Mexico Missouri message., 1907-03-14
CHAPTER xvI--contlnued.

The hrst great volume OF mad shrieks
had quickly died low as II the victims
were being smothered; and now could
be heard only the single scream of
some woman caught in fight,--short,
despairing screams, and others that
seemed TO be cut short-strsugled at
their height.
Joel Rae found himself on the line
after the FIRST volley, drawn by some
dread power he could not resist Yet
one look had been enough. lie shut
his eyes TO the writhing forms, the
Jets OF flame splitting through the fog
of smoke. and turned to fee.
Then in an instant-how II had
come about he never knew-he was
struggling with a man who shouted
his name and cursed hIm.--a dark
man with blood streaming from
wound in his throat. He defended
himself easily, feeling his assailants
strength already waning. Time after
time the man called him by name and
cursed him. now In low tones as they
Bwayed. Then the Saint whose al.
lotted victim this man had been, hav.
ing reloaded his pistol. ran up. held II
close to his head, fired. and ran back
TO the line
He felt the mans grasp OF his shout
ders relax, and his body grow sudden
~ limp, as II homeless. He let II down
20 the ground, looking at last full
upon the face. At first glance II told
him nothing. Then a faint sense of
dts familiarity pushed up through
many old memories. Sometime some
where. he had known the face.
The dying man opened his eyes
wide, not seeing. but convulsively, and
then he felt himself enlightened by
something in their dark color,-some-
thing In the line OF the brow under
the black hair:-a face was brought
back TO him, the handsome face OF the
taunty militia captain at Nauvoo. the
man who had helped expel his people.
who had patroniZed them with his
airs OF protector,-the man who had
II did not come to him until that in
stant-thls man was Girnway. In the
fash of awful comprehension he
dropped. a sickened and nerveless
heap. beside the dead man, turning
hhS hAsAu Oh NhG blOuhut anu ANchhb
for any sign of life at his heart
Forward there, where the yells OF
the Indians had all but replaced the
screams OF frantic women-butchered
already perhaps. subjected to he knew
not what infamy at the hands OF saw
age or Saint--was the yellow-haired,
pink.faced girl he had loved and kept
so long imaged In his heart; yet she
might have escaped, she might still
live--she might even not have been
In the party.
He sprang up and found himself
facing a white-haired boy, who held
a little crying girl by tight grasp Of
her arm, and who eyed him agrees
sively.
What did you hurt Prudence's
father for? He was a good man. Did
you shoot him?"
He seized the boy roughly by The
shoulder.
Prudence Prudence where is
she?"
Here"
He looked down at the little girl.
who still cried. Even in that glance
he saw her mothers prettiness. her
pink and white daintiness. and the
yellow shine OF her hair
Her mother. then.-quick!"
The boy pointed ahead.
up there-she told me to take care
of Prudence. and when the Indians
came out she made me run back here
TO look for him" He pointed to the
still figure on the ground before them.
And then, making a brave effort TO
kecr back the tears:
III had a gun I'd shoot some In
dians;-F shoot you, too--you killed
him. When ] grow up TO be u man,
I'll have q gun and come here"
He had the child in his arms, and
called TO the boy:
Come, fast now! Go as near as you
can 10 where you left her"
They ran forward through the gray
smoke, stepping over and around
bodies as they went. When they
reached tho FIRST OF the women he
would have stopped TO search, but the
boy lead him on. pointing. And then.
halfway up the line, little to the
right OF the road, at the edge of the
cedars, his eye caught the glimpse OF
a great mass of yellow hair on the
ground. She seemed to have been
only wounded. for. as he looked, she
was up on her knees striving to stand.
lie ran faster, leaving the boy be.
hind now. but while he was still far
on, he saw an Indian. knife In hand,
run TO her and strike her down. Then
before he had OWNED the intent. the
savage had gathered tho long hair
into his left hand. made swift cir
cling OF the knife with his highland
tho thing was done before his eyes.
He screamed In terror as he ran, and
now he was near enough 70 be heard.
The Indian at his cry arose aud for
one long second shook, almost IN his
face ~ ho came running up. the long.
shining. yellow hair with the CORY
patch al the end. Before his staring