The Arvada enterprise., 1920-04-22

~ AbVAS8
Aswnsd s1ddealy sDsa ss-e.srs Z.
eur EisAt lay . dead mule, hasnasssd
for wosk. bst with throat cut; while
directly II huat Of he cabin door Wa
dog. an ugly. massive bruts. hi
mouth open. prone On his back, With
sd6eosd legs pointing to the ~.
dropped my rein. and strobe forward
swat where you an" called back.
There have bseo savages here; lst
me 80 Arst what has happened in
sids."
The dog had bsen shot, stricken By
two bullets, and I was obliged to drag
his huge body to one side before
could press my way In through the
door. Tho open doorway and window
afforded ample light, and . single
glance was sufncient to reveal most
Of the story. The table had been
smashed ~ BY the blow Of an AZ, and
pewter dishes were everywhere. The
bed In one corner had been stripped Of
its eoveflets, many Of them slashed
BY . knife. and the straw tick had
been ripped open in . dozen places.
Goals from the fireplace lay wide.
spread. some Of them having eaten
deeply into the hard wood before they
ceased smoldering.
saw all this, yet my eyes rested
upon something else. A man lay, bent
double across. an overturned bench. In
. posture which hid his face from
view. His body was there alone, a.
though . child's shoe lay on the
door. and q woman's linsey dress
dansied from q hook against the wall.
I crept forward, my heart pounding
madly. until could gain sight Of his
face. He was 4 big fellow, mot more
than thirty. with sandy hair and beard.
and . pugnacious Jaw. his coarse
hickory shirt slashed into ribbons, Q
bullet wound In the center Of his fore
head. and one arm broken BY . vicious
blow. His calloused hands yet grippsd
the haft Of an AZ, lust - he had died
lighting.
Tins voice spoke from the door
way.
"Injuns. I reckonf'
"Yes. they have been here: the man
10 dead. But there must have been
others, . woman and child also-sse
that shoe ON the door. and the dress
hanging over there. The poor devil
fought hard"
Kennedy stepped inside. staring
about him.
do you think It best to stop hefsr'
"Why mott 'Tain't likely them
devils will be back agin. Thar sure
must be somethin' fer % ter eat In tie
place. an the Lord kno's We can't 20
on ~ We are. Them gufis be mighty
nigh ready ter drop. an two o the
bosses has plum CIV out. I'm fer SET
tim down fer Q few hours snyhow-
say till 1t gifts middling dark"
Undoubtedly this was the sensible
view. We would be in far less danger
remaining there under cover than In
any attempt to continue our journey
by daylight. Together We carried the
body out. and deposited 1t In . thicket
behind the cabin. awaiting burial; and
then dragged the dead dog also out Of
sight. The disorder within was easily
remedied. and. after this had been At
tended to. the girls were permitted to
enter. Eloise sank back on the bench,
her head supported against the wall.
the lashes Of her half-closed eyes
showing dark against the whiteness
Of her cheeks. She looked 20 pitifully
tired. the very heart choksd in my
throat.
TIE rest Of 10 found . small stock
Of provisions, and Elsie. with Tim to
aid her. built . 6re and prepared
breakfast. A half.nlled bottle Of
whisky discovered In the cupboard.
helped to revive all Of % slightly. and
gave Asa suficient courage to seek
outside for q spring. Tim, eompara.
lively unwearied himself. and restless.
located . trapdoor In the door. rather
ingeniously concealed, which disclosed
the existence Of . small cellar below.
Candle In hand he explored this. re-
turning with two guns. together With
quantity OF powder and ball, and In
formation that there remained . half
keg Of the explosive hidden below.
"Aust . bin aimin' ter blow up
stumps. I reckon" he commented. *
hibiting . sample. "Coarsest I ever
saw: cudn't hardly use tibet In NO gun.
but It's powder alright"
To remove the debris out Of our way.
was gathering up the straw tick and
slit blankets. and piled them all to-
sethef back on the bed. Clinging to
one Of the blankets, caught and held
BY Its pin. was . peculiar emblem. and
I stood for . moment with It II my
hand. curiously examining the odd DE-
sign. Eloise Enclosed her eyes, and
started to her feet.
"What 10 that you haver she asked.
"A pin Of some kinda rather
strange design; just found 1t here.
entangled 10 this blanket"
why" she exclaimed In surprise, II
have seen one exactly IKE It before
Kirby wore II In his tis."