The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1906-05-04


plowod her fore feet into the ground ana
stopped.
''Injuns-half mile back--comin'
rapid" he shouted. The girl. OF good
height for woman, broad-hipped, full
breasted. healthy red showing through
the tan of her cheeks, her smooth brown
hair braided carelessly to her waist, her
arms akimbo, stared at him doubtfully
as he filed with quick slaps the empty
chambers OF a revolver.
Gilt along, stranger" she called, In
sinssong tones. Reckon you've
afeard."
The mustangs ears at that instant
stood straight once more and quiverinG.
Mead turned upon the girl. and covered
her with the revolver.
Git yer horse an yer family goin',
quick" he ordered, deliberately. For
a second the girl did not move, but
smiled dcfantly AT him; then she stood
bolt upright, tense, listening, She
heard now the confused rumble OF many
horses, far away. at which the tired mus
tang was already dancing impatlently.
| She disappeared within the building
/ while he sat In the narrow trail, tho
/ noise of the pursuit growing rapidly
| louder In his ears A frightened whin.
| nying came from somewhere at the rear
of the main cabin; Il door slammed and
n single, squatty, dirty-yellow mustang
/ sprang into sight around the corner OF
the structure, the girl straddling its bare
| back. AT that moment a shrieking,
| echoing yell arose behind them They
had been seen. Then the race began
once more, the black mustang pounding
doggedly behind the wicked pace of the
yellow beast
Two miles farther on he came up with
the girl as they were fording n narrow
creek.
Amt seen an lnjun sence we've ben
thar" she gasped between breaths, rs
II in explanation. Dad. he's went to
Santa Fe."
"Throo tn canyon?"
She nodded her head as they reached
the farther bank and she took the lead
again. But the black mustang was
weakening; his gait wayered. his eyes
were bloodshot. At last he stumbled
and fell on one knee the leg snapped.
and he lay quiyering across the trait
The girl turned abruptly and came back
Mead took the mail bags from the mus
tang's back ana threw them to her.
I'm hold 'em back while ye git q
start" he said, laconically, drawing his
pistols. He turned to face the trail.
"Good-by." he called over his shoulder.
Stranger the girl said quietly. He
whirled and faced n small pistol she had
drawn from her belt. Cit up behind,
quick. | ain't a-gOin' to bulge a foot ef
ye don't" she added as he hesltated.
Mead laughed aloud as he thought how
quickly she had turned his own game
upon him Then she laughed also as no
turned and morclfully shot the black
mustang before leapng up behind her.
The yellow mustang struggled for
ward braycly under the double burden,
but the contest was unequal The hOof-
beats behind them grew louder and Mt
last they could hear the noise of gut
tural voices from behind the turns in
the winding trail. A few moments later
an arrow struck fire In the roadway be-
side them. Then, as Mead reached down
for a revolver, the girl uttered a low
cry, There was the fort, less than q
mile away, It's bare walls looming gray
in the distance
Together they spurrcd the straining
beast beneath them down the long in
cline, while arrows and an occasional
bullet whirred and sang about them.
They could hear now the quick breath OF
tho tired horses behind them, the tri-
u'nphant shouts, the beat OF stingins
thongs upon n dozen launches. Now
came the short uphill stretch to tho
fort, little more than a quarter Of a
mile away, but the exhausted mustang
shlvcfed with each bound up the ascent,
his reach growing shorter his pace slow
er. Two arrows struck him almost at
the same instant. and Ire fell heavily.
But Mead had jumped clear, carrying tho
girl with him. They were on their feet
quickly.
Run" he called. His first shot rang
out, and an Indian trailed from the sad
die. Others went down before his steady
aim as he ran backward up the in.
cline. His left arm fell limp and che
pistol dropped to the ground. Some Ons
picked 1t up. Some one was firing calm
ly beside him. The horses were almos,
on them and the sneering, gloatlng,
painted faces, when he heard vaguely
rumbling many-voiced cheer behind
him, then the foremost Indians looked
beyond him and wheeled suddenly and
dashed down the hill in scattering con.
fusion.
A few days later n man. his arm stiu
In sling, rode down the hill from Fort
Union. girl rode beside him. The
man looked at her furtively now and
then and his rugged face showed en-
barrassment.
Say" he said at last, 1--WE got o red.
colored temper. I'm mean, am"
Huh" she answered, staring at the