The Washington herald., 1920-08-30
ONE DOLLARS
WORTH og =. 2 NN

gentle trot. When within a hun
dred yards of Piedra Creek a man
rode out of the timber directly
toward them.
1T looks like the man we saw
coming over" remarked Miss
As the distance between them
lessened, the district attorney
sharply, with his eyes fixed upon
the advancing horseman. That
individual had drawn a Winches-
ter from its scsbbard on his sad
die and thrown 1t over his arm.
Now l know you. Mexico SAM
muttered Littlefeld to himself.
1T was you who shook your rat
ties in that gentle epistle."
Mexico Sam did not leave things
long in doubt. He had a nice eye
in all matters pertaining to fire.
arms, so when he was within
good rife range, but outside Of
danger from No. shot, he threw
up his winchester and opened
fire upon the occupants of the
blackboard.
The first shot cracked the back
of the seat within the two-inch
space between the shoulders of
Littlefield and Miss Derwent. The
next went through the dashboard
and Littlefield's trouser leg.
The district attorney hustled
Nancy out of the blackboard to
the ground. She was little pale,
but asked no questions. She had
the frontier instinct that accepts
conditions in an emergency with
out superfluous argument. They
kept their guns in hand, and Lit
tlefield hastily gathered some
handfuls of cartridges from the
pasteboard box on the seat and
crowded them into his pockets.
Keep the horses, Nan" he
commanded. That fellow is a
ruffian l sent to prison once. He's
trying to get even. He knows
our shot wont hurt him at that
distance"
"All right, Bob" Nancy said
steadily. I'm not afraid. But
stand still. now,'
She stroked Bess' name Little
field stood with his gun ready,
praying that the desperate would
come within range.
But Mexico Sam was playing
his vendetta along safe lines. He
was a bird Of different feather
from the plover. His accurate
eye drew an ina ginary line OF
circumference around the area of
danger from bird-shot. and upon
this line he rode. His horse
wheeled to the right, and as his
victims rounded to the safe side
of their equine breastworks he
sent a ball through the district
attorneys hat. Once he miscal-
culated in making a detour. and
overstepped his margin. Little
fields gun flashed and Mexico
Sam duCked his head to the
harmless pstter of the shot. A
few of them stung his horse.
which pranced promptly back to
the safety line.
The desperate fired again. A
little cry came from Nancy Der
went. Littleheld whirled, with
blazing eyes and saw the blood
triCkling down her cheek.
I'm not hurt. Bob-onIy a
splinter struck me. think he
hit one OF the wheel-spokes."
Lord" groaned LittIefeld. 'Tf
only had a charge of buckshot"'
The ruffian got his horse still.
and took careful aim. Fly gave
a snort and fell in the harness.
struck in the neck. Bess, now
disabused of the idea that plover
were being fired at, broke her
traces and galloped wildly away.
Mexican Sam sent a ball neatly
through the fulness of Nancy
Derwent's shooting jacket.
Lie dOwn-lie down" snapped
Littlefield. CLOSE to the horse
fiat on the ground-so" He al
most threw her upon the grass
against the back of the recum-
bent Fly. Oddly enough. at that
moment the words of the Mexi-
can girl returned to his mind:
IF the life of the girl you love
is ever in danger, remember Ra-
faeI Ortiz"
Littlefeld uttered an exclama-
tion.
open fire on him, Nan. across
the horses back, Fire as fast as
you can. You can't hurt him. but
keep him lodging shot for one
minute while I try to work out
little scheme.
Nancy gave a quick glance at
Littlefield, and saw him take out
his pocket knife and open it..
Then she turned her face to obey
orders, keeping up a rapid FIRE at
the enemy.
Mexico Sam waited patiently
until this innOCuous fusiIIads
ceased. He had plenty of time,
and he did not care to risk the
chance Of bird-shot in his eye
when it could be avoided by a
little caution. He pulled his