Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-03-17


ment. All the soldiers were gone, he
said, except the pig of ii sergeant
and two dragged and senseloss swine.
Somebody among them was wounded.
There We're only three, possibly four.
left. Let his oompauercj make com
blned attack, two or three through his
(Morcno's) rooms, two or three rush in
from the corral, ana the same number
from The south front at once, and be-
yond doubt the cursed Yankees would
succunb. Their no quarter, no quarter
for the men. His connection with the
outlaw band was now known. and these
witnesses must he put to death. Then
then the payTnaster's safe could read
lily he battered oren. then there was the
mint of money to re divided among the
victors, then away TO Sonora with their
spoil and with old Harvey's beautiful
daughters. What ransom you'd be not
be willing to pay-that proud, dislaiu-
full father! Was ever luck so great?
Bat haste! haste--rot a moment could
be lost. They must act d. once.
And SO Morales hurried to station
and instruct his men. PrCwling ike
coyotes through the darkness and ~ re-
srsctful distance from the guarded end
of the corral ranch. half Il dozen Of the
number crort into the corral. Others
We're distributed over the southern
front. Three Of the lighter and more
slender Of the band were boosted"
through the high west window into Mo-
reno s domain. Their through tine mid
die roo,n they made their Way. where
sat the scETra. rocking. weeping and
moaning over the body OF tine outlaw
leader. where, hiding under the nd,
sllivering and praying. cTouchad the
scnorita, her daughter, and then. hare
footed. they Crept into the room aLjoin-
ing the lar and listened. lreatula-s, TO
the low toned Instructions of IN. vetcr-
an sergeant. from without uo glim-
mer of light could culde the u--ai,mts
or help thorn in their aim. The black
aperturcs of the doorwGys were poor
marks for night shooting, and the more
enterprisirg and adventurous. crawling
like snakes TO reCouu0iter. wer, soon
able 10 report that most scientifically
had the defense thrown NJ their breast
works.
From group 10 group fitted paaua..
At his shrill battlecry ali hands were
to rush simultaneously TO the attack.
firing uo shot for fear Of hitting one
another, lgut with pistol in one hand
and the long. deadly knife IL the other
close ut once upoa the defenders. leap
over their barriers and overwhe.m tham
in the dark interior. In three minutes
the signal would lie given IL himself
would lead the dash of the party within
the corral. Pasqual was shrewd enough
70 know that where there was only one
doorway instead of two there would be
better chance Of lodging the Iull.ts.
But keen eyes and cars and wits were
thcro alert. Feeuy and Harvey wei
knew that this was bat tine luu j-fore
The storm.
Lay low, Toys, and he ready. Shoot
the first man that shows. was Che last
caution old Piummer heard before the
bursting Of the tempest.
All on sudden wild cry went m
in the corral. All ON Il sudden from
north and south the assailants dashed
forward with answering yell. In an
instant the dark ap-rtares flashed their
lightning. and rifle and revolver SHOTS
rang on the still night air. Hgrvpv,s
Henry Darkod like Calling. Egcuyrs
cd Springfield banged like % six Do-nd-
CT. Two Of the assailsrts on IL gautll
sido went down in the dust. fac, fora
most, the others sUcrvcd. 1ruke and
scurricd for shelter. Fase1al Morales
leading mis- men close under the north
wall, mado a pantherlihe spring for the
crest of the barley pa~apst and was
saycd from instant derk wleu he fell
by being dragged feet iSram.s.. with p
Colts ~ teGring through his .nisl.
III vain Moreno squad fred sE., aft
or shot through the wooden door. Their
bullets buried themselves deep I'm the
improvised traverse. but let uo droY Of
blood. while two return shots scattered
the attack with the spliuters from fho
heavy panels. Pleading, raging. mad
danod. Morales learned that the Dash had
failed ana that two of his most daf.ipg
men, the two Americanos who had rid-
den forward to personate prospectovs
and who had led the rush in the sorth-
ern front. were knocked out OF the h-bt.
And then i; was that the inhuuaD
brute gave the order to resort to Indian
methods. and even old Moreno bagoad
and prayed and blasphened. an TO 40
plrpuse. Furious ct their repul,e tho
band were ready to obey their leader :
maddest wish. The word was. Burn
them out. - Ned Harvey, crouching
behind his barley bags, felt his blood
tuIn to ice water in his veins when.
with exultant yells and tauuts. tha cor
raj suddenly lighted hp with a broad
red glare. The match had been applied
to the big haystack close to tho brush
covered shed. close 10 the "lcantC. I'M
der which so much infiaunnaLlc rub-
bish was stored 1t could be a question
of only few moments: then they. too.
would bc d 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 flame. but
what could save the roof! Stretching
from wall TO wall were the dry, resin
a