The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-01-06
Chapter a.
HOT FIGHT

HOT FIGHT
n LONG yell arose. It was taken
IA up and echoed by those below.
The Klosohees at the lsan,toss
seized their weapons and sprang to
cover in a rocky raVine three rods
otheir left.
[, LeNoir started to, follow them.
PauI's bullet caught him and sent
him rolling. He staggered to his
feet again As Paul drew another
bead on him. two Of the lKloeohees
leaped out and g abbed his arms
aud helped him toward the gully. II
wasyso courageous an aei that Paul
refused 10 shoot again for fear O.
KILLING those tive.
Down the shore SiamsKlale had
swerved bis canoe In toward the
bank when the yell went up. Paul
swung on him and emptied his rife.
but the range vas far too long even
for Paul. SnIashing through the
Swallows. .sIam,Klale dived out Of
sight into a juniper clump.
At the cabin Karakhan appeared
10 the doorway t. see what the com.
motion was about. Curt Wbippedtup
his rife and shot. His bullet spin.
tered the door frame. and sent the
scossack jumping back inside.
After that frst pandemonium q
silence fell. Curt saw nothing,
heard nothing. The advantage Of
surprise was gone. they were
thrown on the defensive; and now
they we're up against Overwhelming
odds. in q timber fight where the
klosohees were deadly.
Tenn-Og pointed down at the ,ra,
vine SlamKlaIe and the breed bad
got their men in hand ard we're
bringing them up the deep brushy
gully.
WED better get back to the
cave" Paul warned.
Curt shook his head. 81 they did.
the Klosohees would keep them
penned up 10 there for hours. Karak.
kan would escape. Sonya would be
taken away. He hung on grimly
waiting for a break.
Without warning, an arrow
burned into the tangle and pinned
his jacket sleeve to the log he was
lying against. 4 came not from level
range but from above. lie turned.
looked up at the cliif. IN q clump OF
buckbrush on top OF the rock bush
swayed. mans head and shoulders
appeared for an Instant.
II dawned on him that the Klo
sohees had outmanenvered and cor.
nered them. While part Of the band
was coming slowly mp the rayine.
the others had circled out the slope
and up on top Of the clilf.
He ierked up his rife and shot al
the lbuckbsush clump. A man leaped
up. staggering blIndly. took q step
or two. plunged over the Iip OF the
rock. struck once against the face
Of the cliff as he fell. and hit with .
heavy thud on the bouldefs beneath.
Almost at that same instant q
third arrow cane hurting down At
Curt and hIi the bolt Of bis rifle. ne.
iecled downward. Il struck bis right
hand that gripped the trigger guard.
ard sheared on bis ring finger ike q
rhzor-edged chiseI. He lifted HE
hand and stared blankly At the
wound. unable to realize that his
finger had been cut OF. TIL the blood
started squirting and darts Of pain
shot up his arm.
GONE swift flashing object. whlz.I
- zing down from the clIff.top like
q tiny cartwheel. caFomed on 3
boulder. glanced sIdewise. and
smashed Paul across the forehead.
His rifle dropped from his hands, be
went limp and sank over against Z
log.
As Curt whlrled TO see how badly
Paul had been hurt BY the whlzxing
belt-ax. he caught q glimpse Of
Karakhan making q dash from bis
cabin to the hangar. FlIppins the
blood from his stlngIng hand. he
rUse up. pointed his rile ard took &
careful aim at the scurrying figure
Before his iinger squeezed the
trigger. a sudden agonizing pain
struck him IN the right hip and
nearly bowled him over Cider and
fAilf 'trom tiie Shock. he Woked
down and saw an arrow buried head.
deeb in his thigh.
lie seized hold Z the shaft shut
his eyes. gave q hard Jerk. and the
arrow came.
Curt grabbed Paul's shoulder and
shook him. -Paull We've got To-
make q break. They've got US. here.
Pull yourself together. II We can get
70 the cave We MIGHT save our
selves
he helped Paul TO his feet.
sleadled him: and they started Tor
the game trail. Tenn.Og led the
way. tearing . path through the
tangled brush. Behind them the Klo-
sohees IN the rayine poured out OF
their cover and cana yelling up the