Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-07-16

is hard for a murderer to shoot down
a pitiful. gaunt, soft-eyed, unsuspect-
ing atom of humanity while appealing
to him for a last solace.
The officer sheepishly passed over
the materials. Jitendra dexterously
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. few
feet further on he stopped to ignite
the match on the end of the old drain
where it projected above the ground.
Crouching low, he sheltered the flame
with his cupped hands.
The blazing remnant he dropped
into the hole. He rose. facing the i'm
patient soldiers. putting vigorously,
then turned and walked a step or two
further in the direction of the en-
trance, still some distance away, which
it was never intended he should reach
alive.
This time Hardinge knew there
would be no delay in the death-dealing
yolley.
A sound, curiously resembling a
hiss, swept along beneath the surface
of the ground almost at the English
mans feet. 1t was not unlike the sub
dued "swish" of d rocket as it hurtles
through the air, or the whisper of
serpent beneath a 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
it a shower of sun-baked, blood-stained
earth, mingled with fragments of flesh.
Slowly the whitish-blue wreaths set
tied down or drifted away. Soldiers
were strewn over the ground-some
hideously mangled corpses, others
writing in agony.
Hardinge, miraculously uninjured,
peered with amazed and hOrrOr-tlled
eyes for some sight of the Hindu.
JaiisingraO 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.
sLos Americanosl El Tigre! Ell
Tigre!"
Behind the roar of other rifles rang
out a hearty cheer. Herbert Hardinge,
scurrying across the road for pro-
lection with Moreno's bodyguard,
sprawled suddenly and lay still.
A hatless giant, with yellow hair
and implacable blue eyes, upon his
ferocious face satyr's smile of utter
contempt for danger, was riding at
the head of the cyclonic knot of men.
His smoking rifle told the story OF
the Englishman's passing.
Shrieking Mexicans scattered for
safety in every direction before that
whirlwind, tigerish aSsault-fleeing as
their forefathers had fed three gen.
erations before when confronted by
fighting men of Anglo-Saxon blood.
With venomous look of semisatis-
faction, Buck Williams spurred his
foaming horse over Hardinge's corpse,
straight into the Jail yard.
He sharply refined in the animal, as
his inquisitOrial eyes fell upon Jiten-
dra's turban. He leaped to the ground
and picked up the discarded head
dress.
100 >late!" he groaned. II was
sure that volley heard was his finish.
Great God! what hellish luck-ive
minutes more and should have saved
him ~
With perplexed glance at the dead
and dying soldiers clustered in or
around the huge hole freshly CRASHED
in the earth, he remounted and rode
dejectedly through the gate.
A man hurried up to him.
/ ibid you find him, Buck?'
Hes gone, Scotty. But he evident
~ had company, for hell must have
broken loose in that jail yard-every-
bodys dead in there"
"Gosh-thats tough! But why didn't
you bring him along with you last
night, Buck? The boys was on the
way five minutes after we got the
news down in Culiacan yesterday aft
ernoon, and all Mexico couldn't have
taken either you or him away from
u.s."
81 don't know, Scotty. was crazy,
I suppose All thought of was my
self-and getting back here to clean
up that dog Hardinge. l remember
Jitendra's saying something about
beating it quick, and that his gods
would keep an eye out for him.
Scotty, can't ever forgive myself-he
was good scout"
HE sure musta been, Buck!" con-
soled the superintendent. "But
wouldn't"
Look what he did for me-" inter
rupted Williams. "He followed me al
most five hundred miles after threat
ened to shoot him if I saw him again
he gave Pacheco the Broadway Rouse
in some fashion have never been able