The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-12-28

| sut Ndlue UP llle Slope WIN an tusg
sprlnglng step that told Of youthful
buoyancy. From under the hem Of her
neat gingham dress peeped the toes OF
small, blue-beaded moccaslns. Having
reloaded her pistol, she raised her
head to look up at the rider. He was
lifting his hand to touch his hat with
perfunctory courtesy. Then he saw
her face-calm, proud, ylyldly beauu.
full.
He removed his hat with q sudden
change In his manner that brought a
CLEAN into the girls blue-black eyes.
The glare Of the midday sun exposed
the lines In his strong, plain face and
the pallor under It's tropical tan. From
the white hairs that sllyered his thick
ruddy locks at the temples, his age
might have been put at thirty.fye or
forty. But this sign Of middle age was
contradlcted by the clear hazel eyes.
A triae disconnected by the girls
cool scrutiny, he brusquely demanded {:
W nat - lAAt kADuNlt AtAfs
She looked from his cavalry puttees
10 his army saddle and the butt Of his
rife. 81 guess you needn't worry about
your scalp" she assured him. her rich
contralto voice as soft as 1t was sweet
ly mocking. "You came near getting n
hair brand, I see. But you're safe
enough now if you keep close"
The ralllery brought q slight flash In
to his sallow cheeks. Yet his gaze did
not finch before her look Of dlsdaln.
He asked another question: Have
they taken the agency?"
mo. We saw this bunch up the
bank. Reggie cut loose at them before
Pere could stop him."
"PereT Ah-your father. The
other man fired at them first you say?"
"Can you blame him? He was along
when the agent was shot down, last
week. You may have heard Of the
murder"
"Yes Stlll 1t was wrong for him to
invite an attack, with a woman In his
party"
"Oh, I'm only a quarterbreed, you
know" replied the girl with lronlcal
llghtnesS. Besides, Reggie thought
the party was trying to head us off.
Don't worry. Charlie Redbear crawled
up the road half an hour ago. The
chances are we can hold out until he
fetches the police" A rifle shot pune
tuated the remark
The rider looked over the coulee
bank across at the jagged crest Of the
butte. If they slip over there" he
said, this position will become unten-
able. The butte is the key to the sltu-
alton
lie looked at the girl, between con-
cern and swiftly growing admiration Of
her remarkable beauty. Her eyes we're
Ike blue-black diamonds. An almost
impercepuble film Of old-gold enriched
the cream and rose Of her cheeks. Her
jet-black hair was OF French fneness.
The curve Of her rather large mouth
was perfect
But the red lips were again parting
Ia a dlsdalnful smile. She replied with
out seeking to conceal her scorn: "If
you're afraid they'll take the butte,
you might get away by boiling down
the coulee. Wen do what we can to
draw their fire."
"You wluT he said THANK you for
your suggestion. / believe III follow
it. Kindly step aside
She stood motionless, her eyes gilt
tering with cold contempt Of his cow
ardlce. Unchecked by the look, he
leaned forward In the saddle. The
mare leaped away Ike startled deer.
Once clear Of the gulley she swerved
sharply and raced away down the cou-
lee. The flight was so unexpected, so
daring and so swift that the fugitive
had been borne a good fifty yards down
along the foot Of the near slope before
the Indians opened fire on him.
The girl had crept forward and
crOuched In the entrance Of the gulley
TO peer after him.
"The cowardw she cried. "The cow
ard hope they get him"
But before one Of the many bullets
could find the leaping, recedlng mark,
mare and rider shot out Of sight behind
a clump OF willows. At once the firing
ceased.
The blond young man under the bush
glanced around at the girl and called
jeeringly: II say, Marie, how's that
for bobtall visit? Took him for a
gentleman
"Gentleman7 That's the word, she
mocked. Conduct becoming an officer
and gentleman"
"OmcerT he repeated. "You don't
mean to say"
"Yes," she asserted. Hes an army
officer. could see It sticking out all
over him."
The man stared at her In blank
amazement, but suddenly bethought
himself to roll over and send a bullet
plnglng up the coulee.
The girl continued TO peer down the
river bottom. After several moments
mare and rider dashed into view, rae
ing directly across the coulee. Though
the Indians at once opened fire, the
mare had SKINNED over the level and
up into a gulley in the far bank before
they could get the range.
Hopeful that one or more Of the
enemy might expose themselves during
the excitement, the young man behind
the bush had not looked around. AS