Chapter I: Front Matter

Grace Harlowe’s Overland Riders on the Old Apache Trail

_By_
JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A.M.

Author of The Grace Harlowe High School Series, The Grace Harlowe
College Girls Series, Grace Harlowe’s Problem, Grace Harlowe’s
Golden Summer, Grace Harlowe Overseas, Grace Harlowe
with the Red Cross in France, Grace Harlowe with the
U. S. Troops in the Argonne, Grace Harlowe with
the Marines at Chateau Thierry, Grace Harlowe
with the Yankee Shock Boys at St. Quentin,
Grace Harlowe with the American Army
on the Rhine, etc., etc.

Illustrated

PHILADELPHIA
HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY

COPYRIGHTED, 1921, BY
HOWARD E. ALTEMUS

CONTENTS

PAGE

CHAPTER I--THE CALL OF THE WILD 11

The Overton girls plan for a summer outing in the saddle.
Hippy has a dark secret. “No weak lemonade trips for me,”
declares Emma Dean. A proposal that is both interesting
and alarming. Old friends reunited. A journey toward the
setting sun.

CHAPTER II--ON THE OVERLAND COACH 25

Grace Harlowe’s discovery. Overton girls vote for a night
ride on the old Deadwood stagecoach. “Play tricks on us and
you will be sorry.” Off for a novel ride. Inside passengers
register a violent protest. The coach threatens to fall to
pieces.

CHAPTER III--A THRILLING HALT 41

Hippy takes a new kind of “sideslip.” Grace hears of the
savage Apaches. Ike Fairweather is amazed. Elfreda issues
a solemn warning. “Something is going on here!” exclaims
Grace Harlowe under her breath. “All out, and keep your
hands up!”

CHAPTER IV--THE BATTLE WITH THE BANDITS 52

Highwaymen and Overton girls in a pitched battle. “The
cowards!” cries Grace Harlowe. Bandits discover their
mistake too late. Wounded and defeated, outlaws of the
Apache Trail throw away their weapons. Disaster overtakes
the Overton girls.

CHAPTER V--WANTED BY THE SHERIFF 63

The Deadwood stagecoach goes over a precipice and is
lost. Ike Fairweather’s rage beyond the power of words
to express. Grace gives her prisoners a stern warning. A
grilling journey on foot. A notorious bandit leader among
the captives.

CHAPTER VI--A SHOT WELL PLACED 74

Ike Fairweather joins the Overton party. Riders of the
Old Apache Trail. Lieutenant Wingate comes a cropper. A
succession of spills. The first night in camp. Hippy’s
oratory is checked by a bullet. “Put out the campfire!”
commands Grace Harlowe.

CHAPTER VII--A LIVELY NIGHT IN CAMP 84

The first casualty. A mysterious shot. The Overton camp is
put under guard. Rifle shots alarm the campers. A silence
“heavy with significance.” Ike Fairweather wings a night
prowler. Grace makes a startling discovery. “The ponies
have gone, Mr. Fairweather!”

CHAPTER VIII--HIPPY CALLS TO ARMS 94

Aroused by a low-spoken warning. Hurried preparations are
made to defend the camp. The battle opened with a thrilling
Indian war whoop. “Steady, girls! We’re going to catch it!”
Strategy that bore fruit. “We have ’em on the run!” cries
Hippy.

CHAPTER IX--A STARTLING DISCOVERY 101

Attackers lose heavily. Indians or white men--which? The
Overton girls enjoy a real picnic. Emma Dean is missing.
“Elfreda, get a rifle and come with me!” directs Grace
Harlowe incisively. “Something serious surely has happened
to Emma.”

CHAPTER X--A DOUBLE CAPTURE 110

Grace picks up the trail. The search continued deep into a
somber canyon. Signal shots are fired. A human voice sounds
close at hand. “Grace! Oh, Grace! Save me!” wails Emma
Dean. Overton girls in the hands of mountain outlaws.

CHAPTER XI--FOLLOWING A COLD TRAIL 123

“I tell you I heard Grace’s signal shots!” Lieutenant
Wingate fails to find a trace of the missing ones. Ike
noses out the trail. “Right here’s where they took to their
ponies.” A weird night journey. The guide confesses himself
beaten.

CHAPTER XII--AN INTERRUPTED INTERVIEW 131

Threats fail to disturb Grace Harlowe. A bandit’s wife
demands to know why Grace shot Con Bates. “I’m goin’ to see
thet you settle for thet little job.” Belle Bates meets her
match. “Drop thet gun, an’ do it quick!” commands a stern
voice behind Grace Harlowe.

CHAPTER XIII--A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE 138

A case of shoot or be shot. “Run, Emma! Run!” A battle
of give and take. Grace gets a bullet wound. A dash for
freedom. The escape. Grace makes the best of a serious
situation. A blood-chilling wail of agony sounds close at
hand.

CHAPTER XIV--A NIGHT OF TERROR 150

“There it goes again!” Emma Dean gives way to her fears as
the wild, haunting wail is repeated. Two yellow eyes in the
dark. Grace fires a telling shot. Alarmed by signal shots
in the canyon. The two Overton girls witness a spirited
battle.

CHAPTER XV--IKE DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF 160

The end of a grilling hike. Western Jones wings the
bandits. Elfreda Briggs sews up Grace Harlowe’s wound. The
operation proves to be more than Ike and Emma can stand.
“Next time I shore’ll look t’other way,” avers the old
stagecoach driver.

CHAPTER XVI--A GLIMPSE INTO FAIRYLAND 166

Overton girls mess in the weird forest of Sahuaro. The
outfit selects a new name for itself. Lieutenant Wingate’s
speech rudely interrupted. The wonders of the Apache
Mountains are unfolded before the Overland Riders. Hippy’s
chest swells with pride.

CHAPTER XVII--GOING TO BED IN THE CLOUDS 175

Lieutenant Wingate loses his hat, and Ike Fairweather has a
narrow escape. Grace decides to explore the ancient cliff
dwellings. Being above the clouds gives the Overland Riders
a new thrill. An alarm arouses Grace at dead of night.

CHAPTER XVIII--THE HARDEST BLOW OF ALL 186

A jar and a crash. “Some one has run our wagon off the
trail into the canyon!” gasps Grace Harlowe. Hippy and the
bandits battle in a cloud. Grace takes a hand. Emma Dean
bewails the loss of her black silk skirt. Horses and riders
are now obliged to carry the Overlanders’ equipment.

CHAPTER XIX--HEROINES OF THE TRAIL 198

The arrival at Roosevelt Dam. Grace Harlowe meets an old
friend from the front. The fame of the Overland Riders has
preceded them. An Apache Indian engaged to care for the
ponies. An evening of real enjoyment at the mountain inn.

CHAPTER XX--THE MYSTERIOUS ARROW 205

Picnicking by the blue waters of Lake Roosevelt. “The end
of a perfect day!” Guests entertained at the Overland
Riders’ camp. Food, to Hippy, of greater moment than mere
Indians. The army spirit of freedom. A barbed messenger
drops into the camp of the Overlanders.

CHAPTER XXI--A NIGHT OF THRILLS 217

A warning of trouble to come. The storm breaks. “I think
we are going to catch it,” mutters Grace Harlowe. Tents
wrecked by the gale. The Overland camp is swept by bullets
from the mountains. Tea and crackers replace storm and
bullets. Guests have an exciting time.

CHAPTER XXII--RELICS OF AN ANCIENT RACE 228

A picnic in the home of the Cliff Dwellers. A guest faints
on the brink of the chasm. Grace prepares for her daring
descent. General Gordon protests. “Hold fast to the rope!”
All being ready, Grace Harlowe goes over the edge of the
precipice, a smile on her face.

CHAPTER XXIII--BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY 236

A dizzy descent through space. “Harlowe luck is with me!”
Grace explores the ancient community house. The mustiness
of centuries is on the air. “That smells like a dead fire!”
Grace Harlowe is startled by a human groan. The discovery.

CHAPTER XXIV--GRACE SOLVES THE MOUNTAIN MYSTERY 242

“Joe Smoky Face! What does this mean?” demands Grace. In
the bandits’ lair. A lonely vigil on the mountain. Grace
traps the bandits. “That is what I call good shooting,”
declares Grace Harlowe. Overland Riders at the journey’s
end.

GRACE HARLOWE’S OVERLAND RIDERS ON THE OLD APACHE TRAIL