The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-01-14

he drew bead on him so as to avoid
hitting the girl.
Bang!
Mitchell leaped into the air, flung
out his arms, and pitched head fore
most. Dunn stepped into the shack.
There was no need to look more than
once at the dead face, or the blood
oozing from the heart.
Marie ran to Dunn, sobbing wildly.
"You did right, the beast!" she cried.
Come with me- said Dunn.
They raced to the stables, and in
moment he had freed the horses,
saddled them, and placed her on the
sergeant's. In another moment they
were galloping across the barrens. At
the time Dunn was conscious of vom-
dering where old Dufour and Crum
were. But a moment later they heard
shouts behind them. They galloped
frantically forward, anywhere, so long
as they could win free.
Crum was man of resolution, and
Dunn knew that he would take up the
chase and never leave it. He reckoned
on the fact that Crum's horse was the
slowest of the three. The freshly fall
ing snow would hide their tracks IL
they could win the country across the
river bed. where series of hummocks
swelled into the Big Lake mountains.
Far behind him Dunn heard
shout. He. turned and looked back as
he rode Crum was standing at the
door of the stable, waving his arms
to him.
A few minutes later Dunn. looking
back, saw Crum mounted and in pur-
suit of them, tiny figure upon a tiny
horse. They rode madly for the dip
toward the river.
"We must be careful" said Marie.
as they began the descent. ''The rocks
are dangerous"
Even as she spoke her horse tripped
on projecting bowlder, stumbled.
and flung her face downward upon
the hard bed Of the frozen stream.
Dunn leaped from his horse and
kneeled beside her. She had been
stunned by the fall; she opened her
eyes and looked about her half-con-
sciOus. EE
The horse scrambled to its feet, ran
Up the bank, and raced back toward
the stable, followed by Dunn's horse.
And Dunn, kneeling at Marie's side,
knew that chance had settled his par
ticular problem. And in the distance
Crum came on inexorably.
Dunn Shrugged his shoulders as one
who has played his last card. He car
ried the girl upSto the top of the bank
and waited for Crum, who came gal
Looping up on his horse He flung
himself to his feet, painting, like his
steed.
whats the matter with you, to
play this crazy trick after killing
him?" he shouted
Dunn smiled. 81 guess you're right,
Crum," he said. take the girl on
your saddle; I'll walk. You can trust
me-"
Crum, staring at him in apparent
perplexity, lifted Marie to the saddle
before him. She had fallen into a
swoon again. Then he rode slowly
back toward the cabin, with Dunn
walking a little distance in front Of
him.
He turned his horse away when
near the stable, and went toward the
little patch Of stunted trees that had
struck upon Dunn's attention at the
moment when he raised his rifle.
Dunn saw the motionless body of
man lying hidden among them. 1t
was Black Doe.
"How did you get him, Dunn?"
asked Crum, dismounting and turn,
ing the body over. See He had
just fired. You were in the nick Of
time"
The dead mans fingers were
clutched about the trigger; the rifle
had been discharged; over his heart
was bullet wound.
Dunn, unable to speak, accompa-
MED Crum back to the shack. Mitchell
lay where he had fallen, and old Du-
four was muttering in the corner. as
If. he did not understand.
"He got poor Mitchell second be-
fore you fired" said Crum. "Over the
heart, too. Seer
Dunn looked In horror now mixed
with agitation. He saw that track of
the bullet through the breast and out
under the rib. The missile lay upon
the floor beside the inert man. 1t was
battered As. such as the Indians
use. Dunn's bullet had been 1903.
And it had been Black Doe whom he
had killed, not Mitchell.