American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-31

LIE N+HNAf
While she dressed she saw one Of
the c%owpunchers pass beneath her win
dow, and called down to him softly,
begging him to saddle a horse for her
and fetch it to the entrance to the
patio, without '1etting on" to any
body.
He promised cheerfully, and went
his way, and had the animal waiting
for her when at length, fully attired,
she descended to the patio and crept
furtively toward the arched passage
that opened on the out-of-doors.
But she was not to get away so cas-
lily. PARIS voice hailed her in amused
expostulation before she gained the
passageway.
Here, nowl What's all this?'
ooh, dearl" she complained. ITS
just my luck"
"Why, what's the matter?"
81 did so want to go riding all by
myself-this once! And, Of course,
you had to be up and about and spoil
everything"
"Bless your heart" he said. I'm
not going to ruin your day the very
first thing. Far be it from me to butt
in where angels fear-where one angel
does not fear to tread" he corrected,
laughing. Besides, 1 only got up so
early in the hope Of being permitted
to smoke at least n pipe in peace.
Cut along with you-and mind you're
not late for breakfast"
With this she turned and scurried
out of the patio; and Donald filed and
lighted his pipe, smiling tenderly to
himself as he heard the drumming of
her horses hoofs die out in the dis
lance.
Something like a quarter of an hour
later a heavy and confused roll OF
Z hoofs reused him from the idlest anc
p~leasantest of daydreams. Knocking
out his pipe against the sill Of the pa
t ito well, he sauntered c%uriousll
T through the passageway-and saw
g that which startled him out of his
false feeling of security in the twink
ling Of IN eyelash.
A small squad of the border patro
/ was bearing down upon the haciend'
HI Il utdu run dEHHNAaNN AIN $500
u anxious purpose written plainly on tn
: face of each man.
II Refining in and d~ismounting in tn
same breath, the officer cOmmandinI
the patrol turned and waved half o
Il his men away.
IT Get ony" he cried. "Rouse the boy
- in the bunkhouse-get every man o.
y the place under arms, and e hir
y here in a hurryi"
~ "What's up7" Donald asked quietly
ID Devils loose-or I'm in wrong,
re the officer told him. "We've just sigh
ed half a hundred or more 'Greaseri
is headed this way. They crossed tn
border by the bridge over the arroyI
God knows what they mean, but If
l isn't mischief, I don't know the sign
st Get your people together and shI
" the house up tight before
He could not finish for the suddei
u ness of that onslaught which, with I
more warning, swept down upon Il
10 devoted hacienda with the fury Of
black squall out of a blue sky.
In mid-speech the officer broke {
III and ducked into the p~assageway
the vanguard Of the raiders appear
Us on the crest of the nearest rise al
u ipcontinently opened fire on the grol
at the entrance to the patio.
"a His men followed him without
- instant's hesitation, leaving the
mounts to run free; and then Dona.
. obliged to concede the impossibility
facing that charge in the hope
a. breaking through and satisfying J
- frantic solicitude for Patria, W
driven into the patio by a verital
hail Of bullets.
Stout wooden doors, strapped he'
~ fly with iron, closed the inside end
the passage; and these were hast
- barred by the troopers, while Don't
ran to find himself a weapon and
"a. household wakened to find itself
LII sieged.
Following the disappearance of d
aid there was a brief lull, dur
which no shots were fred by the ra
ers.
Then, as Donald ran out from
. room to the gallery, a rife in hand
frightful %detonation rocked the haci
da on its foundations and the dy
DOL mited gates of the patio were bio
n a in, hopelessly shattered and splinter
A cloud of smoke mOmentarily fiji
dow the MASSAGE. as the draught drew
De- outward, bullets began to rain inwa
or The defenders were driven to co
behind the well and other coigns
she shelter, whence they responded "
she an Intellectual fire; half a dozen NJ
leans fell, but the momentum Of Il
ber charge carried two score into
( q