The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-02-10
Continued from Our Last Issue

searched each other. Steelman sidled
over to the desk. His right hand drop
ped into an open drawer, apparently
carelessly and without intent.
You fired Bear Canon" charged
the cowpuncher.
Doble's eyes narrowed. "You aimin'
to run my business, Shortly"
From the desk came the sharp, an
cry bark of a revolver. Shorty felt
his hat lifted as a bullet tore through
the rim His eyes swept to Steelman.
who had been a negligible factor in
his calculations. The man fired again
and blew out the light. In the darkness
Shorty swept out both guns and fired
His first two shots were directed to-
ward the man behind the desk, the
next two at the spot where Doble
had been standing. Another gun was
booming in the room, perhaps two.
Yellow fire flashes ripped the black
ness.
Shorty whipped open the door at his
back. slid through it. and kicked it
shut with his foot as he leaped from
the porch. At the same moment he
thought he heard groan.
Swiftly he ran to the cottonwood
where he had left his horse tied He
jerked loose the knot. swung into the
saddle and galloped out of town.
Dug Dobie's first thought was for
his, own safety. Satisfied that all
was well, he turned to the figure
sprawled on the floor with outflung
arms.
Dead as stuck shoate." he said
callously after he had turned the
body over. Got him plumb through
the forehead--in the dark, too. Some
shootin'. Shorty"
IIe could put finger on the time
he had commenced to 60 wrong. 1t
had been when he had quarreled with
Emerson Crawford about his daugh.
ter Joyce. He had gone more definitely
wrong after Sanders came back to
Malapi. The young ex-convct, he
chose to think, was responsible for the
circumstances that made him an out.
law. Crawford and Sanders together
had exposed him and driven him from
theahaunts OF men to the hills. He
hated them both with a bitter morose
virulence his soul could not escape.
Revenge! The thought Of it spurred
him every waking hour, roweling his
wounded pride cruelty. There was a
way within reach of his hand, one
suggested by Steelman's whisperings.
lie could make the girl love him.
e CHAPTER XXIII
Dave knew no rest that night. He
patrolled his line from San Jacinto
10 Cattle and back again, stopping al
ways to lend a hand where the attack
was most furious.
The dense cloud lifted for a moment,
swept away by an air current To
the fire.flghters that glimpse OF the
landscape told an appalling fact. The
demon had escaped below from San
Iacinto Canon and been swept west.
ward by q slant of wind with the speed
OF an express train. They were trap
ped b. the back-tire in a labyrinth
from which there appeared no escape.
Every path of exit was blocked. The
flames had leaped from hilltop to hill.
top.
Dave spoke quietly. We've got a
chance II we keep our hads. There's
an old mining tunnel hereabouts. Fol.
low me. and stay together"
Tho tunnel was q shallow one in a
hillsine. Dave stood aside and count.
ed the men as they passed in.
Their place OF refuge was packed
with smoke. A tree crashed down
NJ the mouth and presently a second
one. These, blazing, sent more heat
in to cook the tortured men inside.
In that darkhouse Of hell men show
ed again their nature. cursing, pray
ing. storming. or weeping as they lay.
The prospect hole became a mad
house. A big Hungarian. crazed by
the torment he was enduring, leaped
to. his feet and made for the blazing
hll outside.
s"Back there" Dave shouted hoarsly
The big fellow rushed him. His
lender flung him back against the
rock wall. He rushed again, scream
ing in crazed anger. Sanders struck
him down with the long barrel ol
lie .forty,five. The Hungarian lay
where he fell for few minutes
then crawled back from the mouth OF
The pit.
NtsFilSItN anu tailduHltu. llt
pod down NJ last into forgetfulness
of pain. And the flames. which hao
fought with such savage fury to blo
out the little group OF men. fell back
sullenly In defeat.
The line OF fire had passed ovel
them.
In the fresh air the men revived
auIokly. They went back into the
cavern and dragged out those of theiI
companions not yet able 10 help them
selves Three out OF the twenty min,
would never help themselves again
They had perished in the tunnel.
CHAPTER XxIv
The women OF AIalapi responded gen
crously to the call Joyce made upor
hem TO. back their men in the figh
a&ainst tho fire In the chaparral. Now
they cooked and baked cheerfully I,
supply the wants OF the fire fighters
Into the relief headquarters, Kcitl
raced ahead OF messenger 10y, JOY
a man wants TO. see you! From Dave
he shouted.
"A letter. .senorita," the man said
presenting her with a note which h'
took from his pocket.
Tho note read
MISS JOYCE:
Your father has been hurt In tn,
fire, This man will take you to him.
DAVE SANDERS.
Joyce went white TO the lips ant
csnsht at the table to steady herself
'fs--is he badly hurt?" she asked.
The Ysn took refuge In Ignorance
"a M .sans do when they do no
want 10 talk.
Soon they were on the road. Keitl
riding behind his sister and slingins
10 her waist.
For an hour they logged along IN,