The Adair County news., 1921-02-16

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Of breath had been driven from his
lungs; and for the space of minute,
during which Jules Rondeau lay heav-
lily across his midriff, the Colonel was
quite unable to get it back. Pale,
gasping. and Jared from soul to sus-
penders, he was merely aware that
something unexpected and disconcert-
ing had occurred.
While the Colonel fought for his
breath, his woodsmen remained In the
ofing, paralyzed into inactivity by
reason of the swiftness and thorough
ness Of Bryce Cardigan's work; then
Shirley motioned to them to remove
the wreckage, and they FASTENED to
obey.
Freed from %the weight on the
geometric center of his being, Colonel
Pennington stretched his legs, rolled
his head from side to side, and snorted
violently several times like buck
After the sixth snort he felt so much
better that clear understanding of
the exact nature of the catastrophe
came to him; he struggled and sat up,
looking around him little wildly.
"Where-did = Cardigan II oT he
gasped.
One of his men pointed to the timber
into which the enemy had just dis
appeared. =
Surround him-take him." Penning-
ton ordered. "Tll gsye-a months
pay-to each of-the six men that
bring-that scoundrel to me. Get him
quickly! Understand
Not q man moved. Pennington
shook with fury. sect him." he croak-
ed. There are enough of you to do
the job. Close In on him-everybody.
I'll give months pay to-every-
body"
A man of that indiscrlminate mix
ture of Spaniard and Indian known in
California as cholo swept the circle of
men with an alert and knowing glance
His name was Flavio Artelan, but his
straight black hair, dark russell com.
plexion, beady eyes, and hawk nose
gave him such a resemblance to a
fowl that he was known among his fell
lows as the Black Minorca, regardless
Of the fact that this sobriquet was
scarcely fair to very excellent breed
of chicken. THAT offers good enough
for me-" he remarked In buslnesslike
tones. "Come on-everybody. A
months pay for FIVE minutes work.
wouldn't tackle the Job with six men,
but there are twenty of US here"
Hurry" the Colonel urged them.
Shirley Summers flashing glance
rested upon the Black Minorca. "Don't
you dare" she cried. Twenty to
one! For shamel"
For months pay" he replied i'm
pudently, and grinned evilly. "And
I'm takin' orders from my boss" He
started on dog-trot for the timber,
and dozen men trailed after him.
Shirley turned helplessly on her
uncle, seized his arm and shook 1t
frantically. "Call them backI Call
them back" she pleaded.
Her uncle got uncertainty to his
feet "Not on your lifeT he growled.
and In his cold gray eyes there danced
the lights Of thousand devils. 81 told
you the fellow was rufian. Now,
perhaps, you'll believe me. Well hold
him until Rondeau reytves, and then
-"
Shirley guessed the rest, and she
realized that it was useless to plead
that she was only wasting time.
Bryce! Brycel" she called. "Run
They're after you. Twenty of themI
Run, run-for my sake %
His voice answered her from the
timber: run? From those cattle2
Not from man or devil" A silence.
Then: $50 you've changed your mind,
have you? You've spoken to me
againp There was triumph, exulta-
ton in his voice. "The timbers too
thick, Shirley. I couldn't get away
anyhow-so I'm coming back.
She saw him burst through thlcket
of alder saplings into the clearing,
saw half dozen of her uncle's men
close in around him like wolves around
a sick steer; and at the shock of their
contact, she moaned and hid her face
in her trembling hands.
Half man and half tiger that he
was, the Black Minorca, as self-ap-
pointed leader, reached Bryce first. 1
The cholo was squat, powerful little
man, with more bounce to him than a
rubber ball; leading his men by a
dozen yards, he hesitated not an in
slant but lodged under the blow Bryce
dashed out at him and came up inside
the latter's guard, feeling for Bryce's
throat. Instead he met Bryce's knee
in his abdomen, and forthwith he fold
ed up like an accordion.
The next instant Bryce had stopped,
caught him by the slack Of the
trousers and the scruff of the neck and
thrown him, as he had thrown Ron
deau, into the midst of the men ad-
vancing to his aid. Three of them
went down backward; and Bryce,
charging over them. stretched two
more with well-placed blows from left
to right, and continued on across the