, 1922-12-06

face turned a dirty white; his jaw
dropped; he would have shrieked II
Gale had not hit him. The blow
swept him backward against his men.
Then Gales heavy body, swiftly fol-
lowing with the momentum of that
rush, struck the little group of rebels.
They vent down with the table and
chairs in a sliding crash.
Gale, carried by his plunge, went
with them. Like a a he landed on
top. AS he rose his powerful hands
fastened on Rojas. He jerked the
little bandit off the tangled pile of
struggling, yelling men, and, swinging
him with terrific force, let go his hold.
Rojas slid along the floor, knocking
over tables and chairs. Gale bounded
back, dragged Rojas up. handling him
as If he were a limp sack.
A shot rang out above the yells.
Gale heard the jingle of breaking
glass. The room darkened percep-
tibly. He flashed a glance backward.
The two cowboys were between him
and the crowd Of frantic rebels. One
cowboy held two guns low down, level
in front of him. The other had his
gun raised and aimed. On the instant
1t spouted red and white. With the
crack came the crashing of glass, an
other darkening shade over the room.
With a cry Gale slung the bleeding
Rojas from him. The bandit struck
a table. topHied V 1t. fell, and lay
prone.
Another shot made the room full of
moving shadows, with light only back
of the bar. A Whitehead figure rushed
at Gale. He tripped the man. but had
to kick hard to disengage himself
from grasping hands. Another figure
closed In on Gale. This one vas dark,
swift. A blade glinted-described "a
circle aloft. simultaneously with a
close, red flash the knife wavered; the
nan welding 1t stumbled backward.
Then pandemonium broke loose. The
din became a roa Gale heard shots
that sounded like dull spats In the
distance. The big lamp behind the
bar seemingly split, then sputtered
and went out, leaving the room in
darkness.
Gale leaped toward the restaurant
door, which was outlined family by
the yellow light within. Right and
left he pushed the cropping men who
jostled with him. He vaulted n pool
table, sent tables and chairs flying,
and gained the door, t be the first
of a wedging mob to squeeze through.
One sweep of his arm knocked the res
taurant lamp from Its stand; and he
ran out, leaving darkness behind him.
A few bounds took him into the par
Tor. 1t was deserted. Thorne had
gotten away with Mercedesl
1t was then Gale slowed up. Eos
the space of perhaps sixty seconds
he had been moving with startling
velocity. He peered cautiously out
into the plaza. Under a 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
'fJ ouAG WuihCu Swiftly
peering ahead for two figures. Pres
emily he saw them-one tall, wearing
a cape; the other slight; mantled
Gale drew a sharp breath Of relief
Thorne and Mercedes were not fal
ahead.
He began to overhaul them; ant
soon, when the last lamp had beer
passed and the street was DARK hs
ventured a whistle. Thorne heard
1t, for he turned. whistled n low reply
and went on. Not for SOME distance
beyond. where the street ended II
open country, did they halt to walt
Then he came up with the fugltives.
'Dickl Are you-all rightf" painted
rhorne. grasping Gale.
'T'm-out of breath-but-0. K.,'
replied Gale.
.sGoodf Good 10 ehokod Thorna N