The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-09-28

They rose In their stirrups and
charged. .,selling Justify, riding neck
and neclsfoward the unseen foe. and.
with their horses at their highest pace.
they broke upon the mounted trio that
now rode upon them grayly out OF the
mist
There was mad snorting and
shrinking OF horses. One of the AMI.
mails turned and tried 10 bolt. and his
rider. struggling to control him. added
to the confusion. The fog shut them
in with each other. aud Armitage and
Claiborne. having flung back their own
Horses ut the onset. had an instlnt's
glimpse of Chauvenet trying to swing
his horse into the road. of Znial half
turning as his horse reared {, listen
or the Zoe behind and Of Durand's i'm
passive white FADE us he steadied his
lorse with mis- left hand and leveled y
evolver at Atnltage with his right
With cry Claiborne put spurs to his
horse aud drove him forward upon Du
aud. His hand knocked the leveleC
evolver flying into the fog Then
mai fired twice. and Chauyenct's
frightened horse. panic stricken at the
ho,s. reared. swung round and dlshci
'acs the way he had come. and Du-
and and Zmai followed.
The three disappeared into the mist;
md Armitage and Claiborne shook
themselves together and quletcd their
lorscs.
THAT was too close for fun. Are
'ou all therer' asked Armitage.
"Stlll ia il. but Chauvenet's friend
Won't miss every time There's mu-
.er In his eye. The big fellow seemed
be trying to shoot his own horse"
''Oh. he's a knife and sack man and
lumsy with the gun"
They moved slo@ly forward now.
nd Arml;age sent his horse across the
'ouEh ditch nj the roadside to get his
earrings. The fog seemed at the poiIt
II breaking. and the mass about them
hiftcd and drftcd in the growing
lght.
This is my land. sure enough. Lord.
nam. | wish you'd get out Of this and
% home. You see. they're an ugly lot
nd don't ne toy pistols "
"Remember the potato sack, That's
ny watchw ard" laughed Claiborne. =
They rode with their eyes straigS
head. peering through the breaking
oating mist. II was now so clear AMI
ight that they could see the wood at
,ither hand. though fifty yards ahead
n every direction the fog still lay like
1 barricade.
II should value a change OF raj
nent." observed Armitage. There
was an advantage In armor-your buds
might get rusty on damp excursion,
but your shirt wouldn't stick TO your
hide"
"Who cares? Those devils are pref
~ quiet. and the little sergeant IS
about due to bump into them again"
They had come TO a gradual turn In
the road at point where a steep wood
ed inSline swept up on the left. on
the right lay the old hunting preserve
and Armitage's bungalow. As they
drew into the curve they heard re-
volver crack twice, as before. followed
by answering shots and cries and the
hump of hoofs.
"Ohee! Oscar has struck them again.
Steady now. Watch your horser' And
Aymitage raised his arm high above
his head and fired twice as warning
TO Oscar.
The distance between the contending
parties was shorter now than at the
first meeting, and Armitage and Clai-
borne bent forward in their saddles.
talking softly TO their horses. that
had danced wildly at Armltage's shots.
Lord. IL we ean8crowd them In here
now and back TO- the Port"
There" of
Explanations died on their lips at the
instant. Ahead Of them lay the fog.
rising and breaking in soft folds, and
behind 1t men yelled and several shots
snapped spltefully on the heavy air.
Then curious picture disclosed itself
lust at the edge of the vapor as though
{ were curtain through which actors
n drama emerged upon stage.
Imai and Chauvenet flashed into view
uddenly. ana close behind them Oscar.
yelling like mad. He drove his horse
between the two men. threw himself
Dat as Zmai fred at him and turned
and waved his hat and laughed at
them; then just before his horse reach
I'd Claiborne and Armitage he checked
Its speed abruptly, flung II about and
then charged back, still yelling. upon
the amazed foe.
Hes crazy; he's gone clean out OF
his headr' muttered Claiborne. re-
straining his horse with difficulty.
what do you make OF itT'
Hes having fun with them. He's
Just rattllng them TO warm himself up.
the little beggar. didn't know II was
In him" 40 "o1lon
Back went Oscar toward the two
horsemen be had passed less than
minute before, still yelling. and this
time he discharged his revolver with
seeming unconcern for the value OF
ammunition. and rs he again dashed
between them and back through the
gray curtain Armitage gave the word,
and he and Claiborne swept on at
gallop.
Durand was out OF sight. and Chau.
yenet turned aud looked behind him