Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-04

dropned from the window on the far
side from the men. phen he came 10
sight of them he was running In Il &
leaps for the brush. zigzaggIng In his
flight. Half dozen rifles spurted
from two hundred yards up the slope,
the balls passing him with nasty
snaps. He reached the edge OF the
sage and plunged headlong between
two rocks.
Waddles pumped rifle and covered
Harris flight MS best he could. drilling
the center OF every sage that shook or
auivere back of the house
Two men turned their attention to
the one who handicapped their chances
lJof locating the crawling man and
poured their fire through the window.
lie dropped to the floor and peered
from crack The firing had sudden
ly ceased. He saw hat moving up
coulee. a mere flash here and there
| above the sage as the owner OF It
| ran.
The smoke hurt his eyes and the
heat seemed to crack his skin. He
crossed over to Zee II Harris was
down; that would account for the sud-
den cessation OF shooting from the
/ hills back OF the house.
The raiders In the lower field were
riding iwiftly for the far side OF the
valley. One man kneIt near the hend
cate. then mounted and jumped his
horse off after the rest. Waddes put
the whole force OF his lungs behind
one mighty cheer.
Far down along the rim OF the val
ley. outlined against the sky. four
mules were running as so many
startled deer under the bite OF the
lash and six men awayed and cluna
TO the wagon that lurched behind
Three men unloaded from the wagon
rs II came opposite the cluster OF mel
riding far out across the fats Ihel
opened long range fire at a thonsanf
wards while the others stayed with ths
wagon as It rocked ON toward tn
burning ranch.
Billie was running to the brush a
the spot where Harris had dlsap
peared. He rose to meet her.
zeal, you're net hurt7" she asked
"Not a scratch" he said sIhanF
to YOU"
In her relief she grasped his arr
and gave II fierce little squeeze
"Then It's all right" she said.
Waddlps burst from the door OF IN
burning house. bis arms piled mig
with salvage.
aWe1l save what we cam" Harri
snid and started for the house. a
lie ran the valley rocked with col
cussion which nearly threw him ha
and column Of fragments and ras
rose hundred feet above the spe
where the head gate had been Dut
second past
A dozen running horses flipped oVt
the edge OF the hin and plunged dow
] toward the ranch Inc Iheh "e'
back from Brill's.
Harris held up his hand to halt II
riders MS they would have kept {
mast the house. He knew thai q
raiders stationed behind the ranch NJ
long since reached their horses al
were lost In the choppy Hills
waved all nands toward the builulnl
and they swarmed inside, carrying Q
: lood after load OF such articles
could he moved and plling them 0
: OF reach OF the flames.
The Cir sat apart and watched the
work. Pc lethargy had returned.
. seemed a small matter to rescue Inc
trinkets when the Three Bar was
:, total wreck. =.
Harris caught TWO OF tho saddl
horses TINT had carried the men frs
& Brlll's and crossed over to where !
= girl sat.
q Lets ride down to the field
q said. AN. see WHAT'S got to be nol
q expect a weeks work will rep
O that part OF 1t all right"
p she ga ed at him In amazeme
c He spoke OF repairing the dana
" while the Three Bar burned before
" ewes. But she rose and mounted
% horse and they rode on down vi
had once been the lane, the 1ei
ID 1attened by the rushing horde OF G
tie that had swept through.
&c The homestead cabins smoked
m still. stood intact
e. aLooki" he urged cneerfu
b .Those logs were too green TO ou
we won't even have TO rebuild. Inc
In look q little charred round Inc eh
IL maybe, but otherwise as good as ~
As We're. not bad hurt. They can't q
We our land. I'd rather have this
ed right now--the way 1t stands-tl
de three thousand head OF cows on
range and no land at all. we can
ID build the place this winter while W
Ia slack. Build better than befol
or His enthusiasm failed to touch
For her the Three Bar was wreck
20. the old home gone, and her gaze x
II straying back to the eddying 81
smoke-cloud al the foot Of the hills
He frO BE CONTINUEDD