The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-11-23

Keith. Say, Jack, what do you figure
this shebang to be, anyhow? You
don't reckon it's old Sanchezs outfit
do yer?"
Likely as not, Joe, though | nevet
Jaw him around here"
Joe filled his cheek with tobacco,
staring about through the darkness.
| We'll, II that oil cuss is yere now
we'uns is sure in fer a fight" he oom.
mented positively
They rounded the corral fence on
hands and knees, crawled into q bunch
pushes somewhat to the rear OF the
silent desolate-appearing cabin, and
| lay down fiat behind a pile OF saddlea,
from which position they could plain
| " discern the rear door There was
no movement, no evidence anywhere
that living soul was about the place
Keith could barely distinguish that II
was Bristoe lying next to him.
Had their camp over there in the
corner of the corral when | was here
before" he said In whisper Where
DO you suppose they can be now?"
The wary scout lifted his head
smiling into the darkness like point
er dog.
West O. Their cabin thar, out o. Their
wind. most likely. | smell tobacco"
Even as the words left his lips a
man came sauntering slowly around
the eastern corner, his outlines barely
visible, but the red glow OF a pipe
bowl showing plainly. He stopped, d.
rectly facing them, yawning sleepily.
and then turned the other corner.
Another moment and they distinctly
heard voice:
Hustle up thar now, Manuel an
turn out; it's your watch; wake UP,
dam yer-maybe thatll bring yet ter
life"
The remedy applied to the sleeper
must have been efncacious, as, an In
slant later, another figure slouched
into view, the new arrival rubbing
his eyes with one hand, the other
clutching short-barrelled gun. From
the high peak of his hat 1t was evil
dent this new guard was Mexican.
He walked to the corner, glanced
along the east side wall toward the
front OF the cabin, and then, apparent.
ly satisfied the coast was clear, start.
ed toward the stream, shutting along
within a foot of where Keith lay fiat
on the ground. A moment later the men
heard him splashing softly In the wa.
ter. and Keith rolled over, his lips
at Bristoe's ear
Slip down there, Ben" he whis-
pered, ''and quiet that fellow. I'll find
out how many are on the west side.
Do the job without any noise"
He waited until the scout had dis.
appeared like snake, not even q
rustling leaf telling OF his passage,
an< then silently crept forward him.
self. yet with less caution, until he
was able to peer about the corner OF
the cabin and dimly distinguish the
hlanketed forms OF several men lying
close in against the side wall They
rested so nearly together It was diff.
cult to separate them In that dark.
ness, stars giving the only light, but
he finally determined their number at
five. Five; the Mexican would make
six, and there would surely be another
guard posted out In the front-seven.
But there were eight horses down
there In the corral. Then the eighth
maH-Hawley, without doubt-must
be in the cabin. At the thought
Keith's teeth clinched, and he had to
struggle to control his passion. But
no; that would never do; he must dis
cover first exactly where the girl was
located; after that they would attend
to the ours. Before creeping back to
the others, he made quick examina-
ton along the rear of the cabin, but
could find no visible point of weak
ness. He tried to recall from memory
the nature of the lock on that back
door. but could remember nothing ex-
cept an ordinary wooden latch. II
he could insert knife into the crack
that might very easily be dislodged.
He drew his hunting knife for the at
tempt. and. first glancing about, per-
ceived man creeping toward him. II
proved to be Bristoe.
Fixed the greaser all right, cap,
and l reckon he'll be quiet for an hour
or two. Look whar he slashed me;
struck a pack O. playin' keerds, err id
a got my ticket" The front of his
blouse was cut wide Open and Keith
thought he perceived a stain OF blood.
"Pricked you as 1t was, didn't he?"
Opened the skin. Thought the cuss
had given up, an got careless. What's
round to the west?'
Keith's lips closed. his hand shut
ting hard on the knife.
Five, and another out In front;
that leaves the eighth man inside.
Bring our fellows up closer. and post
them where they can cover those se.-
lows asleep. while make an effort at
breaking in here"
Bristoe crawled back like a snail.
and confident the others would do their
part, Keith thrust his knife blade deep
into the narrow crack and began prob
ing after the latch. In spite of all eau
ton this effort caused a slight noise,
and suddenly he started back at the
sound of womans voice:
What DO you want? am armed,
and viii fire through the door II you
do not go away"
His heart leaping with exultation.
Keith put his lips close to the crack.
Hope" he exclaimed as loudly as
he dared. This is Keith; open the