Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-12-06

| You'll never leave here alive. Give me
| that girl! Let me-get at her She'll
never win any more men in this camp"
."Help help! help!" she shrieked, in
voice that must have penetrated to
the remotest cabin in the valley.
Suddenly she snatched rifle off the
wall and backed away, her strong
hands fumbling at the lever. And she
/ jerked it down, throwing shell into
the chamber and cooking the weapon,
Duane leaped upon her. He struck up
the rifle as it went off, the powder
burning his face.
"Jennie, run out! Get on horse! !"
he said.
Jennie flashed out Of the door.
With an iron grasp Duane held to
the rifle-barrel. He had grasped It
with his left hand land he gave such
u pull that he swung the crazed wo-
man off the floor. But he could not
loose her grip. She was as strong as
he.
skate! Let gow
He tried to intimidate her. She did
not see his gun thrust in her face, or
reason had given way to such, an
extent to passion that she did not care.
She cursed. Her husband had used
the same curses, and from her lips
they seemed strange, unsexed, more
deadly. Like a tigress she fought him;
her face no longer resembled wO-
mans.
He heard cry from outside-a
mans Cry, hoarse and alarming.
It made him think of loss of time.
This demon Of woman might yet
block his plan.
LET got" he whispered, and felt
his lips stiff. In the grimness of that
instant he relaxed his hold on the
rife-barrel.
With sudden, redoubled. irresistible
strength she wrenched the rife down
and discharged it. Duane felt blow
IA shock-a burning agony tearing
through his breast. Then in frenzy
he.jerked SO powerfully upon the rifle
that he threw the woman against the
wall. She fell and seemed stunned.
Duane leaped back, whirled, flew
out of the door on the porch. The
sharp cracking of gun halted him.
He saw Jennie holding to the bride
Of his bay horse Euchre was astride
the other, and he had Colt leveled,
and he was firing down the lane. Then
came a single shot, heavier, and
Euchre's ceased. He fell from the
horse.
A swift glance back showed to Duane
man coming down the lane. Chess
Alloway! His gun was smoking. He
broke into run. Then in an instant
he saw Duane, and tried to check his
pace as he swung up his arm. But
that slight pause was fatal. Duane
shot, and AllOway was falling when his
gun went off. His bullet whistled
close to Duane and thudded into the
cabin. G
Duane bounded down to the horses.
Jennie was trying to hold the plunging
bay. Euchre lay fiat on his back,
dead, bullet-hole in his shirt, his
face set hard and his hands twisted
round gun and bride.
Jennie, you've nerve, all right"
cried Duane as he dragged down the
horse she was holding. cup with You
now! There! Never mind-lOng
stlrrups Hang on somehow"
He caught his bride out of Euchre's
clutching grip and leaped astride. The
frightened horses jumped into a run
and Numbered down the lane into the
road. Duane saw men running from
cabins. He heard shouts. But there
were no shots fired. Jennie seemed
able to stay on her horse, but without
stirrups she was thrown about so much
that Duane rode closer and reached
out to grasp her arm.
Thus they rode through the valley
to the trail that led up over the steep
and broken Rim Rock. AS they be-
gan to climb Duane looked back, No
pursuers were in sight.
Jennie, we're going to get away"
he cried, exultation for her in his
voice.
(1'o DE Cont:nued).
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