Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-09-19
WRITTEN FOR AND RELEASED b
CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCIATION
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX


SHOT ROGERS never quite
knew what governed him that
night during the Mexicans' horse
stampede He had seen his oppOr-
tunity to escape during the confu-
sion, and as quickly as possible he
had set out to grasp it. But he
came near to Luis EscObar, who
was futilly, if raucously, bawling
commands and running back and
forth in a frenzy not unlike that of
the animals.
Shot stopped in his tracks. half
crouched as if for fight.
He had a butcher knife in his
bosom, but he forgot that. He saw
Escobar's sword Hopping at the
mans left side and remembered his
plan to snatch it if he had the
chance. But he ignored that now
and suddenly ran at the man.
With no weapon whatsoever save
that which nature had provided, he
struck Luis Escobar full on the
chin. He heard a faint "unh-h-h"
through the stampede noises. Esco-
bar folded-first to his knees, then
a flop backward, prone.
Still not reasoning why, Shot
lifted the mans inert form, stopped
under him and stood up with him
as he would carry bale of hay.
Then he started walking off into
the night.
He aimed vaguely with his bur-
den toward a dark splotch in the
landscape which he knew would be
a canyon. He hoped it wouldn't be
a dead end, as SO mary canyons
turn out to be. He thought this was
one he had spotted in daylight as
a probable open pass, maybe even
q water course in rainy season. His
guess was lucky. It did lead on
away from camp with fairly
smooth walking. Shot was strain
ing NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. was heavy
man.
Behind him was still a confusion
of shouting and running and yell
ing. The camp had been poorly
lighted by few fires and a dozen
or so weak lanterns. These latter
had been knocked from their posts.
One had exploded and oil was burn
ing a puny flame on the ground
around it even now, and the fires
had been scattered by the madly
rushing horses and men. Shot knew
that dawn must come before any
semblance of order was restored
there. He was even sure that any
sentries up this way would have
rushed in, hence he could walk
without the necessity Of extreme
caution.
He leaned Escobar's form against
a boulder once to rest, then luggeG
him on. The noises behind him be-
gan to recede. Minutes passed, ano
Shot knew ne had come three OF
four hundred yards whe Escobal
began to groar and show signs
of returning consciousness. He
dropped his weight to the ground
'Lie still, general" Shot NUT.
tered grimly, "or I may have to
cut off your rank"
BY sight and feeling he learned
that he could quickly unlace Esco.
bars high boots, thereby getting
some stout rawhide strings. With
one string he tied first the mans
feet together, crossing the ankles
and making the knot as tight as he
could. Next he crossed Escobar's
wrists behind him and tied them to.
gether, then picked up his burden
and trudged on. He had to rest fre.
quently now, for the canyon begar
to climb and the rocks and shrub.
berry were hindrance. He would
carry the man SO yards-6O yards
maybe hundred or more-ant
put him down to blow Escobar be.
gan to mutter and talk.
Como" he rumbled once "Donde
va?. Quien es ell hombre-"
"Shut up!" Shot commanded
Then he lapsed into Spanish, too
Keep your mouth shut, Escobar
or I'll crack you another one on the