The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-01-04

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of the raiders excitement. They were
far out Of ordinary range: but they
spurred toward Ladd, shooting as they
rode. The raiders bullets. striking
low, were skipping along the hard.
bare floor Of the valley. Then Ladd
raised the long rife. There was no
smoke, but three high. spanging re-
ports rang out gap opened in the
dark line Of advancing horsemen
the right. Blanco Sol seemed to turn
as on pivot and charged back
toward the lower end Of the valley.
He circled over to Gales right and
stretched out into his run. There
were now five raiders In pursuit. and
they came sweeping down, yelling and
shooting, evidently sure of their
quarry. Ladd reserved his fire. He
kept turning from back to front in
his saddle.
Manifestly he Intended to try to
lead the raiders round in front of
Gales position. and, presently. Gale
saw he was going to succeed. The
raiders, riding like vaqueros. swept
on in a curve, cutting Off what dis
tance they could. Blanco Sol pound
ed by. his rapid, rhythmic hoofbeats
plainly to be heard He was running
easily.
Gale tried to still the jump of heart
and pulse. and turned his eye again
on the nearest pursuer. This raider
was crossing in, his earbine held
muzzle up In his right hand and he
was coming swiftly. 1t was long
shot, upward of five hundred yards.
Gale had not time to adjust the sights
Of the Remington. but he knew the
gun and, holding coarsely upon the
swiftly moving blot, he began to shoot
only to pull the trigger. Swiftly he
worked it. Suddenly the leading
horse leaped convulsively, not up nor
aside, hut straight ahead. and then
he crashed to the ground. throwing his
rider like catapult. and then slid
and rolled. He half got up. fell back.
and kicked; but his rider never moved.
The other rangers sawed the reins
Of plunging steeds and whirled to
NSNdPC thC uhsCCn DdttCIy. rdit
slipped fresh clip into the maga-
zine Of his rifle. He restrained him
self from useless firing and gave eager
eye to the duel below. Ladd began to
shoot while Sol was running. The
.405 rang out sharply-then again
The heavy bullets streaked the dust
all the way across the valley. The
raiders spurred madly in pursuit.
loading and firing. They shot ten
times while Ladd shot once, and all
In vain; and on Ladd's sixth shot a
raider toppled backward, threw his
carblne and fell with his foot catching
in stirrup. The frightened horse
plunged away, dragging him in a path
of dust.
Ladd had emptied magazine, and
now Blanco Sol quickened and length
ened his running stride. He ran away
from his pursuers. Then 1t was that
the rangers ruse was OWNED by the
raiders They hauled sharply up and
seemed to be comforting. But that
was fatal mistake. Blanco Sol was
seen to break his gait and slow down
In several jumps, then square away
and stand stockstill Ladd fired at the
closely grouped raiders. An instant
passed. Then Gale heard the spat of
bullet out in front. saw a puff of
dust, then heard the lead strike the
rocks and go whining away. And 1t was
after this that one Of the raiders fell
prone from his saddle. The steel
jacketed .4O5 had gone through him
on its uninterrupted way to hum past
Gales position
The remaining two raiders fran
tically spurred their horses and fled up
the valley. Ladd sent Sol after them.
The raiders split, one making for the
eastern outlet. the other circling hack
of the mesquites. Ladd kept on after
the latter, Then puffs of white smoke
and rifle shots family cracking told of
Jim Lash's hand in the game. How
ever, he succeeded only In driving the
railer back into the valley. But Ladd
had turned the other horselnan. and
now 1t appeared the two raiders were
between Lash above on the stony
slope and Ladd below on the level
There was desperate riding on part
OF the raiders to Keep from being
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,s,.n under the easie,n wall. Il III. q
sio settled into his graceful. beautiful
swing. He gained steadily. though he
was far from extending himself.
Some few hundred rods to the left
~ no1 he 40 III \ A.
weathered slope. He began to climb.
Zigzag they went mp and up. and when
Ladd reached the edge Of the slope
they were high along the cracked and
guttered rampant. Once-twice Ladd
raised the long rife, but each time he
lowered 1t. Gale OWNED that the
rangers restraint was not on account
Of the Mexican. but for that valiant
and faithful horse. Up and up he
went, and the yellow dust clouds rose.