now-l I can only sa say that our hospitality can un best be repaid by forgetting forgetting for for- getting etting you ou ever saw me or me-or or my daughter daughter or or this pac place we call home Terence glanced at Mary 1 a 1 and she lowered her head in a agitation He turned back to Marshall and said I III cannot promise to forget sir sir sir- but I do promise to treasure this tills chance meeting as a secret all nil my myown own Marshall showed his gratitude g for this promise and the two men shook h hands warmly Then Marshall hull handed hand hand- ed ld Terence the bandanna and he covered covered cov coy ered his e eyes es with It It and tied It behind behind be he- hind his head When his fingers ers had completed the knot he dropped his hand and It cane came Into contact with Marys Mary's s whose pony pon was close beside him He lie closed his hold on her fingers and leaning In his lils saddle smiled and whispered In her ear ear ear- which he lie located by hy the soft wisps of her hair which gently brushed his cheek cheek- But Mm Mary Mary dar IlI d ar Ill I'll be he pra In Inthe the Saints to be me back soon boon to to you ou Mary threw her head hack looked at the sk sky whence her lover had come and smiled radiantly Then she quickly J dropped his hand after givIng giving I ing It a pressure with her own that meant more to him than un any wor words s she might have said In reply and wheeled her horse around All ht rl right Ramon Mar Mar- Marshall shall call called ed The two servants came canine up and Ramon took the bridle rein of ot the blindfolded Terence's horse Good by cried Mar Mar- shall Good by Good from from 2 1 Mary a 1 Terence echoed their fure farewell and lifted his hat in a 11 gesture of ot adieu allien as Ramon Hamon and led Jed him bun off Into the secret t passage e. e Once outside Paradise e canyon they the would lead him down the road a u wu s 's remove the handkerchief from Crom his eyes es and leave lea him to go on his wa way with no clew as os asto asto osto to how to find the entrance to the canyon canon again Mur Mary was still In the first few nu minutes minutes' minutes minutes' min min- n- n utes' utes daze of parting so 80 soon from the first lover she had known when Bud Hughes came running excitedly to her father lather and her with the news that their prisoner had escaped from the stable Marshalls Marshall's a face turned pale alarm This Is 15 serious he hc said He may bring the thc sheriff right back with him You must start for the bank with the money moncy at once Mar Mary We Ve cant can't lose losea a minute Well We'll get bet the buckboard ready ready and and Miquel will wUl go with you The Thc three rushed off to the stable By the time the they had led the team of horses through the secret passageway and hitched them to the old four- four wheeled carryall that they kept hidden hidden hid hid- den outside the valley alley rode In Inand Inand inand and reported to Marshall Marsha lIes Hes gone gOlle sir sir sir-I I watched him out of sIght eight Marshall nodded and said Youve got to go to Pico now Miquel uel Mar Mary Jumped up onto the seat of ot the buckboard while her father completed completed completed com com- his Instructions to Miquel The Mexican Jumped Into the drivers driver's seat sent beside Mary In rj and amid Marshall placed the leather bag containing the mone money In her lapAs lapAs lapAs lap As f fast E t as you rou can cnn Miquel 1 Marshall Marshall Mar Mar- shall cried as ns the bucl buckboard board started off toward the gnp gap Mary waving good o Terence Jogged along the trail toward Pico He lie hind had a mission In this country country- a secret mission the business he had been unwilling to tell Marshall on the theda da day clay before The United States government government gov gov- does doe not share Its secrets even with those who are hospitable to its a agents and Terence was a government government government govern govern- ment ran ranger el on secret set service It was In the performance of ot his duties on this mission that on the da day before he hc had been een shot when he Just barely escaped with his life In his plane from a gang of outlaws The wound that 1 Mary hud hind nursed He was glad of that wound now 1 Mary Mary Mary-Mary Mary Her name and her picture kept passing through his mind as ns he hc rode toward town Temporarily Temporarily Tem Tem- she crowded out of his mind even the duties of his mission He could think of nothing else but Mary The clear sk sky the sunlight the thc green trees the birds everything e spoke to him of love on this morning His reverie was Interrupted suddenly sudden sudden- ly by a cloud of dust on the time horizon He pulled un and watched Intently THe rne oust dust was wan quickly coming corning toward him He pulled his horse his horse aside under undercover undercover cover er of the brush and watched The sound of hoofs was us coming closer Then a group of four men amen riding furIous furiously tore past him In the time instant that the they were riding by him a flash of recognition had come to him The Time man In the l lead d was the one he ho had seen captive at atthe atthe atthe the Marshalls' Marshalls the night before before- Buck Suspicious Terence emerged fro from his cover corer and cautiously started after the band holding far enough behind to just keep them in sight His Ills suspicion that something untoward untoward unto unto- ward was under way received confirmation confirmation confirmation mation when another mile or so down the road he saw the four men su suddenly pull up at a n mountain spring and ambush am alum- bush themselves in the time brushwood near It Terence found another mountain mountain moun moun- tain trail trall leading leadin to a point just t above time the ambush where without being seen himself he lie could watch downward from a n crag and see whatever took place He ascended this trail and reaching the vantage e point he desired dismounted and watched The ambushed men had crept further fur fur- timer ther hack back into the brush behind time the springs altogether out of sl sight ht The clatter of hoofs sounded from around a bend In the road in the time opposite opposite op op- direction from the time springs s. s A moment later a buckboard tearing aon along at great rent speed hove Into sl sight ht As It came up to the springs Terence saw saty the driver er pull up and jump down with ti n pan pall to water the horses His heart beat bent fast as he lie cau caught ht a lImp glimpse e of the time buckboards buckboard's other occupant occupant occupant oc oc- oc- oc Mary I Tense for quick action his nerves now on edge Terence watched and waited in alarm The driver r. r was loosening the time horses' horses reins Then he started off oIT with his pall to get th the water from the springs J TO DE un CONTINUED |