Putnam patriot., 1909-01-01

venet and his friend Durand would not have crossed the ocean and brought with them a professional as- -assin. skilled in the use of smothering a. .d kniting to do away with me You are in luck to be alive We are dan gerously near the same size and build and in the dark. on horseback"-
 That was funny l knew that if ran fer it they'd plug me for sure and that if waited until they saw their mistake they would be afraid to kill me. Ugh, I still taste the red soil of the Old Dominion.
 Come. captain. let us give the horses a chance to prove their blood. These roads will be paste in few hours.'
 The dawn was breaking sullenly. and out of gray. low hanging mist light rain fell in the soft. monotonous fashion of mountain rain- Much of the time it was necessary to maintain sin gle file and Armitage rode ahead. The fog grew thicker as they advanced. but they did not lessen their pace. which had now dropped to a steady trot
 Suddenly. as they swept on beyond Lamar. they hear the beat of hoofs and halted
 Emily for us! We've cut in ahead of them! Can you count them. Clai- borner'
 .Thene are three horses all right enough. and they're forcing the beasts What's the wordT'
 Drive them back, Ready-here we ger' roared Armitage in a voice in tended to be heard
 They yelled at the top of their voices as they charged. plunging into the ad- vancing trio after forty yard gallop Not later than Friday'-hack you go,'' shouted Armitage and laughed aloud at the enemy's ropt. One of the horses-it seemed from it's riders yells to be Chauvenet's- and bolted. and the others followed back the way they had come.
 Soon they dropped their pace to 8 trot. but the trio continued 10 fly be fore them.
 "They're rattled" said Claiborne, and the fog isn't helping them any" Were getting close to my place.
 
 shots fired in rapid succession cracked .aintly through the fog. and they jerk ed up their horses.
 Its Oscari He's a good way ahead If l judge the shots right" "If he turns them back. we ought to hear their horses in a moment" ob- served Claiborne. ..The fog muffies sounds. The roaas pretty level in here I've must let them out of b and fnte my territory for safety. We're within a mile of the gate. and we ought to be able to crowd them into that long open strip where she fences are down. Hang the fog,'.
 The agreed signal of tive shots reached them again. but clearer. like drum taps. and was immediasety an swered by scattering shots. moment later. as the two riders moved forward at walk. sharp velley rang out quite clearly, and they heard shots and the crack of revolvers again
 By George. they're coming. Bere we goi'
 They put their horses ts the gaiiop and rode swiftly through the fog. The beat of heofs was NOW perfectly audi bie ahead of them. and they heard quite distinctly a single revolver snap twice.
 .Oscar has fhem on the run. Bully for Oscar. They're getting close Thank the Lord for this levea sfretch! Now howl and iet 'er esr'
 They went forward. with . yell that broke weirdly and chskingly on the gray cloak of fog. their horses tOefs pounding duly on the earthen noad The rain had almost ceased. but enough had fallen to soften the ground.
 They're terribly brave or horribly scared. from their speed!~ shouted Claiborne Now for it!''
 They rose in their stirrups and charged. yelling Justify. riding Beck and neck toward 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 ofs the ani mals turned and tried to bolt and his rider, struggling to control him, added to the confusion. The fog shut them In with each other, and Armitage and Claiborne. having flung back their own horses at the onset, had an instants glimpse of Chauvenet trying to swing his horse into the road, of Zmai half tt,rniny as his horse reared fO listen for the foe behind and of DuraDd's i'm passive white face as be steadied his horse with his left hand and leveled revolver at Armitage with his right
 With a cry Claiborne put spurs to his horse and drove him forward upon Du rand. His hand knocked the leveled revolver flying into the fog Then Zmaf fired twice. and Chauyenet's frightened horse. panic stricken at the shots. reared. swung round and dashed back the way he had come. and Du rand and Zmai followed
 The three disappeared into the mist and Armitage and Claiborne shook themselves together and quleted their horses
 That was too c'ose for fun Are you all therey' asked Armifage.
 Still in 1t. but Chauvepet's friend won't miss every time There's mur- der in his eye The big fellow seemed to be trying 10 shoot hls own horse
 .0h. he's knife and sack man and clumsy with the gun"
 They moved slowly forward now.