The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-03-13
Copyright by W. G. Chapman

g toms cheek. Next moment Winton wa
graphing with the thief. Van Vors
e raised the revolver and brought i
S butt downward, smashing across Win
! toms head.
|, Winton dropped, but staggered to hi
feet in time to see Van Worst leap inf,
the saddle and ride away like the win,
! toward the desert. Then Sans shou
was heard. The negro appeared again
leading a horse by the halter, the sad
die and bride across his arm.
He had remembered that Kash ken
a horse in his stable, a racer which hi
had acquired cheap as the result of 6
bet, and owing to an injury to the ami
mails fetlock. 1t was one of the best
horses in Malopo, and the sight of il
between the shafts of Kash's cart had
created a good deal of feeling against
the Armenian.
Sam began to slip on the bride
hastily, While Winton, snatching the
saddle from him, adjusted it and began
to pull in the girth.
"TH catch him !" said Sam.
Winton would at any other time have
been astonished at the transformation
in the man. The negro who had run
yelling from the Chronicle Office on the
day before now seemed devoid of fear.
you get help for Ned Burns" said
Winton, and mounted.
The. horse needed no urging. 1t had
been kept for days together III Kash's
stable, it's only exercise the pulling Of
the storekeeper's cart on the slow
rounds of MalOpo. The sense Of a
rider brought back the memories of
the old days. 1t dashed off in pursuit
of Van Worst as if Winton's mind COM
m%unicated to it's W the urgency of
capture.
Winton stuck to his seat doggedly
and tried to keep his senses. The
blow had reopened his old wound, and
the blood was pouring into his eyes in
a binding torrent. But he concentrated
all his will upon the chase. Unless he
could regain the diamond the syndicate
would GUST him from his control of the
Big Malopo, and make him the jest of
the community which he had come to
hate.
And somehow he felt that he was, in
an unknown way, fighting for Sheila as
well as for his own.
Van Worst came into sight, a little
speck far out upon the plains. He
had left the road and was striking
across the desert in the direction of the
native territories, ten miles away.
Malopo was a prOtectorate, the Grim
inal law of the colony ran there. In
the tribal lands, however, Van Worst
could laugh at pursuit until he found
his opportunity to slip across the Dor
der into the Transvaal or Damaraland.
Winton knew this. The horse, sight
ing the fugitive, threw all it's efforts
the chase and began to gain swift
ly. 1t vas an eery ride across the
under the moonlight. Winton,
sick from the chloroform and the blow,
knew that he could not last long, but
how he was going to return he did not
to think. He felt in one of the
holsters and found a revolver there.
And, holding the weapon in his hand,
he waited grimly while his horse over
hauled the other.
They had raced past an outlying
which showed in the distance, the
standing up like ghostly senti-
1els across the flat. Now nothing was
anywhere except the desert.
was far behind. Winton gained
He could distinguish that
Van Worst turned to watch him, and the
action slowed his horse for a few mo-
nents. Winton gained more n more.
Now only two hundred yards separated
he fugitive and the pursuer.
When they were a hume led PAGES
part Van Worst swung round in the
addle and fired. The bullet flew into
he sand twelve PAGES away. Now only !
fifty PAGES separated them. Van Worst s
'ulled in suddenly and fred once more.
lie had only two more shots, and there +
would be no time to reload. Winton 7
alculated that; but tive ball whistled ,
ncomfortably close, and this time he !
nswered twice, witho,t effect. I
Van Worst sat on his beast like a !
tatue, aiming carefully at Winton's
ody. Winton spurred his horse, mean !;
lg to ride him down At the same :,
me he half swung himself out of the !.
addle, crouching against the animals 7
eek, so as to avoid presenting a mark. !
AN Worst fired his fifth shot. 1t
-ould have killed Wintoo; it struck
ne saddle fairly and lodged under the :
,ugh pigskin. Winton was now al !
lost upon him, his own ravolver in !
is hand. =
Hands up :" he cried. :
He knew nothing of South African :,
ticks of craftsmanship, or the train :,
70 of native MOUNTS. For an Instant j
saw Van Worst sitting on his horse. e
otionless; at the neXt the horse had !
to one side, and Winton's out ;.
retched hand caught at nothing. :,
hen Van Worst fired his last shot. =
The bullet pierced the horses breSa.
reared in its death agony. Win on,