Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-11-30

face turned dirty white; his jaw
dropped he would have shreked if
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 went down with the table and
chairs in a sliding crash.
Gale, carried by his plunge, went
with them. Like a cat he landed on
top. AS he rose his powerful hands
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 We're a limp sack.
A shot rang out above the yels.
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
it 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
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
to kick hard to disengage himself
from grasping hands. Another figure
closed in on Gale. This one was dark
swift. A blade glinted-descrlbe q
circle aloft. simultaneously with a
close, red flash the knife wavered; the
man welding 1t 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 a poo
table, sent tables and chairs flying
and gained the door, to be the first
of 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 haC
gotten away with Mercedes!
1t was then Gale slowed up. Fol
the space Of perhaps sixty seconds
| he had been moving with startling
velocity. He peered cautiously cut
| into the plaza. Under a street lauI
at the far end Of the path he thought
| he saw two dark figures. He rnr
| faster and soon reached the street
The uproar back in the hotel begaf
to diminish, or else he was getting ON
Of hearing. The few people he saw
close at hand were ali coming bis
way, and only the foremost showed
any excitement. Gale walked swiftly
peering ahead for two figures. Pres
emily he saw them--one tall, wearIn:
cape; the other slight; manted
Gale drew 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. h,
ventured a whistle. Thorne heart
it, for he turned, whistled a low reply
and went on. Not for some dlstanc,
beyond, where the street ended II
open country, did they halt to wait
Then he came up with the fugltives.
"Dlck Are you--all rlght?" pantet
Thorne, grasplng Gale.
'T'm-out of breath-but-O. K,
replied Gale.
| "GOOd Good ~ fbOked Thorna ~