The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-07-11

In the dOoryard Bud Morgan and hi
sister Bess were watching with VI
bridled amusement the efforts Of Bud
little boy. Sam. to ride an. aged an
weli-informed donkey "a sad-eye
creature who demonstrated his inte
hgence by lying down as often as tn
child got firmly seated on his back.
Their laughter came clearly to tn
ears Of the Killer. His own eye
twinkied alphabetically. Then h
yawned and hoped that their summon
70 breakfast would not be too lon
delayed. 1t bored him to wait Their
In the heat and dust without the sol
ace Of cigarette.
he fondled the grip of his revolve
and repined that his orders had beel
strict that he might not shoot now
when the three offered him such fai
1 targets. and have done with the bust
ness without delaying to take two O.
them prisoners If possible.
In due time. however, the mother
appeared In the doorway and callet
them In. The donkey was abandoned
10 crop his own breakfast. The door
yard was left untenanted. Gomez sub
jected the surrounding landscape tc
one final, prolonged scrutiny, then
turned. squirmed back through the un.
derbrush, rose to his feet, and hurried
to rejoin his fellows.
Leading their horses. the Mexican.
moved forward furtfvely, surrounding
the home without rousipg the suspi-
cions Of its tenants.
To these the attack came like thun,
der from the blue. They breakfasted
behinds doors closed and bolted-by
habit Of precaution; that circumstance
alone provided them with a chance for
their lives.
There came sudden rush of feet
i'll the dooryard, and the front doc,
was furicusly battered with rifle butts
simultaneously a window adjoining
the table was smashed in. Bud Nor
gan had barely time to spring to the
cartridge belt and holster which hung
on the wall behind them when the first
shot sounded. He emptied a revolver
at the window in response-meanwhil
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 for
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 the
floor by half dozen Mexicans.
Why he was not shot outright passed
his understanding. His weapons emp
ty, he fought madly with his bare
hands. He was young man, and
hard and powerful; the combined ex-
ertions Of the six could not avail to
keep him down for long. One after
another he struck and kicked them off,
then struggled to his feet. At the
same time he was assailed from be-
hind; staggering blow from a gun.
butt all but felled him.
Sick with pain. he reeled out through !
the doorway. There others awaited
him. He went down again under their
assault, again fought his way to his
feet, this time with a revolver which
ne had wrested from the grasp Of one
Of his adversaries.
Gomez the Killer confronted him a
he rose-weary OF eye, almost diffident
OF manner, watching his prey warfly.
revolver poised. It was becoming
plain to Gomez that this man was not
to be taken alive. As Bud caught sight
Of him he fred, The Americans head
jerked back sharply, there was 4 look
Of agony On NS face, swiftly erased]
~ the tlaikntsss b uncoxsctousness. !
his k6es 66ekied, md he sdt0pped-I,
ons ddG6f Ms Held S.msss of5 blood.
b never occurred b tlfe sK1fler toI
1oubt sthaf his bullet shaAapexetri4ed.
R16ss. bkaln. He wasted No. more
'housht upon the unhappy man-after
HltahlZ kicking, him-and r[ssed On,
MTG the house. =
The bedchamber door was DOM. !,
Within, Bess Morgan was fxktinr FOR ]
Ter life. A dead Mexican Just beyond
he threshold tesdhed TO th4skIn WITH
Which; shs had useti the revolver
which. its eyerL chamber dischareed. I
Ne was now employing ~ club.
Slender and young. mere SIN Of a
airshaired girl barely ont Of, herI
Gems, she fought with science and the1
esperation Of one who faces, II not "a
cath. worse than death. She had no o
eason to anticipate any sort Of mercy b
er mother lay dead, bullet through '
er heart In tar corner Of the room Il
er little nephew had just droppedj e
at Of the window to be ruthlessiy ir
hot doYp as he ned round q corner Of n
u house. s''s v
Loungfng in the doorway, q shoulder g
yainSt. It. Gomez rolled and lighted : 1
gafette, watching her struggles With h
tiimmef of appreciation. = Crinso Id
omen nike thi4 with such spirit and
reaGtA. were worth fighting for, The Ia
illes regretted that be must hand ;,
= over to his superior. What q :
qqnan-once be had tanned herY IL,
Shs vas standing Of 10 iess than !,
re- 4e11cao Observation-Disclosures Ga 70.