The sun., 1896-08-02

n six-shooter, but managed 20 hit the officers
horse with his first bullet, and at the same In;
through his left shoulder, leaving II shattered
and useless; Tho deputy's horse having re,
%ns hi 9ssh or SSeFe.a PSor % E
rate aim. Dropping his rifle, the officer began
TO use his revolver but 2 chance shot from the no
other plunge OF the horse hurled him to the The
ground, his foot caught in the stirrup and the the
broncho bounding away dragging his rider,
head down. over the Jagged rocks The mad
lie crashed through a low broad cedar and
moment later lenped over precipice and went
rolling down the Splntsrsa side Of dsSp
panions came up the gulch thev found where
the horse and rider had fallen ono mangled
mass Of torn and tattered tiesh;
-, Made desperate by this appalling ,siuht, the
three officers were soon hot upon the rail OF
away from his pnrsuers. the messenger
cached his treasure. took refuge among some
snsp roks @ and AWAITED n the coming OF 1ns
out OF tho gulch, the other. having taken an.
other route in order to head the fugitive on,
The Off ,crs had the advantage of being
armed with rifles. and to hold this advantage
sheltered by the rocks, was able TO stand them
on until both OF his guns were yer % smpty' 6at ihe e
weak from his wound, worked nervously with
his ono useful hand, ard had barely succeeded
surprised by the sound OF gun almost di.
reotly behind him, and not ten feet away. He
TO find that the man was aiming at the depn-
ties. Without word he turned again to the
& pstS saW the Ief e Of ss sheriff
fall limp at his side. while the Winchester II
was GEshlnE f to the g5o1Rd
y,ancing. Following the fearless example Of
ibis man who had so unexpcctedly, reinforced
him, the messenger came from shelter ana be.
gan 70 advance upon his asRatlantS. one OF
the horses was hit by bullet and became al
ing the brunt Of the fight upon himself. and
seeing, that the messenger had Q confederate,
wa: about to retire when badly ,t aimed , shot ct
slant he rose to his knees and began again to use
parion. m n saw that he had G % BEEN hi in the head
for blood was streaming down his face. The
wounded Sheriff and his bleeding companion
turned their horses and galloped away.
The messenger sank 70 sitting P9ps,ure In laid
Are you hit?'' asked the latter. coming
to the stranger: then he answered Yes"
The dark man opened the messengers shirt
taud he did IT as deliberately as he had kicked
the tte from the Lone Spruce saloonl. exam,
S SlShen fhS ankle. aST asfaS aGasr ba aSd then tho
enoo22sh'% :, .,o,. ,n..u. =, In COW ,,r ,,or
haven't found your vitals. What lot of farm
ers TO go shootin' MANN the footmEqcss M they
bad. Reckon you must have got that in the
previous enSagement. eh; The blooI's be-
SS to kfn @ ssHh hnye I
The dark man had risen after examining
the messengers wounds, and when the latter
looked up TO his friend had his own shirt
oper and was squeezing ~ little pink spot
just under his right breast.
shot there?"
"Yss5,ha,:: wasn't bad shot, only on the
But why don't It bleed2"
ITS bleedn' on the wrong side was the
answer; and then the stranger closed his
behind those two rocks that are partly
Forty thousand. ehE" sa'd the dark mrn as
he th II Hs o1 tSs SSsHs the
you've gone through. But. l like you; there's
good STUFF in YOU, boy" -,
how did you happen to be hereH" asked the
Il got your note-the one you left in the
But that was for the agent"
Yes. ! know opened 1t BY mistake,
My. but those fellows did hight wicked"
R hs Seh 10 % He sSe his
HOPE that was old Huerfano himself that
went over the bluff"
Say! are you bleeding inside7r asked the
messenger as his companion sank to the ground
WIZ reckon ss on so. 50 Can any YOU ". set hoss2
No said the messenger: but II yon've got
20. for those wolves will return. and i'd rather
they'd get Inc without the money than the
money witnont me- or, Or, wha. is mo more likely
gave es sRri. A" wild i'd whistle and " beautiful
horse,hlack as ,niight-caine leaping up from
the uulCh behind him.
My! but you're a verdant youth, said the
dark man as the messenger offered him bne me
his black moustache. Come. let me heln you
into, the saddle while I've got strength-be
It" T EiSsi Shall never leave you tere Slene-"
outside. Now don i be a fool" and he stopped to
lift the ing messenger by his wounded leg But
the h h TO @ o0oa weak fr"
their wounds. fell down in heap, and then.
leaning on their elbows, they looked at each
senger with "a sort OF hysterical smile. The
black horse shifted ut HIS master and snorted
at the smell OF blood.
The warden's dark-eyed daughter was TAX
ing her regular morning ride in tae foothills.
OF the place. and she had heard nothing Of the
wash-out OF the previous day and Of the tight
to feel herself the happicst woman in the
world. She had gone TO her bed happy; but
hal awakened in dreadful dream. and had
been unable to sleep from that hour until
morning. Her heart was heavy within her
breast. She felt half inclined to DE angry
with her spirited horse. who was now cauter-
ing away with her toward the fresh green
hills AT the edge of the valley she met three
horsemen riding hard toward the town. Two
OF the men were wounded -One was bleeding
and she asked what was the matter. The men
appeared not 20 want to stop. but when she
had heard in IA confused way, something about
the express messenger, she turned and rode by
the side of the Sherif until he had tnld her
hurriedly all that had occurred. He made
her understand that they had left the fugitive
and his confederate at the top Of the gulch
from which they had Just emerged, and that
the 'thier'' was severely wounded.
"He is no thief" she retorted; there is
some mistake"
Yes" said the Sheriff. I'VE made mis-
take in not shooting him down like dog at
first sight, but he'll never leave those hills
alive. In an hour the whole town will be- after
him"
With that the Sheriff drove the spurs into
his horse and gnllnped away after his com
paninns.
The dark-cyed woman refined her horse to a
stop and STOOD looking after the deputies. IL