Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-10-13


knife IL her hand. ran out in the face
the rear they had begun to advance on
the house second time. and Hartley
Bowider was the nearest man to the
girl. With awful words and shriekins
inconceivably she made straight al
Hartley and attacked him with the
knife. She struck at him again and
again. and in her anguish of hate and
fear she was so extraordinary specta-
Gle that she gained for her companions
the seconds they needed to escape from
the house. As she hurled herself alone
at the onoming torrent they sped from
the door unnoticed. sprang over the
fence and reached the open lots to the
west before they were seen by Willetts
from the roof.
Don't let 'em fool you"' he shouted.
Look to your left! There they CO.
Don't let EN- get away"
The Crossroaders We're running across
the field They were Bob Skillet and
his younger brother. and Mr.. Skillet
was badly damaged. He seemed to be
holding his jaw on his face with both
hands. The girl turned and sped after
them. She was over the fence almost
as soon as they were, and the three ran
in single file. the girl last. She was Ell
Their magniicently sacrificial and fear
less or she cunningly calculated that
the regulators would take no chances
of killing a woman-child. for she kept
between their guns and her two COM
panions, trying to cover and shield the
latter with her frail body.
shoot. Lige." called Watts. If we
fire from here We'll hit the girl. Shoot"
Willetts and Ross Schofeld were still
standing on the roof at the edge out
same time. The fugitives did not turn.
They kept on running. and they had
nearly reached the other side of the
field when suddenly. without any pre-
monitory gesture, the elder Skillet
dropped Fat on his face. The Cross
readers stood by each other that day.
for four or i've men ran out OF the
nearest shanty into the open. lifted the
PROSTATE figure from the ground and
began to carry it back with them. But
Skillet was alive. His curses were
heard above all other sounds. Lig
and Schoaeld fred again, and one OF
the rescue-s staggered. Nevertheless
the burdened Crossroaders were see:l
to break into run, and at that, with
another yell. aercer. wilder, more jos
Gus than tie first, the Piattviile men
followed
The yell racg loudly in the ears of
Old N'ilkerson, who had remained back
In the road, and at the same instant
he heard another shout behind him.
He had not shared in the attack; but.
greatly preoccupied with his own his
trionic affairs. was proceeding alone
up the pike. except for the unhappy
yellow mongrel still dragged along by
the rope, and alternating, as was his
natural wont, from one fence to the
other, crouching behind every bush to
fire an imaginary rifle at the dog and
then sprinHng out With triumphant
bellowings to fall prone upon the terri
fed animal. 1t was after one of these
victories that a shout of warning was
raised behind him. and Mr. Wilkerson
By grace Of the god BaccAus. rolling
out OF the way in time to save his life.
saw horse dash by him. big. black
horse whose polished tanks We're drip
ping with larher. Warren Smith was
the rider. He was waving a.slip of vel.
low paper high in the air.
He rode up the slope and drew rein
beyond the burning buildings just
ahead OF those foremost in the pursuit
He threw his horse across the road to
oppose their progress, rose in his STIR
rups and waved the paper over his
head. Stop he reared. GIVE me
one minute: Stop He had grand
voice. and he was known in many
parts OF the state for the great bass
roar With which he startled his turies.
To be heard at a distance most men
lift the pitch of their voice. Smith
lowered his an octave or two, and the
result was like an earthquake playing
an organ in catacomb.
Stop" he thundered. "Stop.'
In answer one of the flying Cross
readers turned and sent a bullet whis-
ting close to him. The lawyer paused
long enough to bow deeply in satirical
response; then. dourishing the paper
he roared again: Stop: \ mistake.
I have news! Stop, say. Horner has
got them.'
To make himself heard over that
tempestuous advance was a feat; for
him, moreover, whose counsels had so
lately been derided, to interest the pur-
suers at such moment enough to
make them listen-to find the word
was greater, and by the word and
by gestures at once vehemently Inn
perious and imploring to stop them
was still greater. But he did it. He
had come at just the moment before
the moment that would have been too
late. They all heard him. They all
knew, too, that he was not trying to
save the Crossroads as matter Of