Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-04-21

The ack-Skinned Bandits Face
Turned a Dirty White.
with them. Like a cat 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 90 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.
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 cry Gale slung the bleeding
Rojas from him. The bandit struck
a table, toppled over 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 was dark,
swift. A blade glinted-deseribed a
circle aloft simultaneously with a
close, red flash the knife wavered; the
man welding it stumbled backward.
Then pandemonium broke loose. The
din became a 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 pool |
table, sent tables and chairs flying, |
and gained the door, to be- the first |
of a wedglng 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
lor. 1t was deserted. Thorne had
gotten away with Mercedesl
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 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 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
a cape; the other slight; mantled.
Gale drew a 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 a whistle. ThOne heard
Il, for he turned, whistled a 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 fugitlyes.
"Dick Are you-all right?' painted
grasping Gale
"Tm-out of breath-but-O. X"
replied Gale.
Good Good r. choked Thorne. II
vas scared-helpIess Dick,
t worked splendidly. We had no
rouble. What on earth did you do7"
ST made the row, all right" said
Dick. "While / was rushing Rojas
/ couple of cowboys shot out the
amplights. A Mexican who pulled ,
,nife on me got hurt, I guess. Then
think there was some shooting from
he rebels after the room was dark.
Mercedes pressed close to him,
ouched his hands, looked up into his
ace with wonderful eyes. He thought Z
e would not soon forget their beauty >
the shadow of pain that had been, /
he hope dawning so fugitively. =
Dear lady" said Gale, with voice
OF wholly steady, "Rojas himself ]
Ill hound you no more tonight, nor a
Dr. many nights"
She seemed to shake, to thrill, to Z
sc with the intelligence. She pressed 4
is hand close over her heaving breast +
ale felt the quick throb Of her heart. h
"Senorl Senior Dickp she cried. v
hen her voice failed. But her e
ands few up; quick as a flash she