Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-27

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9SGsa -
The Gun Leaped Forth, Roaring 40 Il
Came.
Shorty. is thar your sweetheart, eh?"
Shorty did not answer until his
weight on the brake brought the stage
to standstill; then as the reins eased
his hand slid suddenly to his holster
and the overgrown gun leaped forth.
roaring as it came. Bart's Winchester
whirled from his grasp, leaving him
untouched, the whirring whine Of the
glancing bullet mingling with the
scream Of the woman.
As the driver fired he writhed in his
seat, expecting the blow Of ball from
the other road agents rifle. But it did
not come, so he swung about and fred
again. whereupon the stranger. who
had seemed numbed by an unaccount.
able paralysis. swayed gropingly out
over the bank and slid Imply down
into the road amid a rattle Of gravel
and stones. Bart snatched up his rife
and leaped to cover behind the boul-
ders Of the hillside. moving with the
quick litheness Of panther or man
accustomed to the spat Of rife bullets.
He was yankins vainly at the ejector
Of his Winchester.
"I've smashed its stummick!'' yelled
Shorty gleefully, firing at each ex-
posture Of the retreating figure. 1--WE
spiked his gum"
As the bandit lodged out Of range he
leaped down. ......
Here; get inside, quick!' he called
to the girl, and she flung herself Into
bis arms.
Oh, the indescribable sweetness Of
that moment! Shorty had held q wo-
mana real, regular woman-on his
breast! The boys would swear he was
liar If he ever told.
Thrusting her inside, he ran forward
to the figure that lay in the road by
the heads of the snorting horses. but
as he did SO the man raised uncer-
tainly upon one elbow, the mask, a
bandanna kerchief, still hiding his fea-
lures. Blood trickled from thin cash
over one ear.
"Just creased him. I reckon. So
much the better" said he and snatched
the long neckcloth from his own throat
He rolled the man roughly on his face.
drew his arms together and knotted
his wrists at the back. He worked
with fury, glancing up the mountain
side, where on the bare ridge he saw
the figure Of Black Bart running west
ward along its crest. paralleling the
direction they would take.
Hes making for the cutoff Shorty
gritted. "This fight amt started yet.
and If turn back he'll get me sure"
Knowing the mountains like book.
Bart was racing for a sheep trail
which led down from the ''hog back
and intersected the wagon road at the
far side of great bend where it hug
ged the hill before debouching upon
the fat at the forks. Gaining this
point ahead of the stage. he could lie
in wait with the certainty Of getting
his man with his side arms.
Disreguriing his victims groans. the
dwarf swung him over his great shoul.
ders and rushed at the stage. Hurting
him abruptly in upon the girl. he slam
med the door, shouting. Hang on lit
tie woman. an keep your head in
Then he mounted to his perch and
dashed his horses down the dizzy trail.
while above and far to the right he
saw the vanishing outlaw Pickering
through the scattered pines.
The team, frenzied by the smell of
raw blood. fed madly.4 their driver
bolted to his seat. yelling words Of en-
enlargement. Other furious drives had
Shorty made down this road. but never
such a racing, .swaying. drunken fight
as this He gripped the forty five"
between bis knees, driving with one
hand. willie he elected and reloaded
with the other.
As they roared down tho mountain
side the intoxication Of the chase rose
in him till he shouted hoarsely great
l,o111 - InAorNA FrhA hn
hind him stirred mighty depths in his
soul of which he had never dreamed.
and he ached with desire for sacri-
fetal offering-a passion for immola-
ton.
AS they rocked around the nose Of
the last bluff he yelled again, for ahead
of him and midway down the zigzag
sheep trail was Black Bart. literally
dropping of the vertical cliff. 1t was
evident he would be within range.
Hope he gets me stead Of horse"
thought the driver. "If he drops one
Of them we'll go over the mountain
side like rocket"
The animals were stretched fatty In
the foam fecked delirium OF runaway,
their rafting hoof roll laundering
above the hubbub Of the jolting, jump
ing coach.
Bart knelt, resting his weapon over
the crook Of his folded arm. The splin-
ters bit of from the sent at Shorty's
side. Then they both fired. but the
heave Of winded. painting man is as
Ind for tha aim mn \ nerch on the sum.
NIT of careening stage.