Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-06-28


go. If you tell me enough, maybe
will let her go with you That would
be nice, wouldn't it?'
'Save your wind" replied Rutledge.
take him out" ordered Lopez
"Give him a little Mexican inQuisition-
And do it so that tiger cat over there
can see it." Lopez pointed to Liberty,
who stood white faced with her brow
pressed against the bars of her cell.
+ Meanwhile Pedro rode madly across
the desert. Toward three O'Clock he
raced down the last sand hill which
separated him from the American en-
campment. Breathlessly he rode up to
Major Winston's tent.
They've got Rutledge, major" he
painted.
Without an fnstant's hesitation Ma
jor Winston seized bugle that lay on
a camp chair and shrilled out blast
that brought the entire camp to its
feet. Throwing the bugle to the
ground Winston leaped to his horse
and was off before his own men had
thrown saddles on their mounts
Lopez stood to one side as his ban
dts led Bob out to the wall of a white
washed adobe hut.
"Some of you fellows that are handy
with your knives show us what you can
do at long-distance throwing" COM
manded Lopez. "See how thick the
Americans hide is"
"Stop it!''
Lopez wheeled around to find him
self looking into the barrel of Liberty's
rifle
"'Pancho Lopez" shouted Liberty,
her voice hoarse with determination,
"the first knife that is flung at Rut-
ledge means a bullet through your mis-
cradle head"
That night there went forth from
Washington the definite order for the
withdrawal of American troops.
Alone of all the American officers.
Major Winston, leader of the most adj
| vanced outpost, disobeyed orders. With
a hundred-odd bronzed cavalrymen fol-
lowing close behind, the late afternoon
of the day Pancho Lopez stood Bob
Rutledge up against a whitewashed
| 'dobe wall, found the grizzled old ma
| jor and his troopers still fighting their
| way through the desert sand.
1--WE may be too late to get Rut-
ledge alive" declared the Major, but,
| by God, Wen get Lopez and his skunk
colored gang"
Lopez stood irresolute, his hands
| raised high in the air while Liberty
| continued to point her short-barreled
shotgun at him.
'Now, order one of your men to open
| the door of this hut shouted Liberty,
cor I'll blow the few brains you have
| out on the sand"
| Lopez, knowing well that the Amer
| lean girl meant every word, reluctant
| ~ gave the order. Liberty stepped
| forth from the hut
s'Take these ropes off Rutledge,"
Liberty then commanded, land remem-
| Der, Lopez, if you or any of your men
make the slightest suspicious move ]
will let you have the contents of this
gum"
Lopez sullenly unbound Rutledge
and then, upon Liberty's orders, pushed
on ahead, while Rutledge and Liberty
followed, Rutledge covering the Mexi-
can bandits with his rifle and Liberty
with the barrel of her shotgun close
against Lopez ribs.
Immediately after Rutledge, Liberty
and Lopez had disappeared. over the
| sand dunes on horseback Lopez fol
lowers held a council of war to decide
how to rescue their leader. Finally
Manuel mounted a horse and, taking q
circuitous route, rode off with the in
tention of waylaying Rutledge and Lib
erty at bend in the desert trail.
Rutledge anticipated some such
move on the part of the insurrectos
and whispered his suspicious to Lib
erty. ''You had better ride on ahead
my DEAR he said. 81 will take my
chances with Lopez. Try to pick uI
Pedro. / am sure he escaped, and il
he did he will be on the way back by
now with some of the boys"
Two miles down the trail Liberty
thought she heard shot. Rutledge
and Lopez were invisible in the long
sandy hollow behind her.
Liberty had heard a shot. Rutledge
jogging along with Lopez a few fee
in front of him suddenly felt a burn
ling sensation in his right arm
"Wingedi'' Rutledge hastily shifted
his revolver to his left hand. Several
hundred yards to the left a crumblins
'dobe shelter gave him an idea Realiz
ing that his profusely bleeding wound
might put him at Lopez's mercy in 6
few minutes, Rutledge seized the bride
of the latter's horse.
| "Beat It'll" he ordered. "And beat II
quick"
i Lopez, glad to escape under any con
ditions, roweled his mount and slid t.
tbo onpOSifn side in Indian fashion