The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-09-03


/ head down there is boiling with rage.
and whoever the poor devil or devils,
may be. they'll have TO fight"
"Yes, but who are they?" and Bren-
nan sat up. 1.-The whole gang must be
outside there; / counted fourteen.
Then. did you notice? Mendez had his
hands bound behind his back. He
couldn't even get up until those fell
lows united him. That's what puzzles
me-"
1T would take more than one 10 do
that job Maybe Well find cut now
he's pounding with a revolver butt on
the front door,"
They listened breathlessIy. hanging
recklessly over the rim of the chasm.
and staring at that strange scene be
low, but the mans words only reached
I them broken and detached. They got
I enough, however, 10 realize that he de-
handed the unbarring of the door. and
that he both threatened and promised
4 protection TO whoever was within. II
was the language he employed that
aroused Westcott.
Did you hear that?" he asked short
| ly. THE man spoke English. Who
ever's in there doesn't understand
Spanish. Were any Americans down
there when you left. Moore?'
Joe Skies, and fellow they call
Shorty but they're both outside: that
was Joe who bound up oil Mendez'
arm. an Shorty was heIpin' bring up
the log
The eyes of Brennan and Westcott
met understandings.
Yer don't suppose that girl"
AYE, but l do" and Westcott's
voice proved his conviction. There's
nothing TOO nervy for her TO tackle if ii
needed to be done. But she never
could have corralled Mendez alone"
Then there must be another along
with her-that fellow yer told me
about likely"
Fred CavendiShi BY Jove it would
be like him. Say. boys, I'm going down
and take a hand in this game"
The marshall gripped him.
Not yet, JIM 1t amt dark enough. /
Wait a bit more an I'm with yer, old /
man. It'H be blacker than HI /
down there in fifteen minutes. an then /
Wen have some chance. They'd pot /
us now sure afore we got as far as
that cedar. What is the gang up 10 /
now. Matte"
There a goin' ter bust in the door,"
and Moore craned his head farther out
over the edge in eagerness to see. Il
reckon they didn't git no answer that
pleased 'em. See OF Mendez hoppin
about, Lord! he's mad 'nough TO eat
nails. Thar comes the log-Say, they
hit that some thump; thar amt no
wood that's goin' ter stand agin them
blows long. Do yer hear?"
They did; the dull reverberation as
the log butt crashed against the closed
door was plainly audible. Once. twice.
three times it struck, giving forth at
last the sharper cracking of splintered
wood.
The door crashed in; there was a
fusilade of shots, the splits of fire
cleaving the dusk. and throwing the
figures of the men into sudden bold
relief. The log wielders sprang aside,
and the others leaped forward, yelling
wildly and plunging in through the
broken doorway. An instant later three
muffled reports rang out from the in
deep and booming. the 9th
ers sharper, more resonant-and the
invaders tumbled backward into the
open, seeking shelter. WestcOtt was
erect. Brennan on hands and knees.
Oh mer calculated the latter,
his excitement conquering restraint.
''Whoever they are, Jim, they're givin'
oil Mendez his belly full. Did yer hear
them shots? There's sure two of EN-
i'm thar-one's got a shotgun an the
other a revolver I'll bet yer they
punctured some o. those lads. Lord .
They come out like rats"
Westcott's teeth gripped.
I'm going down. he said grimly, eff ,
I have to go alone
Brennan scrambled to his feet
'Just a second Jim. an I'm with
YER Moore. get up we're. Now, what I
10 yer say? Can we count you in on I
his shindig?'
"Sure; didn't I just tell you SOP" l
Brennan wheeled about. {
"Give him his gun. Jim, and the 5
'elt." he commanded briefly. Il don't
,end no man into fracas like this I'M
ess he's heeled. Leave yer coats here. {
IN take it slow. Both of yer ready?"
Not until his dying day will WestcOtt {
lver forget the moment he hung dan /
ding over the edge of that pit. follow /
ng Moore who had disappeared. and y
cit gingerly in the darkness for the
harrow rock ledge below.
At best they could only creep, feel
ng a way blindly from crag to crag.
linging desperately to every projec-
ion. never venturing even the slight
ST movement until either hand or foot
ound solid support. Moore led. his
oyish recklesSness and knowledge of
he way giving him an advantage.
Vestcott followed keeping as close as d
Ossible. endeavoring TO shape his own
forts in accordance with the dimly y
utlined form below; while Brennan, Z
hort-legged and stout. probably had
he hardest task of all in bringing up
he rear.
There was nothing but intense black
ess down there-a hideOus ehasm of G
cath clutching at them; the houses. Is
he men, the whole valley was COM a