The Dolores star., 1920-04-09
CHAPTER xIIl-continued.
-13-

whole cabocdle workin' like Il
,harm." he said. good humoredly.
Thought onct the deputy might show
up ugly. but quart O. red-eye sure
fixed hin-thar's our party comm
now. Ye're ter stay right whar ye
are"
They were advancing toward us up
the bank which sloped down toward
the creek. Rale moved forward to
meet them across the little open space,
and moment later, from my hiding
place among the motionless horses
became able to distinguish the slowly
approaching figures. There were four
in the party, apparently from the garb
two men and two women. The second
man might be the preacher. but If so,
why should he be there2 Why should
his presence at this time be necessary?
Unless the two main conspirators had
special need for his services, l could
conceive no reason for his having any
part in the action that night. Had l
beea deceived in their plans? Even as
this fear overwhelmed me with conster-
nrtion. ! was compelled TO notice how
hslpiessiy the first of the two women
walked-hs though her limbs refused
to support her body, even though ap-
parently upheld by the grip of the
man beside her. Rale, joining them
immediately grusped her other arm
and. between the two. she was impelled
forward. The saloonkeeper seemed
unable to restrain his voice.
Yer must'r give her one h O.
Dose" he growled, angrily. Half O
theI wud bin nough. Why, d. it.
she kin hardly walk"
We'll. what's the odds?" 1t was Kir-
by who replied sarcaStically. "She got
more because she wouldn't drink. We
had to make her take it, and it wasn't
no easy job. Gaskins will tell you
that Have you got your man here?"
90 course; he's waiting thar with
the hosscs. But Tn id if like
this. She don't know nuthln', does
she?"
Maybe not now, out she'll come
around all right. and she signed her
name. So there amt no hitch. She
seemed to get worse after that. Come
on. we can't stand talking here; let's
get them of. Jack there isn't any time
to waste l suppose wen have to strap
her into the saddle"
I held back. and permitted them 10
work, merely leading my own horse
slightly to one side and keeping In his
Shadow. GaSkins brutally jerked the
shrinking mulatto forward and forced
her TO mount one Of the horses. She
in''!r some faint protest, the nature
o. which l failed to catch clearly, but
tn Fellow ouly laughed 10 reply and
"r'icred her to keep quiet. Eloise ut
tered no word. emitted no sound made
n" struggle, as the two other men lifted
her bodily into the saddle, where Kirby
held her. swaying helplessly against
him while Rale strapped her securely
into place.
The entire proceedings were so
brmtally cruel that it required all my
strength of will to restrain myself from
acrion. Ny fingers closed upon the pis-
tol in my pocket, and every impulse
urged me to hurl myself on the fellow,
trusting everything to swift, bitter
fight. / fairly trembled in eagerness to
grappie with Kirby, hand to hand, and
crush him helpless to the earth.
Thar" said the saloonkecper, at
last, testing his strap ~ reckon she
cant fall off nowhow, even if she don't
sit up worth n d.. Go ahead now,
Muffett.''
Hoth men stepped aside. and led
my horse forward. The movement
brought me more into the open, and
face TO face with Kirby. By some trick
Of fate, at that very instant star
glenn. piercing through the screen OF
ieagcs overhead, struck full into my
eyes. With an Oath he thrust my hat
bncK and stared straight at me.
could not see the mingled hate and
horror glaring in the mans eyes, but
there could be no doubt of his recogni-
tion. The acknowledgment found ex-
preston In startled exclamation.
BY God you, here"
That was all the time / gave him.
with every pound Of strength, with
every ounce IF dislike, l drove a
ciouched fist INTO that surprised face,
and the fellow went down as though
snltten by an AK. Even as he reeled,
RRle leaped on me. crrsing, falling to
understand the cause, yet instinctiveiy
re,,liZing the presence of an enemy.
His grip was at my throat, and, even
as his fingers closed savagely, he struck
me with one knee In the stomach. and
drove on elbow straight into my face.
The next instant we were locked to.
gether SO closely any blow became i'm.
possible. youth and agility waglng
fierce battle against brutal strength
think l was his match. yet this I
never knew-for all my thought cen.
tered In an effort to keep his hands
from reaching any weapon. Whatever
Unopened to me, there must be no
alarm, no noise sufficiently loud so MS
to attract the attention of sentrles on
guard. This affair must be fought out
with tara knuckles and strainlng sin.
tx, nsl,