Gunnison news-champion., 1921-03-18
RANDALL
PARRISH

y am, Tom. but ] can't stay In
there. want to be ont here with
you
Why l amt In 4 mite o danger.
little EirI. Those reds can't shoot
through this rock. All got to DO Is
'Ie here quiet an take EN- ou the
Jump"
But suppose they rush In on you ?
1T don't hardly look reasonable
Still. o course they might Try Il. II
they got d white leader Indians never
would themselves: it's liable TO cost
40 heavy
THAT IS Why l nm coming back
.nr Insisted u told you | could
aoui~
AL rlsht" he griBned chcerfuily.
come long. then; only you keep down
5ut Of III" way. and let me do the
.nlpluE There! now you lost the n
shot Did you see that buck dodge
between those two rocksf He'll Try
hat trick again presently"
Olga came back. creeping out eau
uously and finding place slightly
behind where he lay. She held TO
one WEAPON. laying the other on the
rocks together with belt filled with
cartridges.
Shelby barely swept his eyes toward
her. his whole attention concentrated
on what was occurring below. Some
thlng wns taking place down there.
but exactly what could not Immediate
ly be determined lie had perceived
men moving beyond range dodging
along from rock to rock. mere glimpses
4 dark figures. yet plainly enough
ludlous- once he was almost sure he
distinguished a white man. through a
rift ln a gully but the hertlng view
gained was not convincing. Never
theless he had no doubt but what
there were white men present The
method OF attack was too bold, and
determined. for sayuges alone; It was
not the Sioux Vhea OF war Besides
the oue man who would have n real
object In this nSsIul, would be l.Hui
Hrsond an question II wAs he who
wRs behind IN" effort. urged 90 by
personal hatred as well Ms a desire
to gain possession Of Olga. Shelby
wondered what the fellow might know.
Could he he aware Of the escape NJ
Muckuu7 arh that Panchn had ridden
forth B., search for help7 II he did
ihBt might account FOR his desperate
earprDrss ~ overcome what resistance
they could u0rf before she returned.
Yet probably not, for II he did know
the coward In him would cause him TO
seek Night before he could be c0rnered
In this place. II was far more likely
that he believed himself opposed mere
Iy by Shelby and the girl. armed with
revolver CT two. and having n lin
lied supply OF ammunition. He saw
little peril In the adventure, and iig-
ured that quick, sharp rush, his war
rtors leaping from covert to covert,
would win an easy victory. He would
keep up n steady rife hre from be-
hind the rocks, forcing the defenders
to keep under cover. and then sudden
ly send n charging party to end the
affair.
Shelby smiled grimly at the mental
picture. never turning his head as he
spoke to the silent girl beside him.
"How's MacklInT"
Dead. ! think, Tom. He didn't
seem to breathe even family"
''The poor devil; 1t will be mighty
hard on Pancha though. You got your
gum"
"Yes.-
"All loaded. reckon: II not you
better I'LL II up. There Is goin' TO be
hi to pay presently. When say
so. you let drive. Keep down out o.
sight till then. but when you begin to
pump, make her act like n gatling."
But can't those riflemen see you
thereg"
We'll. IT doesn't look much like they
can, the way they are pepperin' that
rock. Nice little tune the bucks are
playin'. That's what makes me think
something's up; they aim to keep us
down out o sight, SO we won't glimpse
what's comm. Tain't Indian nature
to waste lead that way. Laud's back
there somewhere playin' this game.
think ! got sight OF the sneakin' cuss
a minute ago. but he was out of
range"
You believe they intend to try and
get up herer'
That's my present notion; they
don't look for much trouble either.
1t is up to us to give that outfit the
surprise OF their lives"
She reached out her hand and found
his, as 1t rested on the belt Of cart.
ridges.
"Tom ~
Yes" he answered without remov-
ting his gaze from the trail below.
Don't worry about me-" she said
earnestly. You know what I mean; /;
don't think about me when they do
come. I'll take care of myself, all
right"
he cast 4 quick glance into her
face.
4