Evening star., 1897-06-12

eSsoAxSIS.~ 1uoY uuOerStOOQ the appeal to
arms npt.toEeason. For an instant the
from bel hd ID Em said: 0'0'
I you e4n1 trouble yourselves about
men to o9eury &he claim until came here
n,sn,os f.ens : isi1 Il myrtle in the rear ses Of
MArsnaiiMWHa p thin. slight. over-worked,
oVer-asedmantlh his companion. the survey
or, was equally slight. but red-bearded,
specoacled. and professional looking. with a
leng travelling duster that made him ap-
pear even clerical. They were scarcely a
PHYSICAL addition to Stacy's party, what
ever might be their moral and legal sup
But it was just this support that steptoe
strangely clung to in his designs for the
future. and a. Wild idea seized him. The
suIseyor was really the only disInterested
! zoe could confuse hts mind before the
| actual fighttng-from which he would. of
| course. escape as non-combatant|t would
go Tar afterward to rehabilitate Steptoe' 8
! party. very we'll, then," he said to Mar
| snaH. Z shall call this gentleman to wit
ness tnat We have been attacked here in
| Peaceable possession of our part of the
cialm by these armed strangers, and.
1 whether they are acting on your orders or
not, their blood will be on your head
/ Inen reckon" said the surveyor as he
tore away his beard, wig. spectacles and
mustache and revealed the figure Of Jack
| Hamnn, that I'm about the last witness
| that Mr.. Steptoe- -Horncastle ought to call
call!" Ao e'e' WILL
But he had not calculated upon the des-
peration of Steptoe over the failure of this
last hope. For there sprang up in the out
,aWs @ brain the same hideous idea that he
| E0iced TO his companions at the tDiyide"
| with a hoarse cry to his followers he
crashed his pickax into the brain of Mar
snaii, who stood near him, and sprang for
| ward Three or four shots were exchanged
| Two OF his men fell. a bullet from Stacy's
riile pierced his leg, and he dropped for
wa ward on one knee. He heard the steps of
nas,,,n ms reini,orcements, a, with their weapons
coming close behind him, and rolled aside
| on the sloping ledge to let them pass. But
| ne rolled too far. He felt himself slipping
Gown the mountain side in the Shiny shoot
| oI tne tunnel. He made a desperate at
tempt to recover himself, but the treach-
erous drift of the loose debris rolled with
MN, as II ne were part of its refuse, and.
carrying him down, left him Unconscious
but otherwise uninjured in the bushes of
| the second ledge. 500 feet below
When he recovered his senses the shouts
ana outcries above him had ceased. He
| knew he was safe The ledge could only
| be reached by a circuitous route three miles
| away. He knew too that If he could only
reacn a point of outcrop 100 yards away
| ne could easily descend to the stage road
down the gentle. slope Of the mountain hid
den In growth Of hazelbrush. He bound
up his wounded leg and dragged himself
on his hands and knees laboriously to the
! pick had crashed into Marshali's brain he
! had but one blind thought before him-to
escape at once. That his revenge and COM
pensa ton would come later he never doubt
ed. He limped and crept, rolled and fell
from bush to bush. through the sloping
thickets, until he saw the red road a few
feet below him.
! If he only had a horse he could put miles
between him and any present pursuit! Why
should he not have one? The road was fre-
| quented by solitary Observation-Disclosures and
Mexicans? He had his revolver with him:
what Mastered the life of another man If
he ESCAPED the consequences OF the one he
had just .taken? He heard the clatter of
hoofs; two priests on mules rode slowly
! ment. But they had scarcely passed be-
fore another and more rapid clatter came
from their rear. 1t was a lad on horse
He reffembeaed in nash ia S how CIV" the seht bow
had saidshe was coming to meet the padre
at the station ION that day. His first i'm
pulse was to hide himself, his wound, and
| his defeat from the lad. but the blind idea
of escape was still paramount. He leaned
over the banka called to him. The as
tonished dad cantered eagerly to his side.
Give tme your horse, Eddy" said his
father; TN in bad luck and must get"
The boy slanced at his fathers face, at
his tattered garments and bandaged leg,
and read the whole story. 1t was IA
miliar page to him. He paled first and
then flushed, and then. with odd glitter
IN his eyes. said: Take me with you.
lather. DO. you always did before. I'll
| bring you luck"
Desperation is superstitious. Why not
take him? They had been lucky before
and the two together might confound any
description of their identity to the pur-
suers. Help me up, Eddy. and then get up
before me-"
Behind. you mean,' said the boy with
laugh. as he helped his father into the
saddle.
NO" said Steptoe harshly. Before me-
do you hear? And If anything happens be-
hind you. don't look! II l drop Off don't
stop! Don't get down: but go on and leave
me! Do you understand?' he repeated al
most savagely.
Yes" said the boy tremulously.
An right" said the father with softer
boys body and lifted the reins Hold
tight when we come to the cross roads, for
Well take the first turn, for old iuck's sake
to the mission"
They we're the last words exchanged be-
tween them, for as they wheeled rapidly to
the left at the cross roads. Jack Hamlin
and Demorest swung as quickly out of an
hind them Jacks challenge to HALT"
was only answered by Steptoe's horse
springfng forward under the sharp lash of
Hold up.' said Jack suddenly. layfnr his
hand upon. the rifle which Demorest had
lifted to his shoulder. He's carrying some
one A wounded comrade. reckon We
don't want him. Swing out and 20 for the
horse. well forward. in the neck or
shoulder
Demorest swung far out to the right of
the road and raised his rifle. AS it cracked
Steptoe's horse seemed to have suddenly
struck some obstacle ahead of him rather
than to have been hit himself, for his head
went down with his forefeet under him.
and he turned a half -somersault on the
road. htnging his two riders a dozen feet
away.
SteDtoe scrambled to his knees, revolver
in hand, but the other figure never moved.
Hands up" said Jack sighting his own
weapon. The reports seemed simultaneous,
but Jacks bullet had pierced steptoe's
brain even before the outlaws pistol exe
poded harmlessly In the air.
The two men dismounted, but by a COM
mon instinct they both ran to the prostrate
figure that had never moved
by God! it's boy!" said Jack. leaning
over the body and lifting the Shoulders
from which the head hung loosely. Neck
broken and dead as his pal" Suddenly he
started. and, to Demorests establishment.
began hurriedly pulling Off the glove from
the boys limp right hand
What Jare UFou doing?" demanded Deno-
crest. in creeping horror
,"Lool0i4 said Jack. as he laid bare the
small. white Idand. The two first fingers
were merelyt unsightiy stumps that had