The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-08-11

sister BeSs We're watching with I'M
bridled amusement the efforts Of Buds
little boy, Sam. To ride an aged and
Well-informed donkey "a sad-eyed
creature who demonstrated his intel
ligence by lying down as often as the
child got firmly seated on his back.
Their laughter came clearly to the
ears of the Killer. His own eyes
| twinkled sympathetically. Then he
/ yawned and hoped that their summons
/ TO breakfast would not be TOO long
| delayed. 1t bored him to wait there
in the heat and dust without the sol
/ ace Of a cigarette.
/ He fOndled the grip of his revolver
/ and repined that his orders had been
/ strict that he might not shoot now.
when the three offered him such fair
targets, and have done with the bust
ness without delaying to take two of
them prisoners if possible
In due time. however. the mother
appeared in the doorway and called
them in. The donkey was abandoned
To crop his own breakfast. The door
yard was left untenanted. Gomez sub
jected the surrounding landscape 10
one final. prolonged scrutiny. then
turned. Squirmed back through the I'M
derbrush, rose to his feet. and hurried
to reioin his fellows.
Leading their horses. the Mexicans
moved forward furtively, surrounding
the home without rOusing the suspi-
ciOnS of its tenants.
To these the attack came like thun-
der from the blue. They breakfasted
behind doors closed and bolted-by
habit of precautiOn; that circumstance
alone provided them with a chance for
their lives.
There came a sudden rush of feet
in the dooryard. and the front door
was furiOusly battered with rifle butts
simultaneously window adjoining
the table was smashed in. Bud Nor
gan had barely time 10 spring to the
cartridge belt and holster which hung
on the wall behind them when the frs,
shot sounded. He emptied a revolver
at the window in respOnse-meanwhile
urging the two women and the child
into the adjoining bedchamber.
As they disappeared the front door
began TO give to the blows of an ak
Bud had a second revolver ready fol
: the rush that followed its breaking
! in. The satisfaction of seeing two OF
the raiders fall was at least his before
! he was charged and carried to tht
floor by half a dozen Mexicans.
: Why he was not shot outright passed
: his understanding. His weapons emp
~, he fought madly with his bare
hands. He was a young man, anC
hard and powerful; the combined ex
ertiOns of the six could not avail t,
keep him down for long. One aftel
, another he struck and kicked them off
: then struggled to his feet. At tn,
same time he was assailed from be
{ hind; a staggering blow from a gun
butt all but felled him.
Sick with pain, he reeled out through
/ the doorway. There others awaite,
him. He went down again under thei
assault. again fought his way to hi
feet, this time with a revolver whicl
he had wrested from the grasp of on
of his adversaries.
Gomez the Killer confronted him a
he rOse-weary of eye. almost diffiden
of manner, watching his prey warily
revolver poised. 1t was becomin
plain to Gomez that this man was no
To be taken alive. As Bud caught sigh
of him, he fired. The Americans hea
jerked back sharply, there was a loo
Of agony on his face, swiftly erase
by the Darkness of Inconsistencies!
his knees buckled. and he dropped
one side of his head mass of blood
It never occurred to the Killer (
doubt that his bullet had penetrate
Buds brain. He wasted no NOR
thought upon the unhappy man-afte
irritably kicking him-and passed O
into the house.
The bedchamber door was dow
Within. Bess Morgan was fighting fc
| her life. A dead Mexican just beyon
4 the threshold testified to the skill wit
II which she had used the revolve
\ which. its every chamber discharge,
4 she was now employing as a club.
II Slender and young. a mere slip Of
II fair-haired girl barely out of h.
II teens, she fought with science and II
II desperation of one who faces, If n,
4 death. worse than death. She had r
II reason to anticipate any sort Of mercy
her mother lay dead. bullet throug
her heart. in far corner Of the room
her little nephew had just droppe
d out of the window to be ruthless
shot down as he fed round a corner
n the house.
Is Lounging in the doorway, should
a against. it, Gomez rolled and lighted
lie cigarette. watching her struggles Wi
h. glimmer of appreciation. Grint
a. women like this, with such spirit al
strength, were worth fighting for. IT
b. Killer regretted that he must har
ID her over to his superior. What
I'd woman-once he had tanned her!
r. She was standing off no less thf
Or three Mexican desperadoes-one 81
W stretched out with a skull cracked |
o. a shrewd blow from the butt Of the r
n yolver. even while Gomez watche
~ But the others were too many for he
it stepping back to avoid their rushe
a she tripped over the body OF one