The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-10-23
CHAPTER FIVE
viii The indian Tell!


Gwyn rushed from the room and out
through the door Nan stood, as if she
were dazed The dawn was beginning
to cast thin, gray light in the sky
and shOne as a mist through the tops
of the trees. Around the hut, and in
the thick stretch of trees it still was
dark Gwyn threw himself upon a
horse, ready saddled, and prepared to
ride out to the trail. Nan rushed
from the hacienda and mounted an
other. They did not speak word,
but clattered off toward the trail at
top speed
Meantime. Yaqui Joe. faithful to his
trust, had ridden bravely after the
brigands and, as it transpired, into
The very Jaws of death When he
mounted his pony and started after
the gang it was easy for him to pick
up and follow their trail. He rode
rapidly for nearly five miles and then,
his practiced eye noting that the 9th
ers had stopped their horses, appar-
emily to hold conference, he sudden
ly dismounted. tethered his horse and
began cautiously to advance on foot.
The Indian had gone only a spare
one hundred yards when suddenly the
huge form of ShOestring Drant came
HURTING from the brush on rising at
the right hand side of the road He
landed squarely on JOe's shoulders,
bearing him to the ground and knock
ing his rifle from his hand. Won
Sleek, Cut Deep and two other men
quickly joined Drant Joe struggled
manfully but in vain. The odds were
too great for him and it was matter
% only a few seconds for the outlaws
to make him a captive.
Then began the torture that showed
the depths of fiendishness that lay in
Cut Deep Rawls and Shoestring
Drant. Joe was bound fast to the
trunk of tree, his bonds cutting into
lis flesh so that he WINGED from the
pain. But he made no cutlery. Rawls
demanded that Joe, as the price OF
liberty, reveal the location of the mine
The Indian made no sign. Rawls
struck the man a blow in the face
Again he made his demand Again
Joe was silent and Rawls, his anger
yelling up like a torrent, showered
blow after blow on his victim and
even the rugged Yaqui failed under
the brutal attack and he passed into
Inconsistencies his body sagging
Imply.
Rawls turned away To Drant he
said
you and the others stay here and
see what you can get out of this bull
headed coyote-Von Bleck and I will
return to Ybarra's and hunt for the
other half of this internal map"
He and Won Bleck mounted and rode
away and Shoestring gave his atten
ton to Joe, who, weakened though he
was, revived in a few moments.
Shoestring took up the torture where
Cut Deep had stopped, but beating
still failed to make the Indian betray
his masters secret Enraged, Shoe
string drew his revolver and deliber-
ately shot off the lobe of the Indians
right ear Still Joe remained silent
Drant then drew forth a long-bladed
hunting knife and, with cruelty un-
believable, began plunging it into the
flesh of Ybarra's faithful servant, and
soon blood was streaming from a
score of wounds in Joe's arms, legs,
neck and chest When this failed to
unseal his lips, Drant ordered his
illtl " UullQ d Ailt DtlAthNil NAAt ASSl
of their victim.
Joe by this time was almost beyond
feeling and nothing that Shoestring
could do now would add any more to
his suffering. He was fast sinking
into Inconsistencies from loss of
blood
But the malignant Drant was de-
termined and he personally applied
the torch to the pyre that was to make
Joe divulge his secret. The latter had
slipped into Inconsistencies again,
but Drant depended on the fire to
bring him back to life and confess
sion The outlaw had just lifted a
burning brand and was letting the
flames play on the soles of Joe's feet
when a shot rang out. Startled, he
swept the valley in a quick, all en-
bracing look, then leaped to his feet
He started to the trail, where he had