The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-11-17

Turn aroundp ordered the harsh
voice.
The big, dark stranger, the bearded
one who had whispered to his COM
rade in the bar-room and asked
Duane to drink, had him covered with
q cooked gun. He strobe forward,
his eyes cleaning, pressed the gun
against him, and with his other hand
Owed into his inside pocket and tore
out his roll of bills. Then he reached
low at Duane's hip, felt his gun, and
took it. His comrade stood in the
door with a gun leveled at two other
men, who stood there frightened,
/ speechless.
1 "Git a move on, Bill" called this
fellow; and he took a hasty glance
backward. A stamp of hoofs came
from outside. OF course the robbers
had horses waiting. The one called
Bill strobe across the room, and with
brutal, careless haste began to prod
the two men with his weapon and to
search them. The robber in the door
way called "Rustle !" and disappeared.
Duane wondered where the inn
keeper was, and Colonel Longstreth
and the other two passengers. The
bearded robber had wheeled once
more. Duane had not moved muscle,
but stood perfectly calm with his arms
high. The robber strobe back with
his bloodshot eyes fastened upon the
girls. Miss Longstreth never f1inched,
but the little girl appeared about to
faint.
"Don't zap, therew he said. low
and hard. He thrust the gun close to
Ruth. Duane had little gun in his
pocket. The robber had missed it.
And he began to calculate chances.
"Any money, jewelry, diamonds!'
ordered the ruffian. fiercely.
Miss Ruth collapsed. Then he
made at Miss Longstreth. She stood
with her hands at her breast. Evil
IDENTIFY the robber took this position |
to mean that she had valuables con-
cealed there. But Duane fancied she
had instinctively pressed her hands
against throbbing heart.
Come out with tr' he said, harsh
ly, reaching for her.
Don't dare touch met" she cried, |
her eyes ablaze. She did not move. |
She had nerve. She eluded two |
lunges the man made at her. Then |
his rough hand caught at her waist,
and with one pull ripped it asunder, |
exposing her beautiful shoulder, white
as snow.
She cried out. The prospect of be-
ing robbed or even killed had not
shaken Miss Longstreth's nerve as
had this brutal tearing off of half
her waist.
The ruffian was only turned par
TALLY away from Duane. The gun was
still held dangerously upward close
to her. Duane watched only that.
Then below made him jerk his head.
Colonel Longstreth stood In the door
way in magnificent rage He had
no weapon. Strange how he showed
no fear! He beloved something
again
Duane's shifting glance caught the
robbers sudden movement He SEEM
ed stricken. The hand that clutched
Miss Longstreth's torn waist loosened
is hold. The other hand with its
.ocked weapon slowly dropped till it
,ointed to the floor. That was
0uane's chance.
Swift as flash he drew his gun I
md fred. Then the robbers gun
,oomed harmlessly- He fell with
,lood squirting over his face. Duane
'ushed out of the room, across the
,atio. through the bar to the yard.
n the gloom stood a saddled horse,
the one belonging to the
elbow he had shot. His ccmrade had
escaped. Returning to the sitting
DOM, Duane found condition ap-
pandemonium. /
The innkeeper was shouting to find
ut what had happened Joel, the Y
was trying to quiet the
len who had been robbed. The wo- n
ian, wife of one of the men, had II
Jme in, and she had Mysteries. The II
iris were still and white. The rob- HI
err Bill lay where he had fallen. Like III
Gagged lion Longstreth stalked and III
pared. There came quieter mo-
eDI III WHICH Lie luAhccPci SAhhiS
-otested:
"Man, what're you ravin' ABBOTT!
obody's hurt, an thet's lucky.
wear to God 1 hadn't nothin' to do
it'll them fellers y
II ought to kill you anyhow" re- II
led Longstreth. And his voice now
Duane, it was SO full OF
wer.
Upon examination Duane found
at his bullet .aad furrowed the rob- l.
RS temple and had glanced. He was
I seriously injured, and already
~ ed signs of returning conscious an
IS. 80
Drag him out of herel' ordered ws
and he turned to his ha
lighter. to
Before the innke-per reached the Du
der Duane had secured the money
! gun taken fron him; and presently ma
overed the property of the other he
y. Joel helped the innkeeper curry to
injured man somewhere outside. thi
ffss Longstreth was sitting wldte car
composed upon the couch, where str
Mise Ruth who evidently lad say