The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1906-07-31
bal the kitchen BANNING lsarnsdI

door. IheSe were not OF tne Fegolt-
ing tribe, nor had they any sympa-
thy with them.
He slipped around to the door and
ran up the canyon, splashing through
the mud, reckless of his white duck
suit, across the little stream and on
up the trail to The old tunnel. Into
the dark opening he CROPPED, hastily
lighting matches as he went. At the
second stop he paused, leaning breath
less against the wall and staring at an
open packing case.
They've found the cache and got |
the rifes-eyery last one of themi |
And all the cartridges. No, they've |
left some" he added, bitterly, as he |
stopped and picked up two glitterine
| brass capsules In the light of his
Pickering match. Who told them
where the cache was? Oh, / might
have known! Well, this is he'll!
And then he thought Of his deserted
guests and bolted back down the
trail. But nearing the concentrating
works he stepped to the open window
of one of the sheds and called out:
Macpherson, are you boys all right
in there?"
Silence
"Maci Macl' he cried. A cicada
grated shrilly in corner. With a
sense of something terrible impending,
Banning rushed into the shed, struck
a match, lit a candle, and by the light
saw the seven Americans who had
been the mainstays at the mines ly-
ing stifHy in their hunks. The
machetes had done their work quietly.
He ran from the shed back to the
house and appeared before Nesbitt and
Card something quite the reverse of
the cool, trim figure in white that
had left them ten minutes before.
There's few mustangs left in the
corral" said Banning. saw EN- as
l came past there Now, the best
thing you folks can do is TO take the
trail right away. You get to Gomez
tonight. I'll help you down there,
and the Rurals will see you TO the
railroad tomorrow. / know it's hard
work on top of all the riding you've
, done, but we couldn't stand the siege
here"
! AS he helped Bluriel on her horse,
t. Banning looked at her with the gnaw-
ing hunger of love denied and the
uneasiness of devouring concern. In
. the sharp, cold light of danger, the
a mask OF conventionality fell and she
saw him her lover of old. And as he
mounted and led the way down the
canyon, his rife barrel cleaning brave
- ly in the moonlight, he was again
Y her true knight Of the old romaunt.
She had no ear for Cards peevis1
criticisms of the plan of escape mol
e for his constant references TO the
= bad management She rode behind
. her father, Card bringing up the rear
but her eyes were upon the alert, reso
e Lutte man in white who led the way
= and her heart rode with him.
In an hour they had reached thu
&c place where the Paiaro trail ioinet
4 theirs 1t was Z two hours ride Il
4 Gomez, and the protection of tn
i idling soldiery. But they were no
- yet out of FL Tnhernillo-the Littl
~ He'll
=, Of sudden there was a racket o
i hoofs from behind, dart of fame, an
h a rife ball spat itself upon roc
= near Banning's head.
1a There was a brisk whirr of shots
IN and down rolled Muriels mustang. In
Sc stantly Banning was out of the saddle
Lifting her quickly on his horse, h
re- struck the animal with his bare hant
or and it would have leaped forward bu
~ that she held it in check
of 60 on" he commanded "Quick
lis quiclz!"
But you" she cried, hoarsel!
he What will you do: Get up here wit
me. Come! HurIy!"
We ooh, I'll be all right" he said, cor
op fidently.
But they'll kill you! Yo
or mustn't"
III For answer he struck her horse
quick, sharp blow on the flank wit
It. the stick. At the same time her fl
lg. Their. from the growing distanc
as yelled aloud:
'Mu! Mu! For Gods sake hurr
," up! Mu!"
MS %Good-by, Muriel," said Bannin
It's grasping his rife.
az She tried to hold IN themaddenedm u
cir tang while she c5lled:
wv "Good-by. l know you are doiI
en- this for mel know it; and remen
of Der, love you! i love youi l lo'
ng you'll"
Her horse darted away and the grs
ed skirt was lost behind a turn of u
trail. Banning raised his rifle al
~. walked quietly behind a rock. gri
les smile upon his face.
EN- WHO was that Greek. chap tn
ie- stayed and held The pass?" he muse
up as his rife barrel lay along the I,
of the rock. ''Hs must have h,
nerve"
his Capt. Don Rosario y Hernandez TO
back to Gomez at the head of his vi
ON torious band.
IN Talk about yer Yaqui fighters
of said he in the bar-room of the Hot
Armada, they amt no keener tn;