Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-23

began to circle Jfm'9 outft.
easy matter to ride along just out of reach
Of bullets, clinging to the sides OF their
horses as they bore In for shot.
Boland argued that they probably needed
more horses, and he headed his own team
directly at them, in the belief that they
would not shoot save as last resort.
That his theory was correct was evident
from their actions, for their bullets were
ell directed at the driver and more than
once Jim felt the wind" of a bullet as It
sped past his head. Once or twice one OF
the Indians came close enough to offer q
target, and with spiteful report Jim's rife
would speed bullet on It's way. One OF
these hit horse. which went down with
its rider, and neither rose, from which jim
argued that the horse had fallen upon the
Apache
That left but fourteen of the original
band. and now they began TO grow more
daring. Some five miles had been covered.
and they were narrowing the circle. nnoins
protection from his shots behind the bodies
Of their horses. Boland dropped q SECOND
horse. which cut the attackers down 20
thirteen: but It was not an easy matter 70
shoot straight from a wagon that Is MOVING
Ave miles an hour, with the mules gailop-
ing wildly, urged on by the noise OF the
Boland noticed this and checked them.
II they kept to this pace he never cou.a
make the ranch by morning. The chances
were slim at best.
He might, perhaps, shake of his pursuers,
but he could not hope to come within reaoh
of the ranch before the fight was over, one
way or the other.
Ouiyering with fright the team came to
a standstill, and Jim threw himself nat IN
the wagon box. It offered some slight pro-
lection, at any rate, and now he mad the
advantage, in that he was at rest Wnlie the
Indians kept up their continuous clrcHnS'
ever drawing nearer, save when shot from
Jim's rifle tumbled a horse and the rider
dropped out. Boland knew that these DIS
mounted braves would make an attempt TO
creep up to the wagon under cover OF tne
disturbance their companions made, so ne
kept sharp lookout on all sides Two OF
them he detected In time to put bullet
through them, but a third came near
enough to plant a bullet in his arm while
he was watching another wicked-lookinS
body on the opposite side of the wagon.
Jim dropped with the shock of the i'm.
and started toward the wagon he rose up
again with the other rife In his grasp,
and with the blood streaming from his ell
bow he checked his. opponents rush
He knew 1t would be but a short time be-
fore they gained the advantage. He did
not dare stop to dress his wound. He could
only tie a handkerchief about 1t and check
the flow Of blood as best he might
The circle was growing smaller now,
and he could hear a thud as an occasional
bullet struck the side of the wagon. One or
the mules had been dropped, and the others
stood trembling, unable to get away from
their dead fellow.
There were still a dozen cartridges left
in his belt, and, though he was too weak
from loss of blood to do much, he propped
himself against one of the trunks and fired
whenever the deadly weakness lifted for
a moment. The periods OF strength became
less and less frequent, until at last the
gun dropped from his nerveless hand and
fell with crash to the bed Of the wagon.
The Indians were so close now he could
see the fringe on their garments, and, as
he wavered, they seemed to detect his con-
ditiOn and rea1}Za that their
almost within their grasp Then, with
the sound Of music ringing in his ears. Jim
topped over.
pressure ON his injured arm. A smell Of
drugs was all around. and man In blue
uniform was bending over him. With
Of the apparition. 1t was only natural that
In delirium he should imagine that the SOL
Oilers had come, but he did not suppose
that when people dreamed they saw things things
over his shoulder. which felt curiously
numb. and his parched lips formed them,
selves to ask question There issued
forth only a sharp exhalation, that caused
the man In blue to look up.
pain wake you up?" he asked cheerfully.
'It isn't as bad as it feels-just through the
heshy part of the neck"
'.Did they pink me there, too?" Jim asked
in surprise. II thought 1t was Just my
arm
Then we came along in time to save
II heard music Just before I went down
and out" Jim muttered wonderingly.
guess it must have been the bugles.
thought it was old Gabe with his trumpet"
IT reckon Gabriel wont make call on
you with these wounds" laughed the sur
geon. You'll be all right In week or ten
days"
iously.
eytfrb of eli af
That's lucky" he said softly 1--WE got
to be getting on. I'm playing a sort OF
Arizona Santa Claus with mules instead of
reindeer, guess I'm too late for the CHM
ney part already"
.Where do you go?' asked the surgeon.
"Sloane's?"
Same place." was the laconic answer
The surgeon called one of the men guard
ing the prisoners wounded by Boland. To-
gether they rearranged the team that
the single horse was in 'front.' then they
boosted Boiand to the seat
Take this brandy in case you need It."
he advised, "and tell Sloane that we'll be
along after a while. / think it is safe for
you to make the trip and we shall be held
here until after sunrise. The rest Of the
boys won't be back much before then"
Jim started at good speed, but the sun
was three hours high before he turned into
the home corral and some of the astonishad
men came running up to help him from his
seat. He brusquely waved them aside with
his uninjured arm.
Alice was standing In the doorway of
the ranch house as he drove by end the
came tearing across to the cor
raj, with the girl slowly following.
With quick sympathy she took charge OF
the injured man and led him toward the
house.
What made you take such chances as
you did," she asked sharply. Didn't you
know that the Indians were off thu reser-
II had some things for Christmas" he
explained with feeble SMILE and did
not want to be too late. There's a tree and
a turkey and some mince pies, and-oh. !
guess there's everything in there you want
He felt big and awkward and foolish.
Clearly she thought him foolhardy to make
the trip after being warned
II reckon I'd better be turning in" he
said huskily. The children were clambering
into the wagon.
Not until thank you,' Alice said softly.
Jim reached awkward fingers INTO his
waistcoat pocket. He felt more dizzy than
when under the surgeons hands. Keep
the one of these that fits, will your he
said simply. 1T was nervy of me, lut l
kind Of thought that perhaps-Im not such
bad fellow in my way-and- They're the
real thlng-diamonds."
The men were leading away the mules.
As,cA at,A ol.n