West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-01-07

oughly exhausted. Lane concentrated
nil his remaining strength I'm throtuing
the savage. But just as tho tense
form beneath him grew lax with evil
dent unconsciousncss and tho head
fell Imply back. extending over the
edge OF the cliff. his own head was
jerked violently backward by n moose
cast around his laceratcd neck.
When Lane recovered consciousness
he found himself lying on his back.
bound hand and foot by lariat and
looking up into n grinning face that
he recognized.
Buck McKeew he gasped. "This, is
certainly white OF you considering the
circumstances OF our last meeting
Did you come with the rurnlcsT'
"No; l come ahead NV 'cml In fact
Dick Lane, you air Jcs' n lcctlc bit on
I'm yer idees about which party be-
long TO. When YOU cusscd me fer
thievln' half breed an run mo of the
range an tolc me TO 20 to the Injuns,
whar ! belonged, TUX yer advice.
I'm what you might call the rear
guard NV the outfit you've jos' been
havln' yer shootin' match wlth--or
wuz the rear guard, fer you've wiped
out the whole battalion. so fer as
can see. Served 'cm right fer dctailin'
me, tho only decent shooter I'm the
bunch, 60 watch the horses. got one
shot In as It wuZ. Well. as tho last NV
the outfit | own a string Of ten ponies.
All / need now TO set up I'm business
Is 10 have some prospector who hnln't
long TO live leave me his lectlc pile NV
dust an nuggets an the claims he's
located back I'm tho mountains. You
look n leetle mite like the man. Itll
save vallible time If you make yer
dear friend Buck Mckee administrator
NV yer estate without too much per.
sundin. You had somo objection
oncct 20 my sllttin' n Calfs tongue.
We'll, you needn't DO scared jcs' yet
That's the last thing I'll do TO you.
Come. whar's yer cachc2 know
you've got one hereabouts. fer foun'
signs NV the dust In yer pack"
Lane set his teeth I'm n firm rcsolu-
tIon not to say u word. The taunts
OF his cnptor were harder to bear In
silence than the prospects OF torture.
stubborn. hey2 Well, Wen try a
little 'Pache persuadin'" And the rem
egade dragged his helpless captive up
TO the thorny sahuaro and bound his
back against It with tho dead horses
bride Mckee searched through
Lanes pockets until he found match.
Last one. hey? Kinder 'proprlate.
Ins' drink from the old cantecn, las
cartridge, las look at the scenery an
las will an testyment. oh. times
precious, but I'll spare you enough TO
map out I'm yer mind Jes' where them
claims is located. Tho rurales won't
be along fer nm hour yet If they hain't
turned back after our other party"
Mckee pulled of Lanes boots ut
hain't decent fer man to die with 'em
on" he said. He then kIndIed n fire on
the stone, beneath which. If no but
knew It. lay tho treasure he sought
lie returned with n burning brand TO
the captive. For the first time he OBJ
served the snake impaled on the sahu-
arO, writhing still, but feebly. Hello,
ole rattlerw nc exclaimed Here's
sOmethiD' 10 stir you up" And he toss.
ed the brand upon the top Of the cac-
tus.
Taking another burning stick from
the fire, he applied It 20 the soles of his
victims feet Lane writhed and groan-
cd under the eXcrucinting torture, but
uttered no word or cry. Mckee brought
other brands and began pillng them
about his captive's feet.
In the meantime the sahuaro had
caught fire at the top and was burning
down through the interior. A thin col.
umn OF smoke rose straight above Il
in the still air. The rirales I'm the val
ley below, who had reached the begin
ming Of the ascending trail and were
on the point OF giving up the pursuit,
saw the smoke and inferred that tho
Apachcs. either through overconndcuce
or because OF their supcrstltious fenr
Of the mountains. which they supposed
Inhabited by spirits, had camped on
the edge OF the valley and were signal
Ing 10 their other party. Accordingly
the Mexicans renewed the chase With
Increased vigor.
As Mckee bent over his capuyc's
fcct, pillng against them the burning
ends Of the sticks, the rattlesnake ON
the sahuarO. melted by the fire above.
struggled free from tho impnling
thorns by a desperate effort and drop.
ped on the back OF the half breed. II