Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-29

to fling its rider out of the saddle.
Ford gathered himself quickly and
rolled under car. His right arm had
no feeling in it, whether from the snot
or the fall he could not determine.
The numbness became a, pricl1lins
agony when he heard the Mexican
splashing through the river to begin
his search. Ford's field Of vision was
limited by the car tracks. but ne
kept the man in sight as he could. It
filled him with sudden and fiery lags
TO be hunted thus like a defensslcss
animal. and more than once he was
tempted to make dash for the en-
gineers' quarters on the hillside above
the commissary- rife being The
thing for which he hungered and
thirSted.
But to show himself under the
lights was TO invite the fate he had
so narrowly escaped He knew Nat.
tachecos skill as a marksn1an; the
Mexican would not be ratified twice
in the same half-hour. Ford grippad
the benumber arm in impotent wrtn-
ings.
"Now. by recognizing him, I've
fixed it so that he is obliged to kill
me- he muttered. Its my life or his
neck for :, halter. and he knows it.
The blood.thirsty devil! If ! could only
get to Brissac's hunk-shanty and lay
my hands on a gun
There seemed to be no chance OF
doing that most desirable thing. The
Mexican was now afoot and coursins
the railroad yards like a baffled
hound. Ford saw that it was only a
question of minutes until his i'm
promptu hiding place would be ois.
covered, and he began to look for an
other. The Nadia was but a short dis
lance away, and the lighted deck
transoms beckoned him.
! It was instinct rather than, inten.
ton that made him duck and plunge
headlong through the suddenly opened
of his pursuer standing beside MS
horse in the open camp street. This
was why the pistol parked harmlessly
Springing to his feet, and leaving the
| frightened negro who had admitted
him to barricade the door with cush
ious from the smoking room seats,
Ford burst into the lighted central
compartment.
1t was not empty as he had expect.
ed to find il. Two men, startled by the
shots and the crash of breaking glass,
were prepared to grapple him It was
Brissac, the inHalided assistant. who
cried, Hold on. Mr.. Adair, it's Ford,
and he's hurt"
Ford met the involuntary iusf.
gathered the two in his uncripp.ed
arm and dragged them to the floor.
That's in case my assassin takas
q, notion 20 turn loose on the win
dows,' he painted. Then he gasped on;
his story while Brissac got the aching
right arm out of its sleeve and locked
for the injury.
: Adair listened to the story of Lbs
attempted murder awe-struck. as on,
from the civilized east had a righ
to be.
!, "By Jove," he commented,
thought had bumped into all thu
different varieties of deviltry since
,, left Denver yesterday morning, BIZ
, this tops EN-. Actually tried to xii
, you in cold bloodo But what for. STU
art?- For heavens sake what foroo
Because he was hired to: becaus
; his masters, the McMorroghs, an
their master North, have staked thei
roll on this last turn of the cards.
= know too much. Adair The presiden
!. was sent over here to get rid of RE
!. That falling, word was passed dow
I, the line that T was to be effaced.
;. few hours ago this Mexican heard n
: telling your sister what I proposed t
! do to North and the MacMorrogh
' That's why he--Ouch! Roy: that
my arm YOU are trying to twist out
a Joint, man."
cts all right" laughed the Louis
: anian: "it is only a crazy bone mum
that you got when the bronze tire
:. you. Say Ford; thought you elaine
20 know how to ride a horse?''
s. Adair was feeling in his pockets fe
q the inevitable cigarette case.
what he overheard you tellin
Alicia. he unused. I'm evidently tW
or three chapters behind. But no ma
10 ter: this is the now; the very imlnsd
ate now Will your assassin keep !
s. feeling for your
Ford shook his head Not any MOI
IN just at present, l guess. He has waite
49, too long. That fusllade of his "
have turned out the entire camp
;, this time, and the Macs don't wa
y, any inconvenient Witnesses
"Witnesses?' echoed Adair. "Tht
you don't know. Say, Stuart; the
- isn't white man in this camp y
- sides us three-unless you count /!
IT, McMorroghs and their commissa
garrison as white men. News of Il
~ great gold strike got here about thr
:. o'clock and every laborer with
}" hearing Of it shouldered pick a.
-. shovel and lined out up the new ira
" us for Copah.
WHAT" shouted Ford. And the
a, dash-dashed MacMorroghs didn't t
IA to hold them?"
nv 81 don't know about that. had y
Al Brissac here. over in the Oh
-, came across the mountain i'll NorI
us car. you know, dosing him wl
IN things out OF Doctor Van Bruce's RI
ne cling case, and trying to get him
shape to show me the way to Cope
p After the stampede which took all I
m. four-legged horses as well as the ~
he legged asses, persuaded your m
10 Gallagher to hitch his engine to {
car to drag lis 1lp to FriSbie'S Cal