Evening star., 1922-01-29

ler His round moon face scowled in
| black whiskers seemed to bristle: his
! beady. shifty eyes showed nothing
! but baff1ed fury.
! NJ ANGAS sank upon stool beside
E, 'A the center table of the place. his
| gun hand resting on the table. the
! weapon covering Heller. He shot 4
| quick glance at a bunk against the
! rear wall of the cabin. Stretched out
! on this bunk was a young man. pale
and haggard. the marks of long ILL
ness on his wan features. Near him.
standing in painting defiance. stood
! girl; in her hand WAS the pistol taken
from Heller.
"water!" The head of Mangas
lunged forward; he recovered himself
lips like groan.
None the less the girl recognized
the word, and. with light step. she
darted across the room. She drew
dipper of water from an ola on
bench near the door and brought this
to Mangas. He raised the cup greed
lily; in his madness he would have
emptied it, had not his tongue been
so swollen. his throat so nearly closed.
AS it was only a few drops would
trickle down.
He set down the cup. not lifting
his eyes from Heller, who stood with
arms in air. Mangas tried to speak
and failed. Only cultural sounds is
sued from his throat. He motioned
to the girl. Admiration leaped into
his eyes at her quick wit, for she
swiftly had pencil and paper before
! him.
Get your money" he wrote. "and
see that he is unarned."
The girl looked over his shoulder
and read the words. For a moment
she hesitated, as she looked up at
Heller. then she stepped forward.
Mangas watched with eagle eyes.
while from the desert rats pocket
she took roll of bills. Mangas had,
as he looked through the window,
seen Heller take this money from be-
meath the pillow of the sick man,
after slight scuffie with the girl.
Heller proved to be unarmed. ex-
cept for the gun which had already
been taken from him. AS the girl
stepped back, ManEas rose to his feet
and motioned to, the door. Heller. in
the deadly. venomous silence which
he had maintained from the begin
ming. obeyed the gesture.
Mangas followed him, stood in the
ert rat was descending the hill with
of ~ -;
turning, Mangas shut the door and
slipped the bolt. AS he did so he
staggered and reached for a chair,
then the room swan around before
his eyes. He plunged down heavily.
1t was daylight when Mangas came
to himself. He opened his eyes,
stared around and remembered every
thing. He lay in one corner of the
room, upon q pile of blankets; his own
blankets. Near him was all his own
outfit, carefully piled up and neatly
arranged. He understood at once that
the girl must have done this. A girl,
handling Dynamite and Pardner! He
would have liked to see how she did
it. At the thought he uttered short
laugh.
Feeling better, are you?" queried
a voice.
Mangas raised himself and saw
that the invalid had spoken. He smiled
back at the young man and then ca
ressed his stubby chin. Some,
thanks" he responded. ''only i sure
need shave! Hadn't figured on
striking women folks this way"
The other chuckled in response.
Then came sudden interruption.
"Able to talk? That's fine" The
girl stood framed in the doorway,
smiling at Mangas. She was good to
look upon, her face Sradiating cheer
fulness; brown eyes matched her
braided hair; good, level honest eyes.
\ + 4 X
ser OOKS- like you've given me con-
L siderable attention" said Man