Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-12-30

In shadowy. almost impalpable shapes.
and as the first dropped inside and
started on at a %crouching trot she
aimed quickly but steadily and fired.
A little cry Of primitive and savage
Joy sprang from her lips as she saw
the mar plunge forward in the half
light and lie there rolling on the
ground.
But at that warning the others
leaped down and came on at a run.
The tempo quickened and became con-
fusing. They were firing as they ran
and their answering bullets pelted
against her barrier and over her head
on the walls. She heard window panes
shivering and glass falling. and yet
her citation grew-two more advancing
figures had crumpled into inert
masses. Unless there were reinforce
ments she would stem their oncoming
tide. Even a mountain marksman a n
not target his shots well while he is
running and under fire. 1t takes
championship ~sprinting to do fifty
yards in five s~econds-on the smooth
ness of a cinder path.
Uphill in a constant spit of fire
and lead it requires a little longer.
There were only two left now, and
one of them suddenly veered and
made for the cover of a hickory trunk
off to one side-he was in full flight.
But the other cam on, throwing the
rifle away and shifting his heavy mag
azine pistol to his right hand.
1t was easy now, thought the girl
she could take her time and be very
sure.
Yet she shot and missed, and the
man came on with the confidence OF
one who wears a talisman and fears
no harm. Now he was almost at the
steps and his pistol was barking vi
ciously-then suddenly something in
the mechanism of Juanita's rifle
jammed and it lay useless and dead
in her hands. She struggled with it,
frantically jerking the lever, but be-
fore she had conquered it's baking
o~bstinacy she saw the oncoming figure
leap up the steps at one stride and
thrust his weapon forward over the
table. She even caught the glitter Of
his teeth as a snarling smile parted
his lips.
Then a rifle spoke behind her-a
rife in the hands of the mai who had
dragged himself to the firing line, and
with his foot ON the threshold Jim
Fletcher reeled backward and rolled
lumberingly down the steps to the
ground.
"You got him!" she screamed. you
got him, Anse!"
1t had been perhaps five minutes
since she had called out to the men
in the road, but it seemed to her that
she had sustained a long siege. She
saw the man who had fled crossing
the fence and disappearing. Then
very slowly she rose and turned to
the room again.
Anse Havey was lying on his face
and the gun with which he had killed
Jim Fletcher lay by his side, but his
posture was so rigid and his limbs
so motionless that the girl caught at
her breast and reeled backward. She
would have fallen had she not been
supported by the table. Had the fight
been lost, after all?
Slowly, and in a daZe of reaction
, and fright, she moved forward and
!, turned his body over and laid her cal
to his heart.
1t was still beating. The rife had
only jolted his weak and pain-rackeC
body into unconsclousness, and as she
held his head to her breast her eyes
went about the room, where the pal
lid light was stealing now, and by tht
mantel she saw hanging the horn thai
Jerry Everson had given her.
Why had she not thought Of that be
fore? she asked herself accusingly
Why had she not sent its call TO.
! help out across the hills long ago
Then there came back to her mind thu
/, words of the mountain man when h
: had brought it over and had initiates
: the Havey battle-call.
Don't never blow thet unlessen y
, wants ter start hell. When them call
goes out acrost the mountains ever
!, Havey tibet kin tote a guns got tie
:, git up an come"
If ever there had been a time whet
every Havey should come it was thi
u time. She laid Anse's head once NOR
= on the cushions and went to the mar
tel. Then, standing In the door, sh
{ drew a long breath.
:. She set the horn to her lips an
q blew. Out across the melting vague
! ness of the dim world floated the thre
long blasts and the three short one
u She waited a little while and BILE
again. That signal could not reac
Anse Havey's own house, because tn
ridge would send 1t echoing back in
9 shattered wave Of sound. 1t would /
), better heard to the east, and after
time there came back to her waitin
lie ears, very low and distant, yet yer
s. clear, an answer.
1t came from the house Of Milt M
n Briar, and Juanita's heart, torn an
r. anxious as it was, leaped, for 81
OF knew that for the first time in Il
I'd memory of man the Havey call
arms had been heard and was beir
ne answered by chief Of the McBriar
at and that as fast as horses could carr
We them he and his men would bring su
ey cor.
ID An hour later, when the mounta
slopes were unwilling in miracles
", iridescence and tender color, your
,r. Milt McBriar and his escort flu
ey themselves from their steamil