Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-09-08

peal, for he had seized her hand and
was fairly pulling her after him. Thus
they began their race for the shelter
ing trees in the bottom. Breathless,
sobbing from the excitement and the
speed, not knowing by what accident
the way was clear for them, the girl
hurried along with him, dry-eyed and
staring, as one who has seen a sight
preternaturally appalling.
You see"-he painted it out as they
ran-"I tried to get word to you and
could not. l feared you would attempt
some such quixotic thing They meant
to kill me, of course. 1t would have
been better so. Then when you came
in l intended to anger the old scoun-
drel at me, and partly succeeded.
Then when they threw me out my
guard ran back and l sawed the raw
hide that they had tied me with across
an old wagon tire till cut it through"
sputter of rife shots cut short his
explanation.
Pulling her to right and left to dis
turb the aim of the Mexicans, he
ran up the slope. Even before the door
of the house could be opened to them,
they were pounding on the frame.
second later they staggered into the
room to face the gray-bearded ex-
deputy sheriff.
Where's Upton?" he demanded true
ulently Where's Upton?"
Beyond a brief nod he paid no at
tention to Dorothy. nor even to Kynas-
ton.
He's d-d-dead!" sobbed the girl,
giving way at last. "Oh, Marian, he's
dead! They have killed him! l shall
never see him again!"
The girl, sobbing as only bereaved
daughter can, flung herself into the
waiting arms of Mrs. Fame.
She drew the half-fainting girl into
bedroom, and so was not a witness
of what followed Had she remained
in the living room, she would have
seen a fierce old gray wolf of a
plainsman open the front door and
with all the politeness he was master
of say to the two prisoners:
Now, caballeros, it is your turn.
The way lies clear to General Obispo.
Take it."
He pointed fercely down the slope.
The two men ran hastily for the open
door.
"Don't!" said Kynaston hurriedly,
laying OBTAINING hand on the old arm
that swung from the rife barrel up
in the glintiLg sunlight "You can't
do it in cold blood!"
There amt drop of cold blood in
any American who's been in Mexico
the past two years."
The magazine gate clicked a car
fridge into the chamber and the nerv-
Gus hand swung up the piece, the
muzzie covering the fleeing figures.
There amt a drop of cold blood In
any Anglo-Saxon who's seen women
an little children shot down an four
teen-year-old kids snatched from their
homes to take a hand in their killin'
bees. Seventy-6ve-yard law is what
they'll gitl He's got it now!"
The rife spat its mouthful of lead
at the leading runner, who crumpled
and rolled over as a shot rabbit rolls.
The rearmost man-he of the artillery
fame-stumbling over the body, gave
Wilkes time to snap second cartridge
into the chamber.
Just as the man rose to his knees
the bullet caught him squarely In the
back of the head, and he collapsed a
second time-to rise no more.
"An' that's part of the debt paid,
growled the old man, his very beard
quivering with rage. "The full debt
amt never goin' to be paid of, but
anyhow there comes the third install
ment!"
Away down the hill, Kynaston, look
ing over the wavering rifie-barrel, saw
figure come hesitatingly up. the hill
He seized Wilkes by the shoulder
preventing the old man from firing.
Don't shoot" he said quietly. Don
shoot. It's the blind priest. Perhap:
he brings US news"