Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-02-06

this fear overwhelmed me with conster-
nation, / was compelled to notice how
helplessly the first Of the two women
walked-as 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 grasped 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. a
dose" he growled, angrily. "Half O.
tibet wud a bin nough. Why, d. it.
she kin hardly walk"
well, what's the odds?" it 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
nc easy job Gaskins will tell you
that. Have you got your man here?'
20 course; he's waiting thar with
the losses But Tn Id it | like
this. She don't know nuthn', does
sfo3"
Maybe not now: but 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 off. Jack there isn't any tire
to waste. suppose Wen have to strap
her into the saddle"
/ held back, and permitted them to
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
made some faint protest the nature
of which ] failed to catch clearly, but
the fellow only laughed in reply and
ordered her to keep quiet. Eloise ut
tered no word, emitted no sound, made
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
brutally cruel that it required all my
strength of will to restrain myself from
action. My fingers closed upon the pis-
toll 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
grapple with Kirby, hand to hand, and
crush him helpless to the earth.
THAR" said the saloonkeeper,, at
last, testing his strap. Il reckon she
can't fall off nowhow, even if she don't
sit up worth d.. Go ahead now,
MOffett."
Both 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
gleam,. piercing through the screen OF
leaves overhead, struck full into my
eyes. With an oath he thrust my, hat
back and stared straight at me.
| could not see the mingled hate and
horror glazing in the mans eyes, but
there could be no doubt of his recogni-
ton. The acknowledgment found ex-
preston in a startled exclamation.
"By God you, here!"
That was all the time | gave him.
With every pound of strength, with
every ounce of dislike, | drove a
clenched fist into that surprised face,
and the fellow went down as though
smitten by an ak. Even as he reeled,
Rale leaped on me, cursing, failing to
understand the cause, yet instinctively
realizing 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 an elbow straight into my face.
The next instant we were locked to-
gether so closely any blow became i'm
possible. youth and agility waging
fierce battle against brutal strength.
I think / was his match, yet this
never knew-fOr all my thought cen
tered in an effort to keep his hands
from reaching any weapon. Whatever
happened to me, there must be no
alarm, no noise sufficiently loud so as
to attract the attention of sentrieS on
guard This affair must be fought out