The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-11-30

face turned dirty white; his Jaw
dropped; he would have shricked If
Gale had not hit him. The blow
swept him backward against his mon.
Then Gales heavy body, swiftly fol
lowing with the momentum of that
rush, struck the little group OF rebels.
They went down with the table and
chairs In n sliding crash.
Gale, carried by his plunge, went
with them. Like Il cat he landed on
top. AS he rose his powerful hands
fastened on Roias. lie jcrkcd the
little bandit off the tangled pile of
struggling, yelling men, and swinging
him with terrific force, let 60 his hold
Roias slid along the noor, knocking
| over tables and chairs. Gale bounded
back, dragged Roias up, handling him
as If he were Il limp sack
A shot rang out above the wells.
| Gale heard the jingle of brcakinu
| glass. The room tlnrkcnrd pcrccD.
tibly. He flashed Il glance backward.
The two cowboys werc between him
and the crowd Of frantic rebels ono
cowboy held two guns low down, level
in front Of him. The other had his
gun raised ana aimed. On the instant
ii spoutcd rcd and white. With The
crack came the crashing: of glass, an.
other darkcning shade over the room.
With CRY Gale slung the blccdina
Ro.inS from him The bandit struck
Il table. topplcd over 1t, fell, and Law
prone.
Another shot made the room full of
moving shadows, with light only back
Of the bar 4 whitc-clad figure rushed
at Gale. He trippcd the man. but had
to kick hard to discngagc himself
from grasping hands. Another figure
closed in on Gale. This one was dark.
swift. a blade gIintcd-- described
circle aloft. simultaneously with
close, rod flash the knife wavcrcd: the
man welding it stumbled backward.
Then palrilcmonium broke loose. The
din became a roar. Gale heard shots
that sounded like duh spnts in the
distance. The big lamp behind the
bar seemingly split, then sputtcrcd
and went out, leaving the room In
darkness.
Gale lcapcd toward the restaurant
door, which was outlined family by
the yellow light within Right and
left he pushed the cropping men WHO
Jostlcd with him. He vnullcd a pool
table. sent tables and chairs nying,
ana gained the door, to hr the first
OF wcdging mob to squeeze through.
One sweep OF his arm knocked the res
taurant lamp from its stand; and he
nIli lon ,.i ,,1. La, 1t.
a few bounds took him into the par
Tor. 1t was deserted. Thornc had
gotten away with Mercedes!
1t was then Gale slowed up. For
the space of perhaps sixty seconds
he had been moving with startling
velocity. He pcrrcd cautiously oui
INTO the plaza. Under Il street lamp
at the far end of the path he thought
he saw two dark figures He ran
faster, and soon reached the street
The uprOar back In the hotel began
to diminish, or else he was getting out
of hearing. The few people he saw
close at hand were ali coming his
way, and only the foremost showed
any excitement. Gale walked swiftly.
pecrlng ahead for two figures. Pres.
emily he saw thcm--Onc tnll wenring
a cape; the other slight; mnntlcd
Gale drew sharp breath Of relief
Thorne and Mercedes were not far
ahead.
lie began to overhaul them; and
soon. when the last lamp had been
passed and the street was dark, he
rcntured a whistle. Thorne heard
it, for he turned. whiStlcd a low reply,
and went on. Not for some distance
hryond. where the street ended ip
open country, did they halt to wait.
Then he came up with the fugiives
Dick Are you-all right 2" painted
i'horie. graSping Gale.
"I'm-ont Of brcath-but--O H."
rcpied Gale.