The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-10-31
By William Macleod Raine

buckle had been driven against the
flesh. Undoubtedly the clasp had de-
fiected the bullet and saved his life.
Hour after hour the siege dragged
on. Smith-Beresford became delirious
Garrett bathed his face and chest,
gave him water to drink, and left a
wet cloth on his forehead. "a ses
The young lawyer knew that his
own fever was mounting. The wound
in his shoulder panied good deal. 1t
was his guess that the bullet had
smashed bone.
Grimly he recognized the fact that
the attackers were paying him a COM
pliment by their caution. They might
have rushed the cabin and ended the
affair in two minutes. Evidently they
counted the cost as too great to pay.
The men he had wounded were suf-
ficient object lesson to them.
What were they up to now? A
wagon was being pushed from the back
of the barn and> headed toward the
house. -Four or five men were behind
it. They were using it as cover for
their approach. Shippers from right
and left kept up a steady fire to pre-
vent his concentrating on the wagon.
The wheels Of the wagon slowed to
the right. A man crept forward to
straighten them. Garrett drew bead
on him and fired. The man stumbled
over his own foot and plunged to the
ground. His body twitched and lay
still. The others deserted the wagon
and fled for the shelter of the barn.
The shot had been a lucky one for
Garrett. But it decided the fate of
the prisoner Fitch. One of the log
rafters of the barn projected from the
roof. The unfortunate man was led
beneath this, a rope around his neck.
The other end was thrown over the
rafter. Before CARROTS eyes they
hanged the cowboy.
It was thing horrible to see. This
boy they were hanging was no GRIM
inal. But he was no weakling. There
was in him the stiff hardihood that
frontier life begets. The rope already
around his throat, he borrowed to-
bacco, rolled cigarette, and smoked
it. His horse was brought. He was
helped into the saddle. AS they started
to lead the animal away he sprang
into the air to make the fall of his
body more violent.
Garrett turned away, sick at heart.
He had to look again, to see what the
enemy was about. They were gath
cred in group discussing something
heatedly. Plainly they disagreed. But
the young man in the cabin knew that
his affairs had come to crisis. He
heard a voice raised in sudden anger.
A man detached himself from the
group. by cripes, I'll smoke the pill
grim out If I play lone hand. What
you birds need is sand in yore craws."
The speaker was Bob Quantrell. He
walked to a horse and flung himself
into a saddle. He refined the animal
around savagely to face the cabin.
The bronco went into the air sunfish-
ing, came down, bucked up all hump
backed, and landed with legs as stiff
us 6tdhGSs 4AS 4ANCA AAuU AAOS yCb
found the stirrups. He lost his bal
ance and shot through the air to the
ground. Instantly he was on his feet
again, running to catch the bride.
Before he was in the saddle a Sec
ond time an interruption occurred.
Two riders, a man and a woman, gal
Hoped across the open toward the
stable. The man was Dave Ingram,
the woman Barbara Steelman.
Ingram dragged his pony to halt
and leaped to the ground.
whats all thisY" he demanded.
Deever moved forward. "These pill
grims have done killed Brad Sewers
an wounded three more of us. / don't
reckon Pankey will make the grade"
"Who started it?' demanded Ingram.
The Texas Kid answered him. The
young fellow had a blood-stained
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