Gunnison news-champion., 1920-02-06
BY FRANK sLlcHroN
Copynghi


family facing the firing squad. was
not so unusual as TO excite horror
when the condemned was Q native.
But this was the epifome Of betrayal
the deliberate. cowardly assassina-
ton Of Q man who has been told that
he Is free to depart. only to fall. bullet
shattered from behind. at the very
verge OF his coveted freedom.
La ley fuega IL truly Mexican.
~Wnl you give me Q cigarette. sarr'
Hardinge whiried.
Jitendra was retracing his steps to-
ward the corporal in command. MUIR
der IL murder-but. even In Aexico. it
II hard for Q murderer TO shoot down
q pItiful. gaunt. soft-eyed. unsuspect-
ing atom Of humanity while appealing
to him for . last solace.
The oficer sheepIshly passed over
the materials. Jitendra dexterousiy
rolled the golden-brown tobacco in the
wrapper, and. still smiling. reached
for the match which was rendered
him.
He bowed his thanks and again
walked firmly toward the gate. A few
feet further on he stopped to ignite
the match on the end Of the old drain
where II projected above the ground.
CrouchinG low. he sheltered the name
with his cupped hands.
The blazing remnant he dropped
into the hole. He rose. facing the Inn
patient soldiers. pufhng vigorously.
then turned and walked q step or two
further In the direction Of the en-
trance. stili some distance away. which
II was never intended he should reach
alive.
This time HardinGe knew there
would be no delay in the death-deslins
volley.
A sound, curiousiy resembling .
hiss, swept along beneath the surface
Of the ground. almost at the English.
mans feet. II was not unlike the sub
dued "swish" Of q rocket as II hurtles
through the air. or the whisper Of Q
serpent beneath tuft Of grass.
The corporal had no time to recover
from his surprise. Beneath his feet
the earth suddenly upheaved. followed
by roar that mingled with the volley
Of the firing squad.
A great cloud Of smoke leaped high
above the carcel walls. carrying with
II . shower Of sun-baked. od-stained
earth. mingled with fragments Of flesh.
Slowly the whitish-blue wreaths set.
tied down or drifted away. Soldiers
were strewn over the ground-soms
hideously mangled cofpses. others
writhing In agony.
Hardinge. miraculously uninjured,
peered with amazed and horror filled
eyes for some sight Of the Hindu.
Jnlisingrao Jitendra had vanished.
Thunderstruck for an instant the
Quick-witted knave at the next bolted
for the jail gate. He had not reached
the opening. however. when frightful
yell OF terror rose outside In the
streets Of Zapatillio.
LOS Americanosi n Tigrei n
Tigrei"
Behind the roar Of other rifles rang
out q hearty cheer. Herbert Hardinge,
scurrying across the road for pro.
tection with Morenos bodyguard.
sprawled suddenly and lay stin.
a hatiess giant with yellow hair
and implacable blue eyes. upon HE
fsfocious face Q satyrs smile Of nttef
contempt for danger. was riding At
tie head Of the cyclonic knot Of men.
His smoking ride told the story OF
he HAgiishnan's passing.
,ShFieking Aexicans scattered for
safety In every direction before that
whiriwind. tigerish assault-Aeeing ~
their forefathers had ned three gem
eentiops before when confronted By
A6hting men Of AngIo-Saxon blood.
With . venomsus look Of semisatis-
faction. Buck Williams spurrsd his
1saming horss over Hardlngs'S corpse.
staight into the jail yard. bs5
He sharply refined In the animal. -
his inquisitorial eyes fell upon Jlten-
dra's turban. He leaped to the ground
and picked up the discarded head
dress. 5s0f
TOO later he groaned. II was
sure that volley heard was his finish.
Great GOdl what hellish luck-nve
minutes moro and should have saved
him!~
With pesplexed glance at the dead
and dying soldiers clustered In or
around the huge hole freshly gnasAed
In the earth. he remounted and rode
de5ectedly through the gate.
4 man hurried up 10 him,
'Dld you ind him, BuckT
Hes gone. Scotty. But he evident
u had company. for hen must have
broken looss IN that jail yard-
body's dead fn therel~
-0osh- that's tough But why didn't
you bring hin aloog with yoa last
night. Buckf The boys was % the
way iave minutes aftse ~ eot the
nsws down b Cullacan ysstoraay att
srnoon. and IN 1fsklco epal1nft have
taksA sitAH 20 - hin sway fpam