Grace Harlowes Overland Riders on the Great American Desert | Page 2

by the weary Riders. Directed to smell for water. A
thrilling discovery. Hopes dashed to earth. "Get back to your
positions!" orders the guide.
CHAPTER XIII
--A STARTLING ALARM
Supper is eaten without water or tea. Hi Lang shows the girls how to
extract food and moisture from a cactus plant. "This is heavenly!"
gasps Emma, and wonders why they did not bring an artesian well.
Shouts and screams suddenly disturb the camp.
CHAPTER XIV
--THE MYSTERIOUS HORSEMAN

Hippy Wingate falls into the desert. A happy accident. "Water! I smell
it!" cries Grace. Signal shots are fired. A desert wanderer rides in
begging for water. A solitary horseman views the Overlanders from
afar.
CHAPTER XV
--THE GUIDE READS A DESERT TRAIL
A stranger's warning interests Hi Lang. Why the desert wanderer is
always listening. More desert secrets revealed. Emma Dean dreams of
snakes and things. Grace Harlowe is complimented. Hi tells the
Overlanders what the mysterious horseman is.
CHAPTER XVI
--THE CROSS ON THE DESEST
Grace learns to throw the lasso. An unpleasant discovery. The mystery
box at the foot of the cross. Emma is eager to see their find opened. "It
rattles like gold," declares Hippy. Lieutenant Wingate raises the cover
of the mystery box.
CHAPTER XVII
--ANOTHER MYSTERY TO SOLVE
What the Overland Riders found in the buried tin box. The map that
aroused the curiosity of all. "I'll bury the old thing," declares Hippy. Hi
Lang empties his rifle at the mysterious horseman, and later makes
discoveries.
CHAPTER XVIII
--AN OLD INDIAN TRICK
The most trying day of all. Hi Lang utters a warning. A cloud that
aroused suspicion. Overlanders meet with a keen disappointment.

"Folks, the tank is dry! The water hole has been tampered with!"
announces the Overlanders' guide.
CHAPTER XIX
--THE WARNING
An all-night ride for Forty-Mile Canyon. The red star is Hi Lang's
beacon. Hippy Wingate mourns at missing a meal. Emma comes a
cropper in a mountain stream. "The last spot made when the world was
built." In camp in the Specter Range. Grace Harlowe's discovery.
CHAPTER XX
--CONCLUSION
Grace Harlowe wades into the mountain stream and suddenly
disappears. A remarkable scene behind the waterfall. Grace makes an
important capture. Mountain and desert mysteries unveiled. Lindy
becomes the daughter of five mothers. Home!

GRACE HARLOWE'S OVERLAND RIDERS ON THE GREAT
AMERICAN DESERT
CHAPTER I
WHEN THE COWBOYS LAUGHED
"Grace Harlowe, do you realize what an indulgent husband you have?"
demanded Elfreda Briggs severely.
"Why, of course I do," replied Grace, giving her companion a quick
glance of inquiry. "Why this sudden realization of the fact on your
part!"
"I was thinking of the really desperate journey we are about to

undertake--the journey across the desert that lies just beyond the Cactus
Range you can see over yonder," answered Miss Briggs, as she gazed
out through the open window of their hotel at Elk Run, to the distant
landscape to which she had referred. "What I am curious about is how
Tom ever came to consent to your attempting such an adventure."
"I presume he really would have made serious objection had it not been
for the fact that he had signed up for that forestry contract in Oregon.
Tom knew that I would have a lonely summer at home, and, I believe,
deep down in his heart, felt that were he to deny me the pleasure of this
trip, I might break my neck driving my car. You see, since I drove an
ambulance in France I do not exactly creep along the roads with my
spirited little roadster."
"He did not object to the trip then?"
"Well, he did threaten to balk when I told him that we Overlanders had
planned to ride horseback across the Great American Desert, starting
from Elk Run, Nevada. However, he listened to reason. Tom is such a
dear," reflected Grace.
"Yes, reason in the form of Grace Harlowe Gray," nodded Elfreda
understandingly. "Should I ever have the misfortune to possess a
husband I hope he may be as amenable to reason. Where is Tom, by the
way?"
"He has gone out with Hippy Wingate to look for one Hiram Lang,
known hereabouts as Hi Lang, the man who is to act as our guide and
protector across the desert. He is Mr. Fairweather's cousin, you will
recall, and my one great hope is that he may prove to be as fine a
character as the man who piloted us over the Old Apache Trail last
summer."
"I sincerely hope, for our sake, that he knows his business," nodded
Elfreda Briggs.
"Where did you leave the girls?" questioned Grace.

"I left Emma Dean, Anne Nesbit and Nora Wingate at the general store
where they were selecting picture cards of wild west scenes to send to
the folks back home.