The Mena weekly star., 1909-07-01

teitsIuB lnlnB, Arcnlct Old keatch- am, whom we were fighting tooth and nail three weeks ago. is now bossing us as ruthlessly as a football coach: and Cousin Cary Is taking his slack talk as meek as a freshman Great old boy, Keatcham! And-oh, sayi has any one gone to the rescue of the Rogerses? l saw Kito speeding over that way from the garage and Haley hiking after him. l hope the nine small yellow domestics are not burned at the stake with Rogers: the bally fire-trap is blazing like a tarbarrel"
 As it happened the colonel had dis patched small party to their neigh bor's aid. Haley and Kito were not among them; they were to guard the garage which was too vital a point in their household economy to leave un. protected. Nevertheless, Haley and Kito did both run away, leaving Mexican helper to watch: and when they returned they were breathless and Haley's face was covered with blood He was carefully carrying something covered with a carriage. robe in his hand.
 I've the honor to report sir. Haley mumbled, stlff and straight in his military posture, a very grimy anu bl0od-stained hand at salute. I've the honor to report. sor. that Private Kito and me discovered two suspicious characters making up the hillside by the sekrut road. We purshooed thim, sor, and whin they wu'dn't halt we fired on thim, sor, ixploding this here bum which wint or whin the hindmost man tumbled"
 Kito smilingly flung aside the car riage-robe disclosing the still smoking shell of an Ingenious round bomb, very similar to those used in fire works
 The colonel examined it closely; 1t was an ugly bit of dynamite craft
 Any casualties, sergeant?' the colonel asked grimly.
 Yes, sor. Tho man wid the bum was kilt be tho ixplosion; the other man was hit by Private Kito and wounded in the shoulder but escaped. l mesilf have confusion on me right arrum, mo ankle is sprained, and livery tooth in me head is in me pockitl
 Report to Miss Smith at the hos pital, sergeant. Any further report?"
 T wu'd like to riccommind Private Kito for honorable minshun for gal lanthry."
 q Shall certainly remember him: and you also. sergeant, in any report that l may make. Look after the garage, Kito"
 Kito bowed and retired, beaming while Haley hobbled into the house. The consequences of the attack made on the garage did not appear at once. One was that young Arnold had all ready brought the touring ear into the patia~ in the absence of Haley and Kito. Another was that he and Tracy and Kito all repaired to the scene of the explosion to examine the dead mans body. They returned almost i'm nediately. but for a few moments there was no one of the house in the court. The colonel went to Keatcham in final effort to dissuade him from going into the city until after he him self had gone to the Presidio and re- turned with a guard. He represented as forcibly as he could the danger of Keatchams appearance during a time of such tumult and Iawlessness.
 We are down to the primeval pas sions now" he pleaded Do you sup pose if it had been Haley instead of that dago out there who was killed that we could have punished the murderer? Not unless we did it with our own hands. They are maybe lying in wait at the first street corner now. If you will only wait"
 Keatcham chopped off his sentence without ceremony, not irritably, but with the brusquerie of ono whose time is too precious for dilatory amenities
 "Wil the fire waltz" he demanded "Will the thieves and toughs and ruff fans whom we have to crush before they realize their strength, will they wait? This is my town, Winter. the only town l care rap for; and propose to help save 1t. 1 can. Dan. ger2 Of course there is danger there Is danger fin every battle: but do you keep out of battles where you belong because you may get killed? This is my affair, if l get killed it is in the way of business. and. cant help it. No, Arnold, 1 won't have your fathers son mixed up in my fights; you can't go"
 Somebody has got to run the ma chine, sir" insinuated young Arnold with a coaxing smile; and 1 fancy shouldn't be my fathers son if didn't look after my guest-not very long: he'd cut me out Tracy is going, too, he's armed"
 "You are not both going" said tho colonel, somebody with a head on him must stay here to guard the ladies'"
 He would have detailed both Tracy and Mercer; but Mercer could really help Keatcham better than anyone in any business arrangements which L TIT777ITE s5s