The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-10-23

ereu heau-uress Indicated, shading his
eyes with one hand.
Il reckon maybe It is, Moylan," he
acknowledged at last gravely. Those
Fellows have evidently got together;
we're going to have the biggest scrap
this summer the ole army has had yet.
Looks as though 1t was going to begin
right here--and now. See there! The
dance is on, boys; there they come;
they will try 1t on foot this time"
He tested his rifle, resting one knee
on the seat; Moylan pushed the bar
rel OF his Winchester out through the
ragged hole In the back of the coach,
and the little Mexican lay fat, his
eyes on the level with the window-cas-
ing. The girl alone remained motion
less, crouched on the floor. her white
face uplifted.
The entire field stretching to the
river was clear to the view, the short,
dry buffalo-grass Offering no conceal.
ment. To the right Of the coach. some
nifty feet away. was the only depres-
sion. a shallow gully leading down
from the blur. but this slight advan-
tage was unavailable. The sun had al.
ready dropped from view, and the
gathering twilight distorted the fe-
ures. making them almost grotesoue
In their savagery. Yet they could be
clearly distinguished. stealing silent
ly forward, guns in hand. spreading
out In wide half-oircle. obedient 70
the gestures Of Roman Nose, who, still
mounted upon his pony, was travers-
ing the river bank. his every motion
outlined against the dull CLEAN of wa.
ter behind him. From the black
depths Of the coach the three men
watched in almost breathless silence.
gripping their weapons, fascinated,
determined not to waste q shot. Con.
tales, under the strain. uttered a fierce
Spanish curse. but Hamlin crushed his
arm between iron fingers.
Keep still, you fooll" he muttered,
never glancing around. Let your gun
TALK"
The assailants came creeping on,
snakes rather than men. appearing
less and less human In the increasing
shadows. Twice the Sergeant lifted
his Henry, sighting along the brown
barrel, lowering the weapon again in
doubt of the distance. He was con-
scious of exu:tation, of a swifter pulse
of the heart, yet his nerves were like
steel, his grip steady. Only dim
neeting memory of the girl, half hid
den in the darkness behind, gave him
uneasiness-he could not turn and
look into her eyes. Roman Nose was
advancing now at the center of that
creeping half circle, hulking figure
perched on his pony's back, yet well
out Of rife range. He spread his
hands apart, clasping a blanket, look
ing like great bird tapping its wings
and the ground In front famed, the
red fare splitting the gray gloom. The
speeding bullets crashed through the
leather Of the coach, splintering the
wood; the Mexican rolled to the floor
uttering one inhuman cry, and lay mo
tionless; great volume of black
smoke wavered In the still air.
wait! Wait until they get to theil
feet!" Hamlin cried eagerly. "Ah
there they come--now unlimber."
He saw only those black, indistinc'
figures, leaping out of the smoke, con
verging on the coach, their naked
arms uplifted. their voices mingling II
savage yells. Like lightning he WORKED
his rife, heart throbbing to the ex
element, oblivious to all else; almos
without realization he heard the deep
er below of Moylan's Winchester, the
sharp bark of revolver at his very
ear Gonzales was all right, then
Good! He never thought of the girl
never saw her grip the pistol from the
Mexican's dead hand, and crawl white
faced, over his body, to that front seat
All he really knew was that those dev
lis were coming, leaping, crowdinl
through the smoke wreathes; he saw
them stumble, and rise again; he saw
one leap into the air, and then crasl
face down; he saw them break, cir
cling to right and left, crouching al
they ran. Two reached the stage
only one! One pitched forward, re
volver bullet between his eyes, hi
head wedged in the spokes of thu
wheel; the other Hamlin struck will
emptied rifie-barrel as his red hant
gripped the door, sending him sprawl
ing back into the dirt. II was all thu
work of minute, an awful minute, in
tense, breathless-then silence, tn,
smoke drifting away, the dark nigh
hiding the skulking runners.