The Nevada County picayune., 1923-02-22

down he distinctly heard a bullet strike T.aaa At the same instant he seemed ta= hear Thorne cry out and fall. and LashS boots serape rapidly away
 T.a5fd fell backward still holding the .465 Gale dragged him into the shel- pr=of his own position, and dre8ding fa lock at him, took ID the heavy weapon. It was with kind of say age strength that he gripped the rifle and il was with cold and deadly in tent that he aimed and fired. The first Greaser huddled low let his earbine go elattering down. and then eraWled behind the rim. The second and third ierf5ea back The fourth seemed 10 fap m over the crest of lava. X dark arm reached for him, clutched his leg. tried ta drag him up. It was in vain. Wildly grasping at the air the bandit fell slid down steep shelf rolled oyer the rim. 10 go hurtling down ont of sight
 "Shore-rm d--n glad-them Greas- Pa a'a't us.n' soft-nose bullets" dea4led d calm voice
 swift as lightning Gale whlrIed.
 ,Laddy, I thought you were done for. cried Gale, with a break in his voice.
 The rangers blouse was open at the neck. and on his right shoulder under the collar bone was a small hole just beginning to bleed
 Sure it's high, Laddy," replied Gale, vi, &I afa a whistle" :"
 He tore a handkerchief into two parts, made wads and pressing them close over the wounds he bound them there with Ladd's scarf.
 "Laddy I'm afraid Thorne's done for, whispered Gale Hes lying over there in that crack. I can see part of him. He doesn't move
 "T was wonderin If I'd have to tell you that. Dick. he went down hard hit faIlin', you know, limp an soggy. It was a mortal cineh one of us would get it In this fight but G-d! I'm sorry Thorne had to be the man.
 "Laddy maybe he's not dead,' re- piled Gale. He called aloud to his lIItHH. I itIe NdS Ilt dllSNtI.
 Ladd got up. and, after peering keenly at the height of lava, he strode swiftly across the space. IT was only a dozen steps to the crack in the lava where Thorne had fallen In head first. Ladd bent over. went to his knees. SO that Gale saw only his head Then he appeared rising with arms round the cavalryman. He dragged him across the hole to the sheltered corner that alone afforded protection. He had scarcely reached it when a car bine cracked and a bullet struck the finty lava, striking sparks then sing ing Into the air.
 Thorne was either dead or uncon- scious, and Gale, with a contracting throat and numb heart, decided for the former. Not so Ladd. who probed the bloody gash on Thorne's temple, and then felt his breast
 Hes alive an not bad hurt. That bullet hit him glancin' Shore them steel bullets are some lucky for us. Dick, you needn't look so glum. tell you he ain't bad hurt. I felt his skull with my finger There's no hole In it. Wash him off an tie Wow. did you get the wind of that one? An mebbe 1t didn't sing off the lava :" It was indeed a Joy to Gale to find that Thorne had not received a wound | necessarily fatal, though it was seri- ous enough. Gale bathed and bound 1 It. and laid the cayalryman against the slant of the bank his head high | to lessen the probability of bleeding.
 As Gale straightened up Ladd nut. rred low and deep, and swung the 1 heavy rife around to the left Far along the slope figure moved Ladd | began to work the lever of the Win. chester and to shoot. At every shot | Gale saw the bullets strike the lava | behind. beside before the fleeing | Mexican, sending up dull puffs of dust. On the sixth shot he plunged down | out of sight, either hit or frightened | into seeking cover.
 "Dick. mebbe there's one or two left above but we needn't figger much on It. said Ladd, as, loading the rifle, he jerked his fingers quickly from the hot breech Listen, Jim an Yaqui l are hittin' 1t up lively down below. I'll sneak down there You stay here an keep about half an eye peeled up yonder an keep the rest my way"
 There seemed a Hull in the battle. Gale ventured to stand high, and,