The Russellville Democrat., 1893-06-15
tCopyrigAt, 1892. by Charles .King.l
CHAPTER y.-Continued.

corral. Others were distributed over
the southern front. Three Of the
lighter and more slender of the band
were boosted" through the high
west window into Moreno's domain.
Then through the middle room they
made their way, where sat the
sonora, rocking, weeping and moan
ing over the body of the outlaw
leader, where, hiding under the bed,
shivering and praying, crouched the
senorita, her daughter, and then,
barefooted, they crept into the room
adjoining the bar and listened,
breathless, to the low toned instruc-
tons Of the veteran sergeant. From
without no glimmer Of light could
guide the assailants or help them in
their aim. The black apertures of
the doorways were poor marks for
night shooting, and the more enter
prising and adventurous, crawling
like snakes to reconnoitre, were soon
able to report that most scientifically
had the defense thrown up their
breastwCrks. From group to group
fitted Pasqual. AT his shrill battle
cry all hands were to rush
simultaneously to the attack, firing
no shot for fear of hitting one
another; but with pistol in one hand
and the long, deadly knife in the
other, close at once upon the de-
tenders, leap over their barriers, and
overwhelm them in the dark interior.
In three minutes the signal would
be given. He himself would lead
the dash of the party within the
corral. Pasqual was shrewd enough
to know where there was only one
doorway Instead of two, there would
be better chance of lodging the bull
lets. But keen eyes and ears and
wits were there alert. Feeny and
y :%...-,ey we'll knew that this was but
The lull before the storm.
clay low, boys, and be ready.
Shoot the first man that shows, "
was the last caution old Plummer
heard before the bursting of the
tempest.
All on a sudden a wild cry went
up in the corral. All on sudden
from north and south the assailants
dashed forward with aswering yell.
In an instant the dark apertures
flashed their lightning, and rife and
revolver shots rang on the still
night air. Harvey's Henry barked
like Calling; Feeny's old Spring
field banged like six
FOUNDER. Two of the assail-
ants on the south side went down in
the dust, face foremost. the others
swerved, broke and scurried for
shelter Pasqual Morales, leading
his men close under the north wall,
made a panther like spring for the
crest of the barley parapet, and was
saved from instant death when he
fell, by being dragged feet foremost,
with a Colts forty-four tearing
through his thigh. In vain More
uo's squad fred shot after shot
through the wooden door; their bull
let's buried themselves deep in the
improvised traverse, but let no drop
of blood, while two return shots
scattered the attack with the splin-
ters from the heavy paaels9 Plead
ing, raging, maddening, Morales
learned that the dash had failed, and
that two of his most daring men,
the two Americanos who had ridden
forward to personate prospectors,
ard who had led the rush on the
southern front, were knocked out of
the fight.
And then it was that the inhuman
brute gave the order to resort to
Indian methods, and even old
Moreno begged and prayed and
blasphemed all to no purpose.
Furious at their repulse, the band
we're ready to obey their leaders,
maddest wish. The word was
"Burn them out" Ned Harvey,
crouehing behind his barley bags,
felt his blood turn to ice water in
his veins when, with exultant yells
and taunts, the corral suddenly
lighted up with a broad red glare.
The match had been applied to the
big haystack close to the brush
covered shed, close to the "leanto"
under which so much inaammable
rubbish was stored. 1t could be a
question of only a few moments,
then they, too, would be mass of
flames spreading rapidly westward.
The stout adobe wall separating the
ranch proper from the sheds would
protect the occupants from direct
contact with the fame, but what
could save the roof Stretching
from wall to wall were the dry,
resinous pine logs that formed the
basis of the bulky structure; over
these the lighter boards of pine; and
over all, tbickly piled, dry as bone
and inhammable as finder, heap on
heap of brush. Once this was fairly
ablaze the hapless occupants of the
rooms beneath might as we'll be
under the grating of some huge
furnace.
High in the air shot the leaping
flames. Far and wide over the desert |
spread the lurid glare. Screaming
with terror the women of Morena's
household were already dragging into
the corral their few treasures, and
back for such raiment as
they could save. Far over at the
nnr,.nl 20 L.. n Z. LII -. II IL !.