The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-10-22
Chapter Ten
Bandits Ahead

"@-Ab OdNA " ldlA Will Tie
other chauffeurS and gunners.
Bula hauled out his knitting from
the front of his cloak and went to
work. The Frenchman stepped out
and buried his head under the
hood Of the car When Temu re-
turned he carried on voiced
conversation with Bula and then
spoke few words to the mechan-
ic in French.
From their talk, Lynn gathered
that there was a rurnor of a band
OF communist outlaws lying in
ambush somewhere ahead wait
ing for the rich cargo being
brought across the plains for the
Prince Of Shani Lun. The storm
was delaying the caravan, so they
would be late in reaching their
destination.
Rather than keep back to the
speed of the heavily laden trucks.
Temu decided the Limousine
should hasten on and deliver
Lynn to the care of the Princes
aunt waiting for them with the
camel caravan at the edge of the
dunes.
The car started again and soon
passed beyond the sight of the
trucks. The plain was lonely and
desolate, = emily occasionally re-
lieved by mud-walled Chinese
farm. or an approaching camel
caravan with its mounted guard.
Near one water hole they came
upon a farmhouse in ruins. 1t
having been looted by robbers a
short time before. Soldiers from
the nearest garrison had caught
one Of the maurauderS, and as a
grlsly warning, had left his head
hanging from pole by a cord
run through an ear.
Lynn shuddered. What peopleI
What countryl
Similar to England in the Mid
die Ages, isn't it?" Temu re-
marked before she could speak.
which somewhat debated her in
dignation.
Presently, they ran into rougher
country, boulder-strewn and
gashed by deeper cuts and gullies
which compelled them to drive
more slowly. They stopped at the
entrance to one canyon and a
man went ahead to reconnoitre.
While waiting for him to re-
turn, Temu lifted a flap on the
back of the front seat, and Lynn
saw that the space was fitted with
a collection of small arms and
other warlike supplies. He broke
out extra cartridge belts for tie
machine guns and loaded IN army
rifle for his own use. TFcn he
looked at Lynn and smiled.
Il doubt if We'll have occasion
to use them"
Lynn was not unfamiliar with
firearms. She had riddled many a
clay pigeon. But, somehow, this
was different.
Il hope you're right" she said.
and succeeded with an effort in
keeping her teeth from chatter
ing.
They took a chance on a second
canyon and descended to a fiat.
gravel-strewn valley. to climb
again to high divide. The place
seemed destitute of animal life.
human inhabitant. or traveller.
They crossed unmoleSted, swung
into the upgrade rutS. and We're
taking the last long steep pitch
to the comparative level of the
top. when a Sniper on the cliff
above opened fire.
Lynn started at the crack of
the rifle. She saw the gunner on
Temu'S side of the car SLUMP
down in straps. Temu gave sharp
orders to the driver and the car
continued to labor upward in low
gear. f-'1i1
Murder On Horseback
THE next instant a band of
L horsemen appeared. blocking
the road at the top, and began
firing. Temu stepped out on the
running board and crouched over
the gunner's body. He opened fire
with his machine gun as quickly
as the man on the far side could
unlimber.
Lynn heard the ping of lead
against bullet-proof glass as the
car continued its steady climb.
The machine guns drummed; men
shouted; horses screamed.
In all this horror and confu-
sion something drew the girls
gaze to the side of the road. She
saw a brigand rise from the
ground and swing an old match
lock on a tripod. A wild excite
ment rose in her. As if impelled
by the spirit of her Indian-fight-
ing ancestors, she knelt and lifted
Temu'S rife to her shoulder.
The bullet went wild, yet close
enough to brighten the man into
throwing himself to the ground,
crashing his gun in the process.
She fired once more and another
time and then a fourth. When
she came to herself they had
reached the crown Of the hill and
halted. The outlaws were escap-
ing into defles beyond.
Temu DARN stood looking al
her, the strangeSt. most incredu-
lous expression on his face. It was
a moment before he could speak,
then he asked:
@Are you all right?"
She noticed blood running
down his arm and across his hand.
I'm fine" she answered-and
tainted, thus emulating in q few
moments both her pioneer and
her Victorian grandmother.