The Red Cloud chief., 1908-02-28

Ole. come. get the horses
1t was still pitchy dagk and the rain
was pouring. but the wind only sighed
weakly, as though tired 10y it's yiJ-
lence, when she helped the Bronco into
his saddle. The effort wrenched a
groan from him. but he insisted upon
her tying his feet beneath the horses
belly, saying that the trail vas rough
and he could take no chance Of fall
ing again: so, having performed the
last services she might for Strive. she
mounted her own animal and allowed
It to pick its way down the steep dc.
scent behind her brother. who swaycd
and lurched %drunkenly In his seat.
gripping the horn before him with
both hands.
They had been gone perhaps n half
hour when another horse plunged furi-
ously out of the darkness and halted
before the rOadhouse door. It's rider,
mud stained and dishevelcd. flung
himself in mad haste to the ground
and bOlted In through the door. He
saw the signs Of confusion in the out
err room. chairs upset and broken, the
table wedged against the stove and be-
fore the counter a shattered lamp In
a pool of oil. He called loudly, but,
receiving no answer, snatched n light
which he found burning and ran to
the door Mt his left. Nothing greeted
him but the empty tiers of hunks.
Turning, he crossed to the other side
and burst through. Another lamp Il
lighted beside the couch where Strive
lay, breathing heavily. his lids half
closed over his staring eyes. Roy
noted the pool of blood ut his feet and
the broken window; then, setting down
his lamp, he leaned Over the man and
spoke to him.
When he received no answer he
spoke again loudly. Then, In a frenzy,
Glenister shook the wounded man
cruelty. so that he cried out In terror:
"I'm dying-Oh, I'm dying" Roy
raised the sick man up and thrust his
own face before his eyes.
This is Glenister. I've come for
Helen-where Is sheT' A spark OF
recognition fiickered into the dull stare.
You're too late-I'm dying-and I'm
afraid"
His questioner shook Strive again.
Where is she?' he repeated, time
after time. till by very force OF his
own insistence he compelled reallza-
ton in the sufferer.
THE Kid took her away. The Kid
shot me- and then his voice rose til
it flooded the room with terror. "The
Kid shot me-. and I'm dying" He
coughed blood to his lips. at which
Roy laid him back and stood up. So
there was no mistake, after all, and he
had arrived % late. This was the
Kids rcvenge This was how he
struck. Lacking courage 10 face Il
mans level eyes, he possessed the foul.
ness to prey upon Il woman Roy felt
Il weakening physical sickness SWEEP,
over him Till his eye fell upon Il soddcll
garment which Helen bad removed
from her brothers shoulders AMI ~
placed with II dry n He snatchcd
it from the floor and in II sudden fury
felt it come apart in his hands like
wet tissue paper.
lie found himself out in the rain,
scanning t. trampled soil by light 81
his lamp. aud disccrned tracks which
the drizZlc had not yet erased. III
reasoned mechanically that h two
riders could have M great start of him
so strobe out beyond the house I" SCI
if they had gone farther into the hills
There were no tracks here. th2reIore
they must have doubled back toward
town. II did not occur 10 him thai
they might have left the beaten patti
and followed down the little creek 4
the river; but. replacing the ligh
where he had found il. he rcmountc'
and dashed his horse into Il stiff cante
up toward the divide that lay between
him and the city. The story was grow
Ing palmer 10 him. though AZ yet IN
could not piece il I'LL together. II
) possibilities stabbed him with sue
} horror that he cried out aloud and hca
his Stprd nto faster time with DOT
hands ana feet. To think Of those tw'
rufiians lighting over this girl rs tlotG
she were the spells of pillhSc! Ill
: must oyertakc the Kid he would. III
possibility that he might not ihreN
him into such u~ngovernable mcnti
chaos that he vas forced to calm hin
l self. Mel went mad h n way. III
could not think Of il. That gaspin
= creature in the rOadhOuSc spoke all To
.,nII ~ ih., Dpnn.a'S lntnrminlfin