Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-02-27

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count Number or distance at the time
but he figured these out Ia his next
period OF waiting from the photograph
flashed on his subcOnScious mind. At
the time Of the rush he was otherwise
occupied. Crack. crack. and two Of
the Indians fell dead In midcareer.
Crack. aud a third era wied. wounded.
10 the cover he had almost safely at
tained. Crack. and an eagle feather
in the head OF the fourth Indian shot
at was cut of at the stem and fell for
ward on the rock behind which its
wearer had dropped just in time TO
save his life There was an answering
volley from the rifles OF the remaining
Apaches, which was directed against
the lookout Of loose stones from which
the prospector's fire had come One cf
the bullets penetrated the opening and
plowed a furrow through Lanes scalp.
topping hun 20 his knees. He scram-
bled quickly to his feet and. hastily
pressing his long hair back from his
forehead 10 stanch the bleeding wound.
sought the protection Of the middle
lookout He congratulated himself.
Lucky for me they didn't follow the
first rush Immediately with a second.
Now know 10 wait for their signal
Six ard possibly seven OF them are
left. and they viii storm my works i'm
two more attempts. Here they Gomez
The call again sounded. Six Apaches
leaped forward. and from the rock that
concealed che wounded warrior a shot
rang ont I'm advance OF the first dis
charge from Lanes Winchester. The
Indians bullet scored the top OF the
turTet and filled the eyes OF the man
behind 70 with powdered stone The
prospector. already dazed by his wound.
fired wildly and missed his mark
Quickly recovering himself. he fred
again and again. severely woundlng
two Apaches These lay clawing the
ground within twenty yards OF the
wall The four remaining Indians
were safely concealed az the same dis
lance. protected no less by the fortlf-
cation than by the loose powders be
hind which they crOuched for the final
spring Lane realized the fact that his
next shots 10 be- effective must be at
n downward angle and 10 ire them ne
must expose himself.
"This IS my finish" he thought 10
himself Better be killed instantly
than tortured hope al four VIII
hit me- Goodby. Jinny"-crack went
bis rife. "Goodby. Nance" - crack
again
AZ the two shots. surmislng that the
prospector had shot himself and his
horse. the Apaches did not wait for
the signal but sprang forward and
climbed upon the wall before Lane
had had time 20 mount H. Two OF
them he shot as they leaped down
within the inclosure As he reversed
his Winchester 10 XIII himself with
the last cartridge he noted that the two
remaining Apaches had dropped their
rifles and were lcaping upon him 70
take him alive. He brought his club
bed weapon down upon the head OF
one OF them. crushing his skull. At
the same instant Lane was borne 10
the ground by the other ApacSc, who.
seizlng him by the throat. began
throttllng him into insensibility. In
desperation Lane bethought himself OF
the elf and by n mighty effort whlrled
over upon his captor toward the preci-
pice. The ground slofed slightly in
that direction. and the combatants
rolled over and over TO the very edge
OF the cliff. where the Indian. for the
first time realizing that the prospect
or's purpose was 10 hurl both OF them
TO destruction. loosened his hold upon
| the prospector's throat that he might
use his hands TO brace himself against
the otherwise inevitable plunge into
the valley below. In an instant Lanes
hands were at the Indians throat
and in another turn he was uppermost
and kneeling upon his foe at the very
verge OF the precipice.
Both cOmbatants were now thor
oughly exhausted Lane concentrated
all his remaining strength In throttline
the savage Bot just as the tense
form beneath him grew lax with evi-
dent Inconsistencies and the head
fell Imply back. extending over the
edge OF the cliff. his own head was
1erked violently backward by a moose
cast around his lacerated neck.
When Lane recovered consciousness
he found himself lying on his back,
bound hand and foot by a lariat and
looking up into grinning face that
he recognized.
Buck McKeer' he gasped. This Is
certainly white OF you considering the
circumstances Of our last meeting.
Did you come with the ruralesY'
'NO; / come ahead NV 'emI In fact
Dick Lane. you air jes' leetle bit OF
in ger idees about which party I be
long to. When you cussed me fer a
thievin' half breed an run noe of the
range an tole me TO go TO the Injuns
whar belonged, I TUX yer advice
I'm what VOC might call the rear
guard Nv the OUTFIT you've jes' beer
hayin' yer shootin' match with--or
wuz the rear guard, fer you've wiped
out the whole battalion, so fer as
can see. Served 'em right fer derailin
me. the only decent shooter in the
bunch, to watch the horses. got one
shot in as 1t wuz. Well. as the last uH
the outfit I own string OF ten ponies
All ] need now to set up In bushes:
Is to have some prospector who hain't
long to live leave me bis ieetle pile u,
dust an nuggets an the claims he's
located back In the mountains. You