Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-12-26
Al! He Really Knew Was That Those
Devils Wore Coming, Leapine
crowding

and soundless, except for some ones
swift, excited breathing. AS he ex
tended his cramped legs to the floor
he touched motionless body. Not
until then had be realized the posi-
bifity of death also within. He fell,
downward with one hand, his nerves
suddenly throbbing, and his finger
toached cold face-the Mexican. II
must have been that last volley, fol
he could distinctly recall the SHARP
bark of Gonzales revolver between
his own shots.
The little devil" he muttered sober
ly. 1T was squarer death than he
deserved. He was game little cock
Then he thought of Moylan, won
dering why the man did not move, or
speak. That was not like Moylan. He
bent forward. half afraid in the still.
ness, endeavoring to discover space
on the floor for both his feet He
could perceive now a distant star
showing clear through the ragged
opening jabbed in the back of the
coach. but no outline of the suffers
burly shoulders.
!, ''Moylan!" he called, hardly above 4
whisper What is the trouble? Have
you been hit, MANI"
There was no answer, no responding
sound, and he stood up. reaching kind
ly over across the seat. Then he
knew. and felt shudder run through
him from head to foot Bent double
over the iron back of the middle seat,
with hands still gripping his hot rifle,
the man hung, limp and lifeless. Al
most without realizing the act, Ham
lin lifted the heavy body, laid it down
upon the cushion. and unclasped the
dead fingers gripping the Winchester
stock
Every shot gone." he whispered to
himself dazedly, every shot gone!
Amt that hell!"
Then it came to him in a sudden
flash of inteliigence-he was alone;
alone except for the girl. They were
out there yet. skulking in the night,
planning revenge, those savage foe
men-Arapahoes. Cheyennes, Ogallas.
They had been beaten back, defeated.
smitten with death, but they We're In
dams still. They would come back for
the bodies Of their slain. and then
what? They could not know Who were
living, who dead, in the coach; yet
must have discovered long since that
1T had only contained three defenders.
They would guess that ammunition
would be limited. His knowledge of
the fighting tactics of the Plains
tribes gave clear vision of what would
probably occur. They would wait,
scattered out In wide circle from
bluff to bluff, lying snake-like in the
grass. Some of the holder might creep
in to drag away the bodies of dead
warriors, risking chance shot, but
there would be no open attack in the
dark. That would be aterse to all In
dian strategy, all precedent Even
now the mournful wailing had ceased /;
Roman Nose had rallied his warriors,
instilled into them his own uncon.
rguerable savagery, and set them on
watch. With the first gray dawn they
would come again, leaping to the
'coach's wheels. yelling, triumphant,
mad with new ferocity--and he was
alone. except for the; girl. AK M
And where was she? He felt for
her on the floor. but only touched the
Mexican's feet. He had to lean across
the seat where Moylan's body lay
shrouded in darkness. before his crop
ing fingers came in contact with the
skirt of her dress. She was on the
front seat. close to the window;
against the lightness of the outer sky
her head seemed lying upon the wood
en- frame. She did not move, he could
not even tell that she hrea+bad and