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

halted in the door leading into the
saloon. No one appeared to notice
him. Gales rowing glance soon hxed
upon the man he took to be Ro1as.
The Mexican's face was turned aside.
He was in earnest, excited colloquy
with a dozen or more comrades, most
of whom were sitting round table.
They were listening. talking, drinking.
The fact that they wore cartridge belts
crossed over their breasts satisfied
Gale that these were the rebels. He
became conscious of an inward fire
that threatened to Oyerrun his cool
ness. Other emotions harried his self
control 1t seemed as If sight of the
man liberated or created devil In
Gale. And at the bottom of his feel
ings there seemed to be a wonder at
himself. q strange satisfaction for the
something that had come to him.
He stepped out Of sthe doorway
down the couple of steps to the moor
of the saloon, and he staggered
little. Stimulating drunkenness. He fell
over the pool tables, jostled Mexicahs
at the bar, laughed like maudlln
fool, and, with his hat slouched down.
crowded here and there. presently
his eye caught sight of the group OF
cowboys whom he had before noticed
with such interest.
They were still in corner some
what isolated With fertile nina
working. Gale lurched over to them.
If he were to get any help from these
silent aloof rangers it must be by
striking fire from them In one swift
stroke. Planting himself squarely be-
fore the two tall cowboys who were
standing, he looked straight into
their lean, bronzed faces He spared
full moment for that keen, cool
gaze before he spoke.
I'm not drunk In throwing
bluff, and l mean to start rough
house. I'm going to rush that ID
bandit Rojas. It's to save girl-to
give her lover. who is my friend,
chance to escape with her. She's in
the house. Rojas is here to get her.
When | start row my friend will try
10 slip out with her. Every door and
window Is watched. I've got 10 raise
HI TO draw the guards in. ..
Well, you're my countrymen. We're
in Mexico. A beautiful girls honor
and life are at stake. Now. gentle
men, watch me"
One cowboys eyes narrowed, blink
ing a little, and his lean jaw dropped;
the others hard face rippled with a
fleeing smile
Gale backed away, and his pulse
leaped when he saw the two cowboys,
as if with one purpose, slowly stride
after him. Then Gale swerved, stag
gering along, brushed against the
tables, kicked over the empty chairs.
The hum of the many voices grew
louder, and when Dick lurehed
against table overturning it and
spilling glasses into the laps of sew
eral Mexicans, there arose a shrill cry.
He had succeeded In attracting at
tention; almost every face turned his
way. One Of the insulted men, a
little taWny Fellow, leaped 10 CONFRONT
Gale and in a frenzy screamed vol
ley of Spanish. of which Gale distin-
guished "Gringol' Dick swung his
leg and with swift side kick knocked
the fellows feet from under him,
whirling him down with thud.
The action was performed so sud
denly, so adroitly, it made the Mexi-
can such weakling, so like tumbled
tenpin, that the shrill jabbering
hushed Gale knew this TO be the
significant moment.
Wheeling, he rushed at Roias. II
was his old Undertaking plunge. Nei-
Their Rojas nor his men had time to
move. The black-skinned bandits