Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-06

her that the row brewing was no common one.
She felt for her guns. They were safe in her
pockets. Showing pad OF paper in alongside
and was ready for scoops" but unfortuna tely
she was locked in. Just then there was q
crAckle of dead grass under her window and
peering down in the gloom she saw the CLEAN
OF the diamond studs the ''be2gar" wore
sparkling like glow worms in the dark.
If you please l want to get OUT she called
The beggar looked up. They, KANT hurt
you, Miss, I'm guardin' We"
What are We stopping here for?' she de-
handed
"Injuns has cut the wires an we KANT git no
word from Gallup. The comp'nys afraid
Maybe so the track is tore up, too"
What is the matter over at that saloon?'
Hank. the barkeeper, has lost a gun an
keeps on insistin' that ole Ball Eye, Navajo,
dun tuck 1t. There's about dozen Of the red
cusses we're, an they're bilin' full of bug juice.
The terriers are he'p'n Hank round em up
an they're just about'tarin' up the airth.''
Just then there was pistol shot, followed by
a howl Of agony; then three in quick success
sion, deep groan, then curses long and loud,
and free-for-all scuffie ensued.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
Unlock this door at once" ordered Miss
Roma as she found her scoop was ripe for
picking The beggar obeyed. grumbling;:under
his breath at fool females who never knowed
enuf to keep their heads outen' danger" He
guided her in silence to the saloon. The dying
Indian rolled over in the last agony as she
reached him, and his half-sobered companions
dragged him away. A dozen men bent and
knelt about another form, the white heat Of
anger and resentment burning the words on
their lips into silence. As Miss Roma came up
with her strange escort they fell away and lift
ing their hats formed ring about the heap at
haIr faaf IhArA H. al
instant the stray bullet touched his heart, was
youth in the first flush of manhood. His
wide-open blue eyes and smiling red lips Just
shaded by curling blonde mustache gave no
sign that the heart had ceased to beat. and Miss
Roma knelt quickly to lay her fingers on the
pulseless wrist.
Hes gone over the divide" said some one
as she rose to her feet again.
"Who is hep" asked Miss Roma with her
heart in her mouth as she thought Of some
mothers sorrow.
"Ten6 erfoot, just in,' was somebody's SEN
tentious reply.
"But does no one know his uame?" she asked
in surprise.
NO. nobody knew anything about him.
stranger" was the name he went by. Gener-
ally when ''up-and-uppers" like him ar peared
in that God-forsaken kentry they left their
records behind them. In fact, came away to
get rid of them. This one had been only two
or three days and was a regular ''good un. -
Had plenty of money, paid for the nose paint
quite frequent for the crowd though he seldom
INDUCED himself played a stiff game Of poker,
but wasn't much on the gamble, sang a jolly
song, told good story and was considered
quite an addition to the society of the railroad
town. The redskin killed i'm accidental He
were just lookin' on" That was the pieced-
together information Miss Roma obtained from
the crowd.
Perhaps he has letters or cards on his per-
son. she suggested.
This we're female air pintin' now, an per-
ceeds to investigate, and to Miss Roma g delight
her defender, the chaw, put In appearance.
There were letters and cards both. Miss Roms
recognized the name at once. The dead man
was the son of one of the richest men in Chi
cago. Only a few days before he had been in :
terviewed at length for the Daily Miner on
his vast mining interests in New Mexico and
Arizona. He had large cattle interests in three
states and an orange farm in California. Miss
Roma knew also that in a few weeks he was to
have been married to lovely girl in Santo Fe,
the daughter of an old Spanish family.
1t was late. but the chaw promised to "shoot
| the operator up a whole lot" if he refused to
send her stuff, SO dropping on a beer keg under
the gasoline lamp at the saloon door, with lit
at her feet and the dark sinister faces and
nncouth farms standing silently around, Miss
Roma dashed off page after page Of the wierd
pathetic accident and the chaw rushed it off to
ap ear in the morning Miner. Then the men
moved the body to the bar in Houks saloon.
Can you keep the body until orders come
for its removal?' asked Miss Roma II have
wired the boys father in Chicago and you will
doubtless get some word tomorrow"
That's whatever. It'll keep fast enough. Ei
wei to stand it up agin boulder out wonder
you couldn't tell it from ole Pharoah in q
month
Up TO THE SCENE OF TROUBLE.
Just then the conductor got orders to take
the telegraph gang to Gallup to repair the Gu,
wires. but to leave everything else behind.
Cant go?" asked Miss Roma.
at is against ORDERS" asserted the conduc-
tor.
but l must Co." she said desperately.
"Oh, well. il found you on the train after
we started don't suppose would be required
| to put you off, he replied with a laugh Is he
walked away.
The car In which Miss Roma had arrived was
hitched to the engine and the excited girl was
hustled aboard by her chaw cavalier and or
dered to go to sleep. as it would be morning
before they got to Gallup, owing to having t.
feel their way because of the dread of tornur
track. 1t was almost daylight when the fina
stopping of the train and fearful din awakened
Miss Roma from fitful slumber, in which Mt
Stanton was dancing war dance, brandishins
| her scalp.
| An Indian yell breaking upon the dead o.
night with the startling herceness of the savage
voice is perhaps the most surprising thing ir
| the world. 1t matters little whether it is tn,
war whoop or the dismal pow WOW which dissi
pates slumber, SO far az the surprise ia CON
cerned. for either rouses every sense as thor
oughly an earthquake shock. There was 8
sudden succession of shreks and wells anc
screams and boots which burst with blood
curdling distinctress upon the dead quiet o
the morning hours. Miss Roma sprang III
| confused and terror stricken unable for the in
slant to decide which was dream and which
reality. The terrible din rolled and leaped an,
sank like the walls Of lost spirits and then sud
denly died out. but everv dog in the camp tool
| up the echo and such o gamut Of bowls ant
yelps never before silenced the covote an,
panther. The telegraph gong went tum.
| bling out Of the other end of the car and Mis-
| Roma threw up her shutter to ascertain i
/ possible the cause of the pandemonium Frame,
| in that window space was a gruesome sight
The car stood on the siding at Gallup In
little clear space among the pinon trees a few
feet away WAS q big fire of pinon logs CLASH
ing hands and gyrating about it we're some fit
Indians in war pai..t and feathers. Their loln
we're covered with skins Of gray wolves an
their legs. breasts and backs, all bare. wer
painted with red and yellow and white wriC
| Cling lines meant to represent snakes. The
| were beating tom-toms aad skin drums an
yowling in aperfectly demoniacal manner. No,
| and then amid the pauses. made Fer the purpos,
perhaps, one of the number would step to til
| side of the dead bodies stretched out under
kind Of canopy and make IN i'm passioned speecl