Evening star., 1940-05-19
CHAPTER XVII.

window was big and heavy set.
Jelks could tell that even while his
body was huddled low to escape
the attention of the sentry AS
soon as the soldier had passed out
of range the skulker rose cautiously
until his eyes were high enough to
see into the room. BY the light
coming out of the window Rufe
recognized the ugly-featured face
as that of Jud Prentiss. The man
was not more than Is feet from him.
Somebody inside the room was
talking
Better talk, my friend. To rob
a postoffice is Government offense
You'll get of lighter if you tell us
who was running this job"
Rufe edged little closer He
could not make out the murmured
answer.
Lying won't buy you a thing"
the first speaker said sharply. You
understood English when the doc
tor asked you about your wound"
There was another low-voiced
ripple of Spanish.
Evidently it was the doctor that
replied. Il don't know yet, too soon
to say. You ought to get we'll If
there are no complications. Better
tell us what you know and get it
of your mind"
The wounded man said in Eng
lish. YEARLY, Maybe I talk. I do
not know"
The figure of Prentiss straight
ened quickly The light caught a
long gleam of steel. In the still
ness Of the night a rife roared.
Prentiss Dashes Away.
Prentiss ducked down and was of
making for the brush with long
reaching strides. So completely was
Rufe taken by surprise that the Hat
T foreman had gone dozen yards
before Jelks had his gun out. Even
then Rufe did not fire. He could
hear running feet, excited voices,
the stir of men walking to action
He must be of, if he did not want
to be caught and charged with the
crime. Swiftly he followed Prentiss
The sound of that rife shot
startled Pesky Kennedy as much as
it had his companion. That the
Hat T spy had got Jelks was his
first thought. Nor did the sight of
thick ungainly figure crashing into
the cedar grove change his opin-
ion. Pesky showed forward quickly,
with catlike vigilance. "A in hand
| prnrfiec iorkaI 70 ho1f nt hA
place where he had left his horse
The killers eyes searched the dark
ness. Had he made a mistake as to
the spot where he had tied his
mount? With the sounds of the
pursuit flowing in on him, fear came
to the man. This was where he had
left the animal. He was sure of
that. Could it have broken away?
A harsh voice from the edge of
the heavy foliage of stunted cedar
answered the unspoken question.
Looking for yore horse, JUDI"
The foreman whirled, shaken by
the unexpected challenge
who is it?" he demanded hoarsely.
"Pesky Kennedy. I told you that
business between us wasn't fin-
ished."
Prentiss Shot Down.
The guns sounded almost at the
same instant. but all the breaks
were with Kennedy. He was in
more shadowed darkness. He had
been ready, and rifle is no weapon
for quick work at close range.
The shock of the bullet swung
Prentiss halfway round. He stag
gered step or two. His knees
weakened, and he plunged to the
ground. Cautiously Kennedy moved
toward the still body. He pulled
up, to face running man.
That you, Rufe?" he snarled.
"Yes. You all right?"
Yeah . :. thought he'd got you" )"
Jelks stopped over the body.
Right spang through the heart,
looks like"
Hes had it coming a long
time" Kennedy said curtly. Al
ready he was headed for the horses.
Come on, Rufe. We got no time
to talk. Hell's gonna break loose
when the United States Army gets
started"
They swung to their saddles and
galloped through the brush. Not
until they were beyond any danger
of pursuit did they slow down.
Kennedy spoke first.
"Jud sure didn't live up to his
rep tonight" he said. Had a
crack at you an me both and
scored two misses"
He didn't shoot at me-" Jelks
corrected. Il doubt If he saw me
at all. He fired at some one in the
hospital"
."At who?"
Jelks shook his head. II don't
know. The wounded Mexican was
IN the room, and two or three other
men. They were trying to get hir
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