The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1914-01-17
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Well. he ct too. ms recall It
now"
Yes, yes | don't mean that
way. Ho drank whisky-think OF
It.
Il often do" said Shorty. licking
his lips
We heard no was dead" she con.
tinued sadly. IL nearly killed
mother. and as soon as my school
closed came out To sell the mine.
Swinging past an elbow In the
trail they sagged rafting down
across a gully. thence up gentle
rise where the horses slowed. Az
they topped this. the girl shrieked
muffledly.
TWO figures had risen from the
top OF the bank. armed, masked
and sinister One. the familiar
form OF Black Bart. tall. debonair
hooking. Tho other. n stranger
whom shorty had never seen be
fore. Each carried Winchester
the elder man holding his loosely
In his followed arm; the other
half leyeled In tho position for
quick action.
Before tho horses had reared al
the back pull. the little man had
rrasped these points aud rwore
again at the luck which sent two
men against him on this OF all days
II had come too suddenly for him
10 formulate plan OF action
Moreover. Il wae contrary TO all
precedent for n driver TO assume
ether than passive duties, he
doubted whether road etiquet per.
mitted Il. SIN, II was quite i'm.
possible that the little lady should
lose her fortune.
As these thoughts hurried
through his brain he likewise
weighed the odds against him
Even though he got one. the other
would kin him where he sat Bart
he knew for n deadly shot. where
as the stranger seemed oddly
shRken-regular bnck.fever appar.
emily. from his trembling. Also.
rage had flashed blIndingly over
him NJ the mocking words Of the
desp.rado oh Better cargo
than bullion this trip. Shorty.
You've brought me sweetheart.
shr"
He had cooled ever before his
weight on the brake brought them
TO stand Az the reinE eaEed
his hand slid suddenly to holster
and the oyergrown gun leapcd
forth. roaring ns 4, came Bart's
Winchester rang whirllng from his
grasp.
As the driver fired, he writhed
IN bis seat. expecting the blow Of
the Others ball II did not come.
Swinging. he fired again. and the
stranger swayed gropingly out over
the bank and slid Imply down into
the road. amid rattle OF gravel
and stones Bart snatched at his
rifle and lcapcd to cover behind tho
powders OF the hillside. moving
with the quick iliheness OF n
panther.
"A tho bandit lodged out OF
range Shorty leaped down.
Here get inside. quick" and
the girl flung herself into his arms.
Oh, the indescribable sweetness
OF that moment. lie had held n
woman--a real. regular woman-on
hls breast The boys would swear
he was a liar II he ever told.
Thrustlng her inside. he ran for.
ward to the figure that lay IN the
road by the heads OF the snorting
horses. As he did 40, the man
raised uncertainty upon one elbow
the mask. bandarna kerchief
still hiding his features. Blood
trickled out Of his hair from a thin
cash over one ear.
lie snatchcd the long neckcloth
from hts own throat. and. rolling
the man roughly on his face. drew
his arms together. knotting his
wrists at the back lie worked
with fury. glancing up the noun.
tainside. where. on the bare ridge.
he saw the figure 81 Black Bart
running westward along It's crest.
paralieling the direction they would
take.
Disregarding his victims rroans.
the dwarf swung him over his
great shoulders and rushed at the
stage. Hurting him abruptly In
upon the girl. he slammed the door.
He lnshed the horses down the
dizzy trail. while above and far b.
the right he saw the vanishing
outlaw Pickering through the
scattered pines.
Az they rocked around the nose
OF the last bluff he yelled again.
for ahead OF him and midway down
the zigzag sheep trail was Black
Bart. literally dropping off the
vertical elf. from crag to crag.
Hope he gets me stead OF a
horse" thought the driver III
he drops one ~ them we'll 40 over
the mountainside like n rocket"
Bart knelt. resting his weapon
over the crook OF his folded arm.
The splnters bit off from the seat
at Shorty's side. Then they both
fired
Thank God. he amt trying for
the team" thought the dwarf. and
as they drew together he beheld
the others face. and saw that rage
rioted there so sayagely that IL