Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-11
XXIV-Continued.

The Mexican bore this in mind when.
arriving at his post opposite the camp in
the early dusk. he chose his ambushing
boulder so near the descending hill trail
that a stout club might have been sub
stituted for the pistol. The weather
promise was for a starless night. but the
electric arc lights were already scintil-
latirg at their mastheads IN the head
quarters railroad yard across the Pan
nikin. Later. when the daylight was
quite gone and the electrics were hollow
ing out bowl of stark whiteness in the
night. Ruiz Gregorio wished he had
chosen otherwise. The camp lights shone
full upon him and on the mustang stand
ing with dropped head at his elbow. and
the trail on the other side OF the boulder
He was about to take the risk OF NOV
ing farther up the hill path to less ex-
posed lurking place, was hesitating only
because his indolent soul rebelled at the
thought Of having to drag Ford's body
so many added steps to its burial in the
river. when the stink Of shod hoofs upon
stone warned him that the time for scene
shifting had passed. Pushing the mus
tang out OF the line OF sight from the
trail he f1attened himself against the
great rock and waited.
Ford rode down the last declivity eau
tiously, for his horses sake. The trail
came out Of the hills abruptly. dropping
into the rock-strewn river valley within
hailing distance OF the camp. Well within
the sweep Of the masthead lights across
the stream the boulder-strewn fiat was
as light as day, save where the sentinel
rocks flung their shadows: and promptly
at the first facing Of the bright electrics
Ford's horse stumbled aside from the
path and began to take short cuts be-
tween the Understanding boulders for the
river. This was how the Mexican. in
stead Of having his victim at complete
disadvantage. found himself suddenly un-
covered by the flank. exposed. recognized
and nailed In no uncertain tones.
Hello. Mattacheco. what are you doing
here?" Ford had a aashlight picture Of
the horse standing with his muzzle to
the ground: Of the man flattened against
Of the lights upon blued metal. You
devil!' he shouted. and unarmed as he
was. spurred his tired beast at the as
sassin.
Here. then. was the weak link in Ruiz
Gregorio's chain twisted to the breaking
point at the very outset. Instead of TAX
ing a deliberate pot shot at an unsus-
pecting victim. he was obliged to face
about. to fire hastily at charging enemy
and to spring nimbly aside to save him
self from being ridden down. The saving
jump was an awkward one. it brought
him into breath-taking collision with the
upjerking head Of the mustang. When
he had recovered his feet and his pres
ence Of mind. the charging whirlwind
had dashed through the shadows Of the
Pannikin. and a riderless horse was clat-
terinE across the tracks in the railroad
yard.
The Mexican waited prudently to see
what the camp would say to the single
shot. It said nothing; it might have
been deserted for all the indications there
were Of life in It. Ruiz Gregorio snapped
the empty shell from his weapon, replac-
ing 1t with a loaded one, and mounted
a. IL ,<~l, ha o~d trn
riderless horse disappearing across the
tracks gave him good hope that the hasty
shot had accomplished all that DELHI
crate one might have.
There was no dead man tumbled In a
heap in the railroad yard. as he had
hoped to find. Silence, the silence Of de-
sertion brooded over the masthead arcs.
Painfully the Mexican searched, at the
verge Of the river. in the black shadows
cast by the crowding material cars
Finally he crossed over to the struggling
street OF the camp. walking now and
leading the spent mustang. Silence here.
too. broken only by the sputtering sizZle
Of the electrics. The huge mess tent was
closed commissary and in the presidents
car: no lights, and not a man OF the
camps crowding labor army to be seen.
At less strenuous moment the man
unusual stiffness and the air Of desertion.
As 1t was. he was alertly probing the
car-fiung shadows. The engineer. If only
wounded. would doubtless try to hide in
the shadows in the railroad yard:
The Mexican left his horse in the camp
street and made instant search be-
tween and under the material cars, COM
ing out now and again to stare suspic-
iously at the presidents private car.
standing alone on the siding directly op
posite the commissary. The Nadia was
occupied 1t was lighted within and the
window shades were drawn down. Ruiz
GreRorio could never get far from the
lighted car without being irresistibly
back in time to see man rise up out of
the shadow Of the nearest box car, spring
to the platform of the Nadia and kick
Justify at the locked door. The door was
opened Immediately by some one within
and the fugitive plunged to cover-but not
before the Mexican's revolver had barked
five times with the rapid staccato of
machine gun.
When Ruiz Gregorio dropping the
smoking weapon into its holster. would
have mounted to put into instant action
the plan of the well-considered alibi.
barrel-bodied figure launched itself from
the commissary porch and vigorous
hand dragged horse and man into the
shadow of the stables
"Off wild you now. you blunderin' dago
divvle!" gritted the MacMorrogh. savage
ly. Its all av our necks we've put into
a rope this time, d-n you!'
The Mexican had dismounted and was
calmly reloading his pistol.
You t'ink-a he's not-a sufficiently Kill?
I go over to da car and bring-a you da
proof. si?"
You'll come wild me-" raved the big
contractor. otis out av your clumsy
hands now. We black-hearted blunderin'
cross betune a Digger Indian and a Next
can naygur! Come on. / say!
The back room of the commissary to
which the MacMorrogh led the way held
three men-Eckstein and the two younger
members Of the contracting firm. they
had heard the fusiilade in the camp street
and were waiting for news. Brian Mac
Morrogh gave it, garnished with many
oaths.
THE pin-brained omadhaun av a Mexi-
can has twishted a rope for all av us.
He's let Ford come back, alive; let him
get to the very dure av the Presidents
car. Then. begorra! he must nades show
himself under the elect hrics and open fire
on the man who was kicking at the dure
and looking straight at him."
Eckstein asked a single question.
Did he get him? If he's dead he can't
very we'll tell who shot him"
That's the h-ll av it," ragged the big
man who's to know"
Eckstein spat out the extinct cigar
stump he was chewing.
1--WE are to know-beyond question Of
doubt this time. Who is in the Nadia be-
sides Ford?'
The two naygurs."
mo one else?"
MacMorrogh shook his head. NO
wan"
you are sure Mr.. Adair and Brissac
are out OF the way?"
They got Gallagher to push them up to