The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1908-10-01

xIinese Of Chauvsnrt trying to swing
lis hurse into the road. u zm4) haR
turnin. n his horse reared to listen
for the foe i,~hind and u JlnrasGs I'm.
passive white face ~ be steadied biz
horse with his left hand and levelsd Z
revolver 1T ArmitAxe with his right
With cry Claiborne put spurs to bio
horse and drove him forward upon Du-
rand. His hand kuocked the Ieveled
revolver f;yiug into the fog Then
Zmai fred twice, and Chauvenet's
! frightened horae. panic stricken 1t the
shots, reared. SWING round and dashed
back the way BE- had come. and Du-
rand and Email followed.
The three disappeared Into tho mist.
and Ar,nitage and Claiborne shook
themselves together and quieted their
horses.
THAT was too close for fun. Are
you all thereY' asked ArulitaGe.
18TH in IT. but Chauvenst's friend
won't miss every dine. There's mur~
der In his eye The BIG fellow seemed
to be trying to shoot his own horse"
..Oh. he's knife and sack man and
clumsy With the gun."
| They moved slowly forward now.
and Armitage sent hls horss acroes the
rough ditch Mt the roadside to get his
bearings. The fog seemed at the point
OF breaking, and the mass about them
shifted and drifted In the growing
light.
'This Is my land. sure enough. Lord.
man. wish you'd get out Of this and
60 home. You zee. they're an ugly lot
and don't use toy pistols"
..Remember the potato sackl That's
my watch word" laughed Claiborne.
They rode with their eyes straight
ahead, peering through the breaking.
boating mist. II was now % clear and
light that they could see the wood 1t
either hand. though tifty yards ahead
in every direction the fog still lay like
a barricade.
II should value q change Of raj
ment." observed Armitage. There
was an advantage In armor-your buds
might get rusty On 4 damp excursion.
but your shirt wouldn't stick to your
hide"
.Who cares? Those devils are pref
t. quiet. and the little sergeant y
about due to bump Into them again"
They had come to gradual turn In
the road ut point where steep wood
| ed incline swept up on the left. On
the right lay the old hunting preaerve
and Armirage's bungalow. Az they
drew into the curve they heard re-
volver crack twice. a. before. followed
by answering shots and cries and the
| thump Of huOfa.
.Ohee! Oscar has struck them again.
Steady now! Watch your h0rsel'' And
Armitage raised his arm high above
his head and fired twice 40 \ warning
to Oscar.
The distance between the contending
parties was shorter now than ct the
first meeting. aud Armitage and ClaI-
borne bent forward In their saddles.
talking softly to their horses. that
bud danced wildly ut Armitage's shots
Lord. II We can crowd them In here
now and back to the Port!"
THERE
Explanations died on their lips at the
instant. Ahead Of them lay the fog.
rising and breaking In soft folds, and
behind It men yelled and several shots
snapped spitefully on the heavy air.
Then curious picture disclosed itself
just at the edge Of the vapOr a. though
It were curtain through which actors
IN drama emerged upon 4 stage.
Zmai md Chauvenet dashed into view
suddenly. and close behind them Oscar,
yelling like mad. He drove hls horse
between the two men. threw himself
dat as Zmai fired At him and turned
and waved his hat and laughed at
them; then just before his horse reach
ed Claiborne and Armitage be checked
its speed abruptly. dung II about and
then charged back, still yelli0g, upon
the amazed foe.
Hes crazy: he's gone clean out Of
MS headT' muttered Claiborne. ~
stninins bic horse with dimculty.
What do you make Of itr' {
Ties having fun With them. Hes
just rafting them to warm himself up.
the little begsar. didn't know It was
in him."
Back went Oscar toward the two
horsemen hs had passed LEES than 1
minute before. stu yelling, and this
time be discharged Bile revolver with
seeming unconcern for the value OF
ammunition. and a. be again dashed
between them and back through tho
gray curtain Armitage gave the word.
and he and Claiborne swept on at
gallop.
Durand was out Of sight, and Chau.
venet turned and looked behind him
uneasily; then he spoke sharply 70
zmai Oscars wild ride back and forth
had demoralixed the horses, which
were snorting and plunsing wildly. AZ
Armltaee and Claiborne advanced
Chauyenet spoke again to Email and
drew bis own revolver.
"Ot, for Saber nowT' groWled Clai.
borne.
But II was not moment for specula.
ton or regret Both aides were perfect.