Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1914-11-28

Ahead in the road stood man, GOV,
ering him with a gun. He had not ever
taken the trouble to mask his face
AT the right, little higher up, another
man waited, and on ahead in the road
a third sat on horseback. 1t was q
formidable layout. Billy saw that in.
stantly. II one didn't get him the
others would.
For breathless second his quick
brain turned the situation ON every
side. His dreams scattered like wind.
blown snow. There was not ghost
OF chance. He was as good as gone
If he resisted. He started to lay down
the ribbons and lift his hands And
Just then very strange thing hap
pened
Across his mind came the terms OF
his pledge to the government,
According to the lines of his mouth
Billy was creature of within. Now.
ne hesitated, and a flood of unaccus-
toned sensations passed over him.
lie was responsible for that box. He
suddenly remembered what had not
bothered him before, that he was in
vested with the majesty of the law.
A feeling of responsibility fell upon
MIN, novel In its strangeness, and
quick as thought he had taken his
course. Dropping forward on the box,
he caught the lines between his knees,
yelled to the horses, and jerked his
rifle to his shoulder. The leaders
sprang forward.
AT the second jump the off leader
went down. With the lurch of the
sudden stop, Billy landed in a heap
between the wheelers. He was on his
knees instantly and firing under Black
Toms quiyering flank,
The man in the road located him in
second, and dropping to one knee,
began searching for him with hot
lead. The two others withheld their
lire. They had plenty of time, and
evidently expected the leader to do for
Billy easily.
But ramping devil danced In the
yellow-gray eyes, and all the blood In
the slight body was up. Billy leaned
little lower, bringing his face full in
view of the man in the road, aimed
coolly among the dancing horses and
got his man. The fellow shot to his
feet, fired wild ball, and dropped like
lead.
The near wheeler was down, bleed.
ing from dozen holes and crying
piteously. That sound rent Billy's
soul, for he loved horse He sprang
to his feet as the two other des-
peradoes closed in.
Come on, you dirty devils!" he
cried, standing in the open between
the horses.
AS he spoke, thrill of fire ran up
his arm and red ribbon waved sud-
denly down his shoulder But nothing
short of death itself could have
stopped him now. Give and take, give
and take, it was an uneven game oil
two to one. The man on the horse dis
mounted and used the horse as a
shield, working closer, firing around
it.
Billy threw down his repeating-rifle
and fell back on the two guns at his
hips. The range was grimly near.
He felt no fear, neither pity for the
heap in the road ahead, only fury
that steadied his hand.
This was a fine ending to his
dreams, but somehow he would not
have it otherwise. He was conscious
of weird, fierce joy, as of something
he had read about, the joy of men on
fields of honor, of heroes dying for
their country. The whimsical mouth
quivered even as he fired.
But the Fates stood near, as they
always do when a strange issue is at
stake. The fellow on the hillside
reaching for a revolver in his belt
never drew it. Instead, he threw up
his empty hand, and whirled rolling
down the rocks.
Billy whooped and turned full to-
ward the last.
"Now!" he cried, now! An even
break"
With one hand he loosened the
traces of Black Tom, shooting with
the other. 1t was a feat to get the
horse unlocked in front, but a very
spirit of daring seemed to dominate
him. He was hit again in the process
but managed to mount. The big
wheeler, thoroughly terrified, leaped
ahead.
Billy guided him straight at the
horse in the road and they cannoned
into it with mighty force. 1t stumbled
aside, broke away, and left its ridel
under Black Toms feet. The latter
threw his empty gun at Billy's head
The fight was over.
There was sudden silence, and nc
movement. Then Billy turned to the
last of the stage robbers, who stood
defiantly.
Get out" he said abruptly, "two's
enough. Catch your horse and co."
At half past five that day, the drive,