The Dolores star., 1920-04-30
Copyright by A. c. MeClurg & Co.
CHAPTER xVI-Continued.

take IL, ElOiSe. Now raise your nanus
Tim"
"Whut's up?"
'ls there anything serious going on
outsider"
No: nuthin' much-just pow
wowin'. Yer want me?"
search that scoundrel for weapons
Don't ask questions; do what l say"
He made short work of it, using no
gentle methods.
Wal. the gent wasn't exactly harm
less" he reported, erinning cheerfully,
"COnsiderin' this yere knife an cannon.
Now, maybe yell tell me whut the
h-'s up2"
Kirby stood erect. his dark eyes
senrching our faces, his lips scornful.
And perhaps, Mr.. Lieutenant
Knox" he added sarcastically. You
might condescend to explain to me
also the purpose OF this outrage"
With pleasure" but without lower
Ing my rifle. This boy here belonged
tn the company of soldiers massacred
yesterday morning. You know where
mean. He was the only one to escape
alive, ana he saw you there among the
savages-frae, and one of them"
"lle tells you that? And you accept
the word of that half-wit?'
He described your appearance to
a. exactly tweuty-four hours ago.
never thought of you Mt the time, al
though the description was accurate
enough, because it seemed so impos-
sible for you to have been there. But
that isn't all Kirby. What has become
OF the emblem pin you wore in your
tie? 1t is gone, see"
His hand went up involuntarily. II
s possible he had never missed It be-
fore, for a look Of indeciSion came into
the mans face-the first symptom of
weakness | had ever detected there
at must have been lOSt-mislaid-"
at was; and l chance to be able to
tell you wherein this very room.
Here IS your pin. you incarnate devil.
I found it caught in those blankets
Jonder. This Is not yrur first visit to
this cabin; you were here with Indian
murderers.'
ITS q ID lie"
but Kennedy had him. locked In a
vise-like grip. 1t was well he had. for
the fellow had burst into a frantic
rage, yet WAS bound 30 utterly helpless
A. 70 appear almost pitiful. The
Snnwedge Of what he had planned, of
his deSpicable treachery. left us mer-
ciless. In spite of his struggles we
bore him to the floor and pinned him
there. cursing and swapping like n
wild beast
Tear up one Of those blankets" I
called back over my shoulder to Hall
-Yes. into strips. of course: now bring
them here. Tim, you tie the fellow
yes. do good job; I'll hold him. Lie
still, Kirby, or I shall have to give you
the butt of this gun in the face"
He made one last effort to break
free, and. as my hand attempted to
close on his throat, the clutchlng ting-
ers caught the band of his shirt and
ripped 1t wide open. There. directly
before me. a scar across his hairy, ex-
posed chest. was broad, black mark,
Q tribal totem. I stared down at It.,
recognizing its Significance.
by Heaven, Tim. look at this" I
eried. "He is an Indian himself-a
black Sac!''
do not know what delayed the
attack of the savages, unless they were
waiting for some signal which never
came. I passed from loophole to loop
hole, thus assuring myself not only
that they still remained, but that the
cabin was completely surrounded, al
though the manner In which the war
riors had been distributed left the
great mass of them opposite the front.
The others evidently composed a mere
guard to prevent escape. No move
nent I could observe indicated an i'm.
mediate assault; they rather appeared
to he awaiting something.
Those I saw we're all dlsmounted
and had advanced toward the cabin as
closely as possible without coming
within the range of guns. They had
also sheltered themselves as far as
possible behind clumps Of brush. or
ridges Of rock. SO that found 1t diff
cult to estimate their number. Only
occasionally would venturesome
warrior appear for a moment in the
open. as he giided stenlthlly from the
protection Of one covert to another
No doubt some were brought within
range Of our rifles. as these efforts
were usually made to more advanced
positions. but forbade firing, in the
yague hope that. not hearing from
Kirby. the chiefs might become dis
couraged and draw OF without rIsking
an open attack.
This was more desperate hope.
rather than any real faith possessed.
Beyond doubt the Indian chief knew,
or thought he knew, our exact strength
hefore he consented to use his war
Aors In this assault.
II the hand had trailed US to this
~ hAA been done through the