The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1922-11-23

| toD AS he rose his powerful Hduus
| fastened on Roias. He jerked the
LITTLE bandit off the tangled pile of
struggling, yelling men, and, swinging
him with terrific force, let go his hold.
| Roias slid along the floor, knocking
over tables and chairs. Gale bounded
back. dragged ROias up. handling him
as If he were limp sack.
shot rang out above the yells.
Gale heard the jingle of breaking
glass. The room darkened percep-
| tihly. 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
# spouted red and white. With the
crack came the crashing of glass. an
other darkening shade over the room.
With cry Gale slung the bleeding
Roias from him. The bandit struck
table toppled over It, 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
70 kick hard to disengage himself
from grasping hands. Another figure
bslosed in on Gale. This one was dark,
swift. blade glinted-desCribed a
circle aloft simultaneously with
close, red flash the knife wavered; the
man welding it stumbled backward
Then pandemonium broke loose. The
din became roar 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 pool
table, sent tables and chairs flying,
and gained the door, to 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.
few bounds took him into the par
lor II was deserted. Thorne had
4 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 peered cautiously out
into the plaza Under 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 We're all coming his
way, and only the foremost showed
any excitement. Gale walked swiftly,
peering ahead for two figures. Pres
emily he saw them-one tall, wearing
cape; the other slight; mantled.
Gale drew sharp breath of relief.
Thorne and Mercedes were not far
ahead.
He began to overhaul them; and
soon. when the last lamp had been
passed and the street was dark, he
ventured whistle. Thorne heard
1t, for he turned, whistled low reply,
and went on Not for some distance
beyond, where the street ended In
open country, did they halt to wait
Then he came up with the fugitiyes
Dick Are you-all right 2" painted
Thorne, grasping Gale.
'I'm-out of breath-but-O. X"
replied Gale.
Good Good :" choked Thorne. II
was seared-helpless. Dick.
II worked splendidly. We had no
trouble. What on earth did you doY'
81 made the row, all right" said
Dick. "While l was rushing Rojas
a couple OF cowboys shot out the
lamplights. A Mexican who pulled a
knife on me got hurt l guess. Then
i think there was some shooting from
the rebels after the room was dark. -
Mercedes pressed close to him,
touched his hands, hooked up into his
face with wonderful eyes. He thought
he would not soon forget their beauty
the shadow of pain that had been,
the hope dawning so fugitively
Dear lady" said Gale. with voice
not wholly steady, "Rojas himself
will hound you no more tonight, nor
for many nights"
She seemed to shake, to thrill. to
rise with the intelligence, She pressed
his hand close over her heaving breast.
Gale felt the quick throb of her heart.
"Senor Senior Dicki' she cried.
Then her voice failed. But her