The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-04-16

cautious whistle.
They're coming now" Brother
Jonrs whispered. About two dozonl
They'll DO up to tho wire In three or
four minutes, caught 'em jumping
'erost that bare spot round tho bend.
Now therein DO he'll TO pay"
ono minute. two minutes.
+, few seconds, aud, tho
creek bottom swaFmcd with mon,
Morrowa hand went up. Tho old
hattloery OF the Doubts A rang out
and like tho tabled demons OF tho
Andes. Aeklin's hired warriors
crashed into the boWildcrod Baaduoa.
To got away as quickly as possible
seemed TO ho the one ambition OF
most Of tho men from tho valley.
Little Salvador dnd four or five
others, however. fought their way to
i,stobans side and tried TO return
tho fire OF Aoklin'a riders, But every
time tho Double A guns reared and
ripped wide the darkness, someone
deserted,
Tho firing continued, Salvador
looked FOR his companions. Only
Eateban. Romero. and he were left
Then, seeing tho battle was hopeless.
he followed his friunda. Romero
and Esteban had about enough OF IL,
too, The bank OF the creek offered
them fair protection. Around the
bend the ground fiattoned out IL
meant Wild dash as tho Double a
men closed IN.
Ten seconds brought them 90 the
flat country where they were an easy
target. The Double A guns flashed.
one OF the boys shrioked and top
Piled out OF his saddle. a second vol
ley followed. but tho ether Basque
was out OF sight
"who Is he1'' Cash cried. as
Melody and Blaze rode down into tho
bottom.
The boy lay on his face, Melody
turned him over.
Amt that TOO hady' he groaned
Then TO Cash; It's Old lronSidos'
kidg'
And as they carried Estehan 10
tho Bulls Head. Mercedes wondered
why little Dasllio rohbed as he tossed
In hla tiny bed Long desert.nilos
a .at.t,..lt 49, ..-ss.s, tka. ff.ueba imam
Vista and the spot where Esteban
fell. And yet. with an Intuition rare
even among the blind, the little lad
knew that something terrible had
happened
Mercedes awakened her brother
ind tried to comfort him. What II
tho mattcrg'' she lmplored.
''Estebanr" he cried. something
tad has come. madrecita"
Tho little pct name wen, unheard.
Mercedes only know her throat was
dry with sudden agony. She had
had her own misgivings about Eatc-
ban. Hastily throwing on wrap.
she started for Josc'a room. The
hallway made sharp angle an II
turned TO lead into tho ying where
ho slept A small windowyopcn on
the front gard from tho angle.
without thinking. Mercedes
stopped and looked down. Esteban's
window was plainly visible. and
hanging from It sho saw the dang.
ling reata-
esladre de dos. ahs gasped. "the
child IA right
with swift feat. she ran for her
father. Thru tho closed door she
told him what she had discovered.
Jose babe hor go back TO Basillo. lilo
dressed hurriediy and followed her TO
the little fellows bedside.
Then Mercedes and her father tip
,oed downstairs. Tho old Basque
pulled the bell.cord for Mariana.
When the moro appeared. frightened
a, being called at this unusual hour.
jose ordered him 10 Ert bis horse.
Tears filled Mercedes eyes an she
saw her father take down his rife
and fiii his long. unused belt with
cartridges. His set face and sparing
words did not serve TO lessen her
dread
When Jose had crossed the creek
he held TO the north until he came
10 the entrance OF smoky canon.
lie turned his horse into the longer
tran that led to tho fence and up 20
the Chimney. As he did 10, a gun
flashed from the rimrocks above
him. His horse Jumped. and jose
lurched and fell head foremost to the
ground. He rolled over on his side
in a brief CONFUSION and then lay
atm. No moan or sigh OF pain es-
capped him.
Joso's horse stared Mt his fallen
master. He came close and nudged
him with his nose. But the wide
open, unsceing eyes OF the man who
had ridden him son long were glazed
In death.
Old IronsIdes wosld never ride the
trails againl
Continued In Our Next Issuel
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