Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-04


She cursed. Her husband had used
the same curses, and from her lips
they seemed strange, unsexed. more
deadly. Like tigress she fought him |;
her face no longer resembled a wo-
mans.
He heard a cry from outside-a
mans Cry. hoarse and alarming.
1t made him think of loss Of time.
This demon of a woman might yet
block his plan.
LET co. he whispered. and felt
his lips stifr. In the grimness of that
instant he relaxed his hold on the
rihe-harrel.
With sudden. redoubled, irresistible
strength she wrenched the rifle down
and discharged 1T. Duane felt blow
IA shock-a burning agony tearing
through his breast. Then in frenzy
he jerked 50 powerfully upon the rife
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 astrtde
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
a man coming down the lane. Chess
Alloway! His gun was smoking. He
broke into a 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.
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 ne dragged down the
horse she was holding. "Up with you
now. There, Never mind-long
stirrups Hang on somehow"
He caught his bride out Of Euchre's
clutching grip and leaped astride. The
frightened horses jumped into 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.
She was gazing horror-stricken at
his breast. as IN turning to look back
he faced her.
"Oh, Duane. your shirts all bloody !"
she faltered, pointing with trembling
fingers.
With her words Duane became
aware of two things-the hand he in
stinctively placed to his breast still
held his gun, and he had been shot
through the breast far enough down
to give him grave apprehension Of his
life.
They did not stop climbing while
Duane tore scarf and made COM
presses, which he bound tightly over
his wounds. The fresh horses made
fast time up the rough trail. From
open places Duane looked down. When
they surmounted the steep ascent and
stood on top Of the Rim Rock, with
no signs ofpursuit down in the valley,
and with the wild broken fastness
before them, Duane turned to the girl
and assured her that they now had
every chance to escape.
"But-your-wound!" she faltered,
with dark, troubled eyes. II see-the
blood-dripping from your back"
"Jennie, I'll take lot Of killing"
he said.
Then he became silent and attended
to the uneven trail. He was aware
presently that he had not come into
Blends camp by This ronte. But that
did not matter; any trail leading out
beyond the Rim Rock was safe enough.
What he wanted was to get far away
into some Wild retreat where he could
hide till he recovered from his wound.
So he turned off on trail that APP
peared seldom Travelled.
Soon after this move be became con-
sclous of n further thickening OF his
senses. He felt able to hold on TO his
saddle for while longer, hut he was
falling. Then he thought he ought to
advise Jennie, 70 In casa she MAS ls15