The Lamar register., 1919-03-19

uruhheh ngure lurcneu through the
open door to make Its way uncertain.
ly toward the rank of bunk houses.
Harding was staring into the farther
nlmbus of the electric rays, trying To
pick up some sign of the other half of
his posse, when Smith made sug-
gestion.
Both of your parties Will have the
workmens bunk houses In range. Mr..
Harding. and we mustn't forget that
Colonel Baldwin and Williams are
prisoners In the timekeeper's shack.
If the guns have to be used"
There won't he any wild shooting,
of the kind you're thinking off, re-
turned the sheriff grlmly. There
amt ii single man in this posse that
can't hit what he aims at, nine times
out o ten. But here's hopin' we can
gather 'em in without the guns. If
they amt lookin' for us"
The Interruption was the whining
song of a jacketed bullet passing over
head. followed by the crack of rifle
Down. boys," said the sheriff softly,
setting the example by sliding into the
ditch of the outlet canal and as he
said il II sharp fusillade broke out,
with fire spurtings from the commits
sary building and others from the
mesa beyond to show that the surprise
was balked in both directions.
They must have had scouts out
was Smiths word to the sheriff. who
was cautiously reconhoitering the new
ly developed situation from the shell
ter of the canal trench. They are
evidently ready for US, and that knocks
yonr plan In the head. Your men
cant cross these stagings under fire"
your 'wops' are all right. anyway
said Harding. They're pouring out of
the bunk houses and that saloon over
there and taking TO the hills like n
flock o. scared chickens" Then tn
his men: Scatter OUT, boys. and gel
the range on that commissary shed
That's where most of the rustlers are
cached"
Two days earlier. two hours earlier
perhaps, Smith would have begged II
weapon and flung himself into the
fray with blood lust binding him Ia
everything save the battle demands of
the moment. But now the final mile.
stone In the long road OF his metamor.
phosis had been passed and the dark
some valley OF elemental passions was
left behind
Hold up a minute. for Gods sake =
he pleaded hastily. We've got to give
them a show. Harding The chances
are that every man In that commits
sary believes that M'Graw has the Law
on his side-and we are not sure tha
he hasn't. Anyway. they don't know
that they are trying to stand on q
sheriff's possei"
Hardlngs chuckle was sardonlc
"You mean that we'd ought TO go over
yonder and read the riot act to 'em
firsti That might do back In the
country where you came from. But
the man that can get into that camp
over there with the serving papers
now'd have to be armor-plated,
reckon"
Just the same, we've got TO give
them their chance!" Smith insisted
doggedly. 1--WE can't stand for any
uhHt'eS~uTy bloourhtu-i WON slhhu
= for III"
Harding shrugged his heavy shoul-
ders. zone round into that sheet-iron
commissary shackll bring 'em to time
and nothing else Will. | haln't got
any men To throw AWAY on the dew
dabs and furbelows."
Smith sprang up and held out his
hand.
"You have at least one man thut
you can spare. Mr.. Harding" he
snapped. Give me those papers. I'll
go over and serve them"
AT this the big sheriff promptly lost
his temper.
"You blamed fooll' he burst out.
you'd be dog-meat before you could
get ten feet away from this ditch 20
"Never mind: give me those papers
+ I'm not going to stand by quietly and
see lot OF men shot down on the
.hance Of misunderstandingl'
Take 'em, theni" rasped Harding
meaning nothing more than the call.
| Ing of foolish theorists blufr.
Smith caught at. the warrants. and
before anybody could stop him he was
| down upon the stagings, swinging him
self from bent to bent through a storm
| Of bullets coming. not from the com.
| missary. hut from the saloon shack
Il -. ~. D..