The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-06-21

Whit in the parching air. The nervou.
shy of the horse brought Damer's
trained eyes TO the cause-for no army
horse turns aside save for some good
reason.
Damer saw small beating down OF
the bushes, the faint impression of un.
shod hoofs, and the roofing up of earth
that evidenced struggle.
His intuition painted an instant pic.
ture in his minds eye Geronimo and
his band had again cut the trail for
Mexico. One of the Indian scouts had
prevented the other from giving him
the warning The struggle proved that
The loyal Indian was lying somewhere
in the bushes. The other one was
hidden, ready to kill Damer should he
betray the fact that he had noticed the
crossing trail.
Damer tightened the bride reins. He
said, aloud, and calmly: "Go on, Dick
What's the matter with you?'
A glance to the right and left, a loos-
ening of the carbine in the boot, and
Damer slowly dismounted. As he
busted himself with the cinch, he cut
two strips from the latigo strap, slowly
| and with much care. Remountins, he
slipped the button from his pistol hol-
ster. Dick logged along; and Damer.
in the saddle, rode with the air of n
man longing for sleep.
An Indian appeared on the trail, with
his "long tom" sung across his arm.
The hammer was at full cock.
false move-an inkling of what had
gone beforehand Damer would have
filed the buzzard maws, and Geronimo
would have gained another recruit.
But the soldier was merely DULY
curious.
"Helloa, Pretty! Where's Big Head?'
big Head? Him down that way.
Mebbe not in to-day. Saw deer"
"All right then; you trot ahead"
The Indian swung around on the ball
of his foot-the moccasin right about
and advanced again, .reassured.
Damer sank both rowels in Dicks
side. AS the frenzied jump of the
horse carried him to the trailer he
brought down the butt of his pistol
nightly on Pretty's head. A jerk of
the bride, swift dismounting, and.
in a moment, Pretty's hands were be-
hind him.
As Pretty was assisted to his feet. he
slowly grinned at his captor. The
primitive man had asserted himself
Despite of four years of careful school
ing, and long mingling with the differ
ent environment, the Indian had come
back to his own. Damer understood.
and he answered the mirthless, signifi-
cant smile:
"You bet! You've fooled heap of
people-but not your Uncle Dudley"
They started on the back trail.
Il knew you were laying for me and
- Go on, blast your
Pretty made small show of protest
ing.
"You savey, Damer? Court martial
for hittin' Injun. What's the matter?
You loco?"
Court martial! Itll mean hanging
for you, if I don't kill you myself.
Here's how 1t reads: Trail discovered
by two Injuns. One of 'em-and it's
not you-honest enough to give me the
tip. You kill him; and you'd have
killed me. Now, you show me what
you've done with him"
Indian opJ cnIIio, e1o,,.t-
the back trail.
"Now then, Pretty; here we are"
Damer dismounted. united his lariat.
cut the straps from the Indians hands.
and, leveling his forty-five, added: go
ahead! Bring him out!
"No monkeyin'! You know me! An
other move like that, an there'll be one
less Injun to eat Government BEANS"
There was little brush of mesquite
where they had halted. Pretty had
cast cunning, stealthy glance at
Damer, to see whether the chance of q
sudden bolt would avail. No! There
was CLINT in the gray eyes that looked
him squarely in the face, and q nervous
VI tht llpS W Will
careless Western method of handling
Colts, caused him to change his mind.
The soldier had the snapshot habit
no looking over the sights, no aim
taken; yet, when you glance, the ugly
muzzle seems to be covering all parts
of your anatomy at one time. Pretty
noted the signs shrewdly. Like a wise
Indian, he parted the bushes and
glided away from the trail.
There had not been much of a strug-
gle-a downward blow from the butt
end of n rifle while Big Head was ex-
amining the trail, swift binding of
hands and feet, and the dragging of
his body into the bushes. There he lay
now, dead. His face was upturned to
the beating sun, mouth agape. eyes
and bloody marks where the
cruel thongs had cut his flesh. Pretty,
at the body's side, began a protest:
"Damer, / not kill him. I only hit.
What the matter, 1 not know
"Kined himself. eh? Bloomln' magi-
clan he must have been! Pick him up,
my son. and drag him out to Dick.