Smyrna times., 1902-08-06

attempt to save them. When within a
hundred yards of the camp, Jack lifted
his rife. The dim light from the
smOldering fire showed tie reclining
forms of the Apaches, with two who
had been assigned as sentinels sitting
upright, every sense alert
'We'd better begin firing" whispered
Jack. "A 'Pache has eyes and ears
like cat, and they'll spot us soon. If
we fire fast, maybe they will think
there's party and run
But Dan Driscoll, who had been look
ing intently at the campfire laid a re-
straining hand on his partners arm.
for into the brain of Dan had flashed
plan, full of danger, but promising
complete success if well carried out.
Il can't see the women" murmured
Dan. "They must be tied to one. side.
There's no use shooting. The reds will
scatter out of the light of the fire.
They'll know from the flashes there
amt but two of us, and they'll just
pick us off. Now listen. I've got the
dynamite in my pocket If we can
creep up near enough to toss it in the
fire, those red devils will go to their
own place in detachments The women
are too far off to be hurt by the ex-
plosion, and it probably won't harm
us. It's a big risk, but our only
chance"
Inch by inch Dan and his partner
crawled toward the camp. A few yards
more and it would be time to throw the
dynamite. Then some almost imper-
ceptible noise aroused the suspicious of
one of the sentinels. He sprang to his
feet and peered into the night The
white men lay motiOnless, holding their
breath. But they could not deceive the
trained eyesight of the Apache, WHO
fired at the spot where he had dimly
| discerned the crawling bodies.
Then brave after brave leaped to his
feet, snatching his rifle. Dan ran for
ward and hurled the dynamite The
sand, failed to explode and rolled a few
feet where it lay dimly visible in the
| glow from the campfire. Dan groaned.
| Now the Indians would scatter, he and
Jack would be killed, and the women
but he didn't want to think of that.
But Jack COyle. his rifle at his shoul-
der, was taking careful aim-not Mt any
of the Apaches, but at a little package
which lay unnOticed in front of the
fire, and as Dan turned with curse
to ask the reason for his partners
slOwness in shooting Jack pulled the
trigger.
An explosion which seemed to shake
the desert. a glare of white flame, ther
silence. The campfire was gone, bu
far out on the plains could be seer
scattered brands. Jack had fallen oil
his face as he fired. Dan had beeI
knocked down by the explosion. Al
they picked themselves up they coul'
hear the neighing of the frightened
horses and the cries of the women
Both had been too distant to b.
harmed But no noise came from tn
spot where a second before had stoO,
the group of Apache warriors.
''There wasn't a man more than thiI
ty feet from the fire." said Jack, wit
little awe in his voice, "and ther
was dynamite enough in that Packag
to blow up town."
"There's no use sentimenting owe
a lot of dead 'Paches," answered Da
in businesslike tones. "That shot {
yours saved the outfit. The thing I
do now is to hustle out the horses an
get the women back to town. There
be aalot of people mighty glad to sc
'em."
Far off to the west shone a glo7
which seemed to be reflected frol
some rapidly moving object. JAG
COyle pointed at it.
''There goes the Overland. Well,
we didn't use the dynamite quite IL
way we meant to it came in prett
handy"