The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-09-18
CHAPTER XXI.

ward, grasping the name desperately,
a stream of blood dyeing his blanket
as the animal dashed across the val
ley. Dupont had whirled the girls
horse to the left, and. with her body
as shield, was attempting to escape.
Already he was too far away to make
a revolver shot safe. Hamlin arose to
his knees, and picked up the dropped
rife. His lips were pressed tight; his
eyes full Of grim determination. Why
didn't Dupont fire? Could 1t be he was
unarmed? Or was he hoping by delay
to gain a closer shot? Keen-eyed, res
olute, the Sergeant determined to
take no chances. The rifle came to a
level-a squirt of flame. a sharp re-
port. and the pony staggered to Its
knees, and sank, bearing it's helpless
burden with 1t. Dupont let go his grip
on the rein, and stood upright, clearly
outlined against the white hillside,
staring back toward the kneeling Ser
geant, the faint smoke cloud whirling
between.
"All right-damn you-you've got
met" he said sullenly.
Hamlin never moved, except to snap
out the emptied cartridge.
"Unbutton that coat" he command
ed tersely. Nov turn around. No
shooting iron, hey! That's rather
careless of a gun.man."
He dropped his rife, and strobe for
ward revolver In hand, glancing curl
ously at the dead Indian as he passed.
A Rata hung to the pommel Of sad
die. and he paused to shake 1t loose,
uncoiling the thin rope, but with
watchful eyes constantly on his pris-
oner. He felt no fear Of Dupont, now
that he knew the fellow to be un-
armed, and the wounded Indian had
vanished over the ridge. Yet Dupont
was powerful man, and desperate
enough to accept any chance. Some
thing in the sullen, glowing face con-
fronting him awoke the Sergeant to
caution. He seemed to sense the plan
Of the other, and stopped suddenly,
slipping the rope through his fingers.
He swung the coil about his head,
measuring the distance, every faculty
concentrated on the toss. He had for
gotten Hughes lying In the snow be.
hind; he neither saw nor heard the
fellow scramble weakly to his knees,
revolver outsretched in half.frozen
hand. And Hughes. his eyes already
glazing in death, saw only the two fig
ures. In that moment hate triumphed
over cowardice; he could not distin-
guish which was Dupont, which Ham
lin. In the madness of despair he
cared little-only he would kill some
one before he died. His weapon
wavered frantically as he sought to
aim, the man holding himself up by
one hand. Dupont, facing that way,
saw this apparition, and leaped aside,
stumbling over the dead pony. Hughes
weapon belched, and Hamlin, the las
so whirling above him In the air,
pitched forward, and came crashing
down into the snow.
1t was all the work of an instant. a
wild, confused bit, SO rapidly enacted
as to seem unreal even to the partici-
pants. Hamlin lay motionless, bare
ly conscious of living, yet unable to
stir muscle. Hughes, screaming out
one oath, sank back into heap, his
frozen fingers still gripping his smok-
Ing weapon. Then Dupont rose eau
tiously to his knees, peering forth
across the dead body Of the pony. The
man was unnerved, unable at first to
comprehend what had occurred. He
was saved as by a miracle, and his
great form shook from head to foot.
Then, as his eyes rested on the out
stretched body Of the Sergeant, hate
conquered every other feeling; he
staggered to his feet, picked up the
gun lying in the snow, walked across
and brutally kicked the PROSTATE
| form. There was no response, nc
movement.
GAIL wish is that I'd been the one
to kill YER" he growled savagely, grin
ming down. Hell of good shot
though reckon the blame fool
meant 1t for me-" He threw the rife
forward, In readiness, and moved eau
tiously over toward Hughes.
"Deader than door-nail," he NUT
tered, pressing back the buffalo coat
and staring CONTEMPORARY down into
the white, staring face. II wonder how
that coward ever happened to be here
laying out for me. l reckon!"
He Strengthened up and laughed
glancing furtively about.
Some good joke that, The whole
outfit cleaned out, and me twent,
thousand to the good" feeling inside
his coat to make sure. Its there al
right. Well, goodbye, boys, there
don't seem to be nothing here for nj
to stay for"
He caught the straying pony ant
swung up into the saddle, glanced
about once more at the motionles'