Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1913-08-14
CHAPTER XXI.
The eIrI and the Man.

y
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 bocy
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
rifle. 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 closer shot? Keen-eyed, res
olute, the Sergeant determined to
take no chances. The rifle came to a
level-a squirt of flame, sharp re-
port, and the pony staggered to its
knees, and sank, bearing its helpless
burden with it. 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 whirliRg
| between.
"All right-damn you-you've got
mep he said sullenly.
Hamlin never moved, except to snap
out the emptied cartridge.
"Unbutton that coat" he command
ed tersely. Now turn around. No
shooting iron, hey! That's rather
careless of gun-man." >'
He dropped his rifle, 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 it 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 a half.frozen
hand. And Hughes, his eyes already
glazing in death, saw only the two fig
ures. In that moment hate triumphed
oyer cowardice; he could not distin-
ghish 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 a muscle. Hughes, screaming out
one oath, sank back into a 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 frs to
comprehend what had occurred. He
was saved as by 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
"All wish is that I'd been the one
to kill YER" he growled savagely, grin
ming down. Hell Of a good shot
though l reckon the blame foo
: meant 1t for me-" He threw the rife
, forward, In readiness, and moved eau
J tiously over toward Hughes.
, "Deader than a door-nail," he nut
l tered, pressing back the buffalo coat
5 and staring contemptuously down int
the white. staring face. 81 wonder how
t that coward ever happened to be her,
' laying out for me, reckon!"
!. He Strengthened up and laughed
}. glancing furtively about.
/. Some good joke that. The Who'll
4 outfit cleaned out, and me twent
s thousand to the good" feeling insid
l. his coat to make sure. ITS there al
:. right. Well, goodbye. boys. Their
3, don't seem to be nothing here for m
& to stay for"
p He caught the straying pony an
q swung I'D into the saddle, glance