The Press., 1914-12-09

worked in silence. not even protesting against the stopping of the stage.
 Not so the two officers against the tree
 "For heavens sake.' cried one hoarsely. "get out of there, you men. and stop this outrage. This man is our prisoner suspected horse thief from Sleepy Fork-and we were taking him to Circle to the federal jail when these men took him from us hy force! Get out and do sOmethng!'
 All left the stage except the travel ing man, who crouched back in one corner. and later when the party re- turned he was found in faint AS the bully got out he tried to edge around so as to get behind some of the others as much as possible.
 The big black guns i'll the holsters of the bully attracted the eyes of the sheriff.
 "I deputize youy" he yelled. Cut these ropes and give me a gun! Stop themr'
 "Why-why''- said the bully, "why this hain't"-
 At this moment the rope sailed over the high limb, fell, swung, was caught by d dozen eager hands and snatched taut ill an instant
 The eight masked men stepped back all together. took good grip, their hands reaching high along the rope, and, lifting one foot each for purchase and start, heaved hard away.
 The rancher was old in the ways of n. IN0 e,fn ell ing unarmed, only his dilating, kindfg eyes showing his horror. The bully was agape with his hands up, trans fixed in the presence of death.
 Only the slim, handsome woman be- hind them was keenly alive, it seemed. As that tragic line swayed tautly back ward and down her two white hands, from which she had stripped the gloves, reached forward. The sens- tive fingers closed caressingly around the gun butts at the bully's hips, there was flash of gun metal, a spring of the slim blue clad figure to one side, and the next instant the hills awoke to thunder as the horse thief rose, struggling, in the air.
 The first shot, perceptible second apart. was for the spokesman who GOV cred the two men and the driver on the box, and it sent his gun hurting against the rocks of the roadside.
 Then, in such swift succession as to seem a roaring volley, the black guns spoke together, and one by one, like leaves falling in wind, every second hand dropped, red and shattered, from the rope above their heads.
 The miserable thing at the ropes end fell to the earth in heap.
 Tells. screams, curses rose in fan tastic clamor as five men flung useless arms in panic. The others, their grip so low as to be shielded by their com rades' bodies, sprang away.
 Don't move," said clear voice cut tingly. "I have few shots left
 She nodded to the rancher.
 Loosen that rope on that mans neck. Thanks. Now the officers
 "Now," said the woman at last, you may go-all of you. And don't look back
 Without protest the masked line strung out grotesque procession ana disappeared down the white road, it's progress marked by trailing sprinkles in the dust.
 Then speech broke out among those left, and the officers and the old driver were for almost groveling before her.
 What nerve! Where do you come fromY'
 But the woman only smiled and would answer nothing.
 She- handed the black guns to the gun man with smile.
 "The west hain't what it was" she said. "It's ben spilled by these John- ny Easterns!"
 But the bully had no word. He sim ply climbed up on the boot beside the driver.
 At sundown the stage numbered into the forgotten town among the moun- tains. The woman looked wistfully around with the light of dim remem- bered things in her eyes.
 As they alighted at the tumbledown shack that had once been Meadow Mines hotel the rancher took off his hat as he helped her out. "I may be buttin' in on what you don't want to talk about" he said, 'but I've seen Big Bill Daily shoot the buttons off bad mans vest, am he had draw like no ones in the world-a sort of flip an flourish. You thrOwed his draw"
 His bright. kindly eyes held an un. spoken question.
 The woman smiled.
 "Why shouldn't I?" she said calmly. ''I'm his daughter. He taught me how to shoot before he died ten years ago"