The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-10-03
CHAPTER XVII.


the sounds of horses rapidly
aWHroaching. Immediately we leaped
zhHna our hunks and seized our rifles,
syDering anxiously lnto the darkness. A
nannaent later. however. we we're reas-
szme6 by shrill whistle peculiar to
IDck Barry, and a moment later he
and Don Gaspar rode lnto camp.
We assailed them with, storm of
usestions-why had they returned
what had happened? Where was
Rank3 Had there been an aecidentf
Don Gaspar who appeared very
weary and depressed. shook his head
Eadly. Barry looked at us savagely
, aFQm beneath his brows.
The gold Is gone. and that's an end
al mr. he growled.
At these words careful, dead 81
lemce fell on us all. The situation had
Ruddenly become too serious for hasty
isreatment. We felt instinctively that
u wrong WORD might do Irreparable
damage. But In our hearts suspicion
and anger and dull hatred lenped to
ARe full grown. We frightened our
belts, as 1t were, and elamped our ell
bows to our sides and became wary,
watching with unfrlendly eyes. John
ny alone opened his lips.
Lost? | don't believe it!' lie cried.
Barry cast an ugly look at him, but
Hsld nothing. We all saw that look.
where's YankT" | asked.
~Dead by now, suppose" dung back
BARRY.
Good Godr' cried. and under my
hKeath. "Thcn you've murdered himr
4 don't know whether Barry heard
nasanr not. and Mt the time ! did not
MUCH care. His suilen eye was rest
Aag on one after the other of us as we
BfDOd there In the fireligilt. Every face
was angry and suspicious. Barry flung
b6nself from his horse, tore the pad
from its back, slapped It on the flank
~Eah turned away, reckless OF where II
went. He cut himself steak and set
In cooking his food, an uncOmpromis-
Ang shoulder turned In our direction.
Nor did be open his mouth TO utter an
other word until the general discus
who owned the only riding saddle, un-
harnessed his horse. led II TO water,
turee haltered 1t and turned 1t loose TO
grave. While he was gone no one
spoke. but we glanced at each other
yaarlsly. He turned. sat down by the
Etre, rolled himself cigarette and vol
,Unleered his story.
my fren'," said ne, with direct
zEezs and succinctness utterly foreign
~ mis- everyday speech. ''you want tC
a1nOw what happen Yer we'll 1t was
sikn this"
re told us that after we had lef
dihen they hurried on aS fast as posi-
hiIe lA order to reach the settled coun
: EEy. Owing to the excellence OF hi
: malEnn he was generally some distance
IN advance. At one point, stopping oI
a slight elevation TO allow them Il
isaicb up, he looked back In time &
;asse two men on horseback emerge fron
Naa chaparral just behind his compan
sAznaa. Don Gaspar shouted uud leaped
spum his saddle, but before the warn
Enx bad reached the others Rata from
siae hand of one OF the men had fallen
with deadly accuracy around Yank's
iaIrms and body, Jerking him violently
irom the saddle. The thrower whiried
llias horse to drag his Victim. Don Gas
sisur fred and by great good luck shot
lAss animal through The brain. II fel
sn a heap. plnnlng lis rider beneath II
sn the meantime Barry had leaped t
ihe groundsaNd from behind the shel
riEr OF his horse had sllot the first rob
der through the body Our two com
usnions now drew together and tool
, 0efuge bchnd some large rocks, pre-
saRring TO receive the charge Of IA ban,
sof half dozen who now appeared. TIN
s6tuauon looked desperate. Don Gas
Far fired ana missed. He was neve
inythlng OF a marksman, and hS hrs
shot must have bcNn great piece o
aucb. Barry held his fire. The rol
Aers each discharged his rifle, bu
harmlcssly Then just az they SCENE
about 10 charge In they whirled thel
a0r5es aud made of into the brush
I'VE could not tell the why" OF
served Don Gaspar
The two men did not speculate, br
nan out 10 where Yank lay apparent
dead, his arms stiIl bound close TO h
irody by the moose OF the RATA. Barr
sslt the rope With his bowie knife. an
ghey rolled him over. They found i
SIN breathed, but that beside II
shock OF his violent fan, he had bee
badly trampled by the horses. Aft
moment he came 60 consciousness
uut when they attempted TO lift hi
upright they found that his leg WI
aroken
At this moment they heard the soul
ef voices and, loolling up, saw coml'
from the other direction a band or
dozen men. haif OF whom were
horseback and all Of whom were ar
I'd. This looked serious.
eve got behind the rock." said ID