The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-02-28

perately TOT plan OF rescue ana eh-
cape.
In that passing second or two there
had been no sound-no word from him
at the door; no whisper even from her
at my side, who, like myself, sat dumb
and inert, stricken to stone by the sud
denness Of the attack. But for a sec
ond or two only this silence and in
ertia lasted.
That which ensued was coincident.
AS though the step had been prear-
ranged, the three actors moved in con-
cert. The hand which held the weap-
on advanced a dozen inches or more.
Synchronously my foot. lifted with all
the accuracy and power of my under
graduate football days. met the intrud-
ing revolver and sent II spinning
against the vehicles upholstered top
simultaneously, Evelyn screamed. And
even as her voice rang out, high and
shrlll; even as that lethal object Of
chill-hardened steel spun upward. the
light wac switched suddenly OF and
we were in grumous darkness.
1t was she who, pressing the button
at her side, had dropped over us this
mantle of invisibllity no less obscur-
ing than the tabled Hell Keplein; and
1t was she, too, who now opened the
other door Of the brougham, and with
murmured: Come! Hurryl" drew
me after her into the dread uncertain
ty Of an environment OF which we
knew nothing.
The gloom without was scarcely less
thick than that within. OF my FIVE
senses, therefore, all keenly alert, that
OF sight told me nothing; but my ears
and nostrils, aided and abetted by
my perception of sodden planking be-
meath my feet, informed me that we
had alighted in a stable. The sound
OF pounding hoofs echoed from near
by stalls and unmistakable equine
doors were strongly pervasive.
Upon my hearing there fell, too. as
We fed, the high-pitched nasal cackle
OF excited and perplexed celestials,
whose eyes, dazzled by the brougham's
lamps, failed to follow us into that OBJ
security which lay In the wake Of the
conveyance, and through which. hand
In hand, Evelyn and l crept crouch
ingly toward the street, our hearts
hammering but our breathing smoth-
cred lest 1t betray our whereabouts
and precipitate pursuit.
II in our fond fancy we expected
an unimpeded way, however. our ex-
pectations were not realized. Where
the darkness was densest there rose
an obstruction. From out Of the black
pair OF arms encircled me-a pair of
arms, long, sinewy and muscular,
which frightened about me with a sud
den vise-like pressure, holding me pow
erless. My hold Of Evelyn's hand was
thus abruptly sundered, and though
she could not see, she sensed the en-.
counter. Once more she screamed
High and shrill her young voice rose
above the noise Of the stamping horses
and the quantity strident chatter of
the confused Mongolians. 1t was not
80 much mere cry of alright as 1t
was an appeal for help. And It met
with surprisingly prompt response.
Before its echo had died, the double
sliding doors which separated our
stable dungeon from the sidewalk
were swept swiftly apart, admitting
the revealing CLEAN from a street
lamp across the way, and admitting
) too, the husky, commanding figure OF
man with raised revolver, followed
} by mob Of neighborhood denizens
attracted by the unusual and excited
by the girls penetrating vociferation
Quickly as l had been seized, even
mora quickly was l released. The en-
circling arms fell away instantly, and
the giant who had held me turned
with an oath Of defiance and confront
ed the invaders. In both oath and at
titude there was reminder OF soms
thing heard and seen before; and
treading upon the heels of reminder
came recognition. 1t was Philetus
Murphy. red and burly, who now tow
cred menacingly above our armed
savior 1t was Philetus Murphy who
swinging viciously for his adversary't
: jaw, staggered back the same instant
his arm dropping and a bullet in his
shoulder.
For moment following the shot
there was dead silence. Then came
pandemonium. The mob, already aug
: mented from a score to a hundred
surged into the stable as a spring food
surges over broken dams. With Eve
Ign In a corner behind me fought
off the crowding, believing throng
while Murphy lay groaning at our feet
and his assailant, who, when once his
face met the light. discovered wal
O'Hara, my own detective, smashed
, | La