Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1915-05-13


to lead the way with Texas.
AS deliberately she set herself to
work upon the bandits susceptibility
TO her charms.
Within an hour she had him ready
to do anything to win her smile.
In that first rush Of golden day a.
thwart the land. the party came quietly
into the town of Mesa. riding slowly in
order that the noise OF their approach
might not warn the fugitiyes. who
Hopi asserted confidently would still
be sound asleep in the accommoda-
lions offered by the towns one hotel.
1t was to be termed town only In
courtesy. this Mesa: struggling
street OF shacks, ramshackle relics Of
what had once been a promising COM
munity. the halfway station between
the railroad and the mining camps
secreted In the Businesses of the Paint
ed hills-camps now abandoned. their
very names almost faded out Of the
memory of mankind.
Midway in this string Of edifices the
hotel stood-a rough, implanted, wood
en- ediflce, mainly veranda and bar
room as to Its lower floor.
jealousy Judith watched the win
dows of the second floor: and she
alone of the four detected the face that
showed for one brief instant well back
In the shadows beyond one of the bed
room windows face that glimmered
| mo 70 r{1u xtyffh ho Of n
ghosts against the background Of that
obscurity, and then was gone.
Her eyes alone, indeed. could have
recognized the features OF Alan Law
in that fugitive glimpse.
Two sentences exchanged between
whom he reused from sodden slumbers
behind the bar sealed their confidence
with conviction: the three fugitives
were In fact guests of the house, &C.
cupying two OF the three rooms that
composed It's upper story.
In the rush that followed up the
narrow stairway, Judith led with such
spirit that not even Marrophat sus-
pected her revolver was poised solely
with intent to shoot from his hand his
own revolver the instant he leveled
1t at human target
Closed and locked doors confronted
them; and their summons educed no
response; while the first door, when
broken in by whole-souled kick. dis
covered nothing more satisfactory
than an empty room, its bed bearing
the imprint OF a woman's body. but
that woman gone.
From the one window, looking down
the side Of the house. Texas announced
that the woman had not escaped by
jumping out.
SO 1t seemed that the three must
have had warning OF their arrival.
after all; and presumably were now
herded together in the adjoining room.
which looked out over the veranda
roof, waiting in fear and trembling
Tor the assault that must soon come
and In fact Immediately did.
But 1t met with more stubborn re-
sistance than had been anticipated
Inc door had been barricaded from
within - REINFORCED by furniture
placed against it, Four minutes and
the united efforts OF four men (includ-
Ing the bleary loafer of the barroom)
were required to overcome its inert re-
slstance. But even when it was down.
the room was found to be as empty as
the first.
Only the fingers OF two hands grin
~ H..
showed the way the fugitives had
nown; and these vanished instantly az
the room was invaded.
Followed swift rush of hoofs down
the dusty street, and a chorus of bias
phemy In the hotel hallway: for Ju-
dith had headed the concerted rush
for the staircase and contrived IN
block 1t for full half minute by pre-.
tending to stumble and twist her
ankle.
In spite OF that alleged injury. abe
never limped, and wasn't a yard he.
nind the first who broke from the
hotel to the open, nor yet appreciabIv
behind him In vaulting to saddle
Well up the road cloud of smoky
dust half obscured the shapes of three
VINO rode for their very lives.
The pursuit was on in a twinkI,no
and well bunched-Marrophat's mount
leading by nose, Judith second. Hopi
Jim and Texas but little in the rear
And In the first rush they seemed TO |
gain; moment by moment thew drew
up on the flying cloud OF dust.
judith heard an oath mutterad ho
SIDE her and saw Marrophat Jerking q
revolver from its holster. The weanon
swept up and to a level; but as the |
hammer fell. Judith's horse caromed
heavily against the other, swinging n |
half dozen feet aside, and DETECTING
the bullet hopelessly.
The shock OF collision WAS so oroo.
that Marrophat kept his seat with dis
ncuity. He turned toward Judith
face livid with rage.
simultaneously. as II taking the sho,
~ the signal for fusillade. Jud,th
saw Alan lean back over his horses
rump and open fire.
An instant later his companion po
O. ~ IL