The Ordway new era., 1917-03-02

started on at croucninB tot sne
aimed quickly but steadily and hred'
A little cry OF primitive and savage
toy sprang from her lips as she saw
the man plunge forward In the nan
light and lie there rolling on the
ground.
But at that warning the others
leaped down and came on at run
The tempo quickened and became con
fusinr. They were firing as they ran
and their answering bullets pelted
against her barrier and over her heaa
on the walls. She heard window pahes
shivering and glass falling, and yet
her elation grew-two more advancing
figures had crumpled into inert
masses. Unless there were re-entorce'
meuts she would stem their oncoming
tide. Even n mountain marksman can
not target his shots well while ne is
running and under fire. 1t taxes
championship sprinting to do hity
wards in five seconds-on the smooth
ness of cinder path.
Uphill in a constant spit OF hie
and lead 1t requires little longer.
There were only two left now. and
one of them suddenly veered ana
made for the cover OF a hickory trunk
off to one side-he was in full hiSht'
But the other came on, throwing the
rifle away and shifting his heavy mag
azine pistol to his right hand.
1t was easy now, thought the girl
she could take her time and be very
sure.
Yet she shot and missed, and the
man came on with the confidence OF
one who wears a talisman and fears
no harm. Now he was almost at the
steps and his pistol was barking vi
ciously-then suddenly something in
the mechanism of Juanita's rihc
iammed and it lay useless and dead
In, her hands. She struggled with it,
frantically jerking the lever, but De'
fore she had conquered its baking
obstinacy she saw the onComing figure
leap up the steps at one stride and
thrust his weapon forward over the
table. She even caught the glitter OF
his teeth as u snarling smile parted
his lips.
Then a rifle spoke behind her-a
rife in the hands of the man who had
dragged himself to the firing line. and
with his foot on the threshold Jim
Fletcher reeled backward and rolled
lumberingly down the steps to the
ground.
You got him!" she screamed. You
got him, Anse!"
1t had been perhaps five minutes
since she had called out to the men
in the road, but it seemed to her that
she had sustained long siege. She
saw the man who had fed crossing
the fence and disappearing. Then
very slowly she rose and turned tc
the room again.
Anse Havey was lying on his face
and the gun with which he had killed
Jim Fletcher lay by his side, but his
posture was so rigid and his limbs
so motionless that the girl caught a,
her breast and reeled backward. She
would have fallen had she not beer
supported by the table. Had the fight
been lost, after all?
Slowly. and in daze of reaction
and fright. she moved forward and
turned his body over and laid her eai
to his heart.
1t was still beating. The rifle hat
only jolted his weak and pain-racket
body into unconsclousness, and as she
went about the room. where the pal
lid light was stealing now. and by the
mantel she saw hanging the horn thai
Jerry Everson had given her.
Why had she not thought of that be
fore? she asked herself accusingly
Why had she not sent its call fol
help out across the hills long ago.
Then there came back to her mind the
words of the mountain man when he
had brought it over and had initiated
the Havey battle-call.
Don't never blow thet unlessen W
wants ter start hell. When them calls
goes out acrost the mountains ever,
Havey thet kin tote a guns got tel
git up an come"
II ever there had been a time wher
every Havey should come 1t was thi.
time. She laid Anse's head once more
on the cushions and went to the man
tel. Then, standing In the door, sht
drew long breath.
She set the horn to her lips anc
blew. Out across the melting vague
ness OF the dim world fioated the thre,
long blasts and the three short ones
She waited little while and blew
again. That signal could not reach
Anse Havey's own house, because tn,
ridge would send it echoing back in ;
shattered wave of sound. 1t would b,
better heard to the east, and after ,
time there came back to her waitin,
ears. very low and distant, yet yer,
clear, an answer ..
1t came from the house of Milt Nc
Briar. and Juanita's heart, torn apt
I