Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-02

y
81 do"
st will give you a chance to test his
friendship"
go on. am listening"
81 propose to send you through, 50 as
10 be with Font Robb when he makes
the attack. My orders will be to place
you in the advance Then let Captain
Brandon shoot if he will, +" said Bouton
gloatingly.
Garry out your plan. am not ask
ing favors Of you, and never expect
TO-, said Louis Kyle, with proud ring
| in his voice.
Bouton turned to two men who were
standing behind him and said:
"Untie his feet, but keep his arms
bound Take him through the pass, and
if he attempts to cry out SO as to attract
Brandon's attention shoot him down at
once. Do you both underestimate
The men said they understood very
clearly, but they did not reply like men
at all delighted with the undertaking
on hand. They advanced, and freeing
| the young mems feet told him to rise.
| Then they examined the ropes that
bound his arms, and finding them looser
than they liked they frightened them and
told him to follow During the talking
and the subsequent tramping Henry
| Kyle whispered to Kushat:
| "They are going to take my brother
through the pass. We must follow
They could see the men walking off
with the prisoner between them, and
they could hear him ask:
will you let me speak with my sis
ter and Miss Blanchard? This may be
my last chance
1--WE can't do it, 3" replied one Of the
men brutally. eff you wanted any IA
vors, you'd orter ask Boutcn.' -
They went on again, and when they
were so yards from the camp Henry
Kyle and Kushat were on their feet and
after them. The men with their prison
er walked fast, though the road was
rough and the path SO dark that the
hand could not be seen before the face.
They had gone over half the distance
and We're just abreast the place that
Captain Brandon had made SO terrible
by daylight when Eouton's men came
to halt and one of them asked:
| Didn't you hear Il noise as if we was
follered:''
They were nearly through the pass,
and Kushat was about ITO ask Henry if
the time for action had not come when,
quick as a flash, he bounded from her
side and with his uplifted rife knocked
one Of the men senseless. He was in the
act Of raising his rifle again when, with
4 cry OF alarm, the other man leaped to
one side, and drawing a pistol fired. So
close was he that the shot would have
been fatal had not Kushat, with the
rapid spring of a mountain lion, thrown
herself on his arm and sent the shot into
the earth. The next instant the second
outlaw was down and forever indiffer-
ent to Bouton and his plans. Before
Louis Kyle could comprehend what had
happened a knife flashed, and the rope
that bound his arms fell to the ground.
"Follow me-" whispered Henry, seiz-
ing his arm.
"WhO are you?'
81 am your friend, and once you call
ed me brother" was the reply, with a
sob at the close.
"And you are still my brother, " cried
Louis, and he reached out his arms, fer
i'll the sweep of gratitude all the past of
this brave though erring youth was for
gotten. They were just through the pass
when a voice demanded in low, stern
tones which Henry recognized as those
of Font Robb:
"Who goes there?"
No answer was made, but still the
brothers, with Kushat between them,
hurried Oh.
ANSWER, or I'll firef' shouted Font
Robb, now thoroughly alarmed.
II am Henry Kyle, replied the own
er of that name.
Henry Kyler' exclaimed Robb.
eyes. Fire if you dare. I did not
mean to bring you under my rife, Font
Robb, for once called you friend. You
must begin the struggle between you
and me, and will end it."
'And what are you doing here?" ask
ed Robb, who in his heart admired and
feared the reckless and generous COM
panion Of his past misdeeds.
Il will tell you, and want you to
carry the message to Bouton." While
Henry was speaking he still kept walk
ing on with Louis and Kushat TIL they
reached the protection of a rock at the
exit from the pass.
LET me hear
''Tell Bouton that have left two Of
his gang in the rift and that have res.
cued from their hands my brother.
Tell him that defy the bloodhounds
he has put OH my trail, and that one by
one they shall go down before my rife.
Tell him that stood over the ruin Of
my fathers home, burned down by
him, and that there swore that this
earth was too small for Bouton and me.
1 shall follow him night and day, fol
henceforth am sleepless, and the bal.
ance of my i'll spent life shall be used
i'll making reparation to the innocent
and bringing vengeance to the camps OF
the guilty. His end is nearing, and
shall live to see it. ~
This was said with a dramatic inten.
sity of voice that struck horror into the
souls Of RObb and his companions. Ev.
cry one Of them felt that the weather
had become suddenly cold, and the
bravest did not dare to make q reply.
Theugh stiff from being bound and