The Ely miner., 1942-12-17

flesh, and Long Peters gave issue
to sound halfway between a
choked squeal and a grunt and
dropped his weapon-it Changed
against iron, falling-as he folded
up on the seat. The frightened
horses began again to rear and
plunge.
Cody leaped down, careened into
the paunchy man, said CURLY, Grab
the horses heads or they'll be hell
to pay!" He broke into run, fol-
lowing the way Andy jenkins had
gone, leaping the fallen tree, stoop-
ing and running on along the road.
Like Long Peters before him he was
ardently if mutely praying for even
a feeting glimpse of one OF the high
waymen.
The paunchy man-his name was
Bert Nevers-had the leaders by the
bits and was steadying them; man
to take orders. With Ann it was dlf-
ferent; when it came to issuing or
ders she'd rather be issuing them.
Then, ten steps ahead of him,
Cody saw Andy Jenkins. The little
man had dropped his bag and had
gun in each hand and was blazing
away with both. Then he, too,
dropped, just as Long Peters had
folded up. And then at long last
Cole Cody got his glimpse OF the
man with the deep voice, and saw
the bulk of him, looking like squat
giant with the shadows about him.
The target was none too good, yet
there was murderous devil to shoot
at and Cole Cody set to work with
all the grim joy in life. The bulky
man stood his ground moment, fir
ing back, and Cody heard the. hiss
of bullets tanning his ears. Through
out this he was vaguely conscious
of other sounds; voices shouting be-
hind him, AIMS among the others;
the quick beat of horses hoofs,
pounding up small thunder. There
in swift flight went the other man,
the one who had fired the first shot
from behind a pine tree. But Cody S
present duty lay straight in front,
and he sent bullet after questing
bullet, striving to beat down the
black bulk before him. He heard
also the heavy booming voice yell
ing at his companion, "Hey you!
What the" Cody steadied ano
fired again, and this time heard
cry stricken out of his man, and ex
ulted; he had put at least one sho
home! Then in the general blur ne
lost sight of his quarry and heare
his running boots crashing through
the brush, and an instant later heare
the pounding of a second horse:
flying hoofs. He emptied his gun!
into the dark, sending after them
yell of angry mockery. No furthe.
shots came back. The wild staccat.
of running hoofbeats died swift!
away and for an instant the starr.
night was filed with the hush Of tn
vast wilderness silence.
Then there was another sound
light running footsteps coming u
behind him, and Ann Lee was clutch
ing his arm.
"You're all right? You're nc
hurt? Oh, you were splendid!'
"Run back to the stage, Ann
We're not sure yet; there may b
more of them"
Head down, he was busy fingerin
cartridges up out of his belt, sho'
ing them in hot haste into his tw
guns. He stood moment, strair
ing his ears against the silenct
= There was not sound that did nj
come from behind him, from tn
stage, its occupants and nervou
I horses. It would seem that the pa
j. ty was over. He was sure that or
of the bandits was wounded; poss
s bly, the other, too? He walked
f. where the little man, Andy Jenkin
II had fallen. r
d Jenkins was sitting up, one har
a prop on the ground, the oth'
= pressed against his side. BY tt
time Cole Cody stopped over hir
II the girl was with him.
~ Hurt bad, Jenkins?" asked Cod
- "Yep, hurts plenty. And I'm blee
y in buckets of blood. I'm all rig
. though; lend me hand to stop Il
bleedln.
&c Cody stopped and picked the l
n tie man up, cradling him gently
10 his arms.
- "Get his carpet-bag and his guns
= he told the girl. "Then run abe;
20 and get lantern lit"
" It was the slight and delicate loo
g. ing Miss Jenifer Edwards who w
sv the greatest help from then on. A
or er Cody had lifted the little m
into the stage and Ann had broug
to the lantern, Aunt Jenifer, with h
10 skirts tucked up really scandalol
ed ly high to be quite out of the wa
mt and her poke bonnet tossed asi
and her sleeves rolled up on b
sir slim white armS-and the corne
"a of her mouth tucked inset to VIC
h. methodically and yet swiftly, a
es skilfully withal.
ng Hell be all right" she said cal
,er ly as she cleared the way for act
ed and examined and cleansed
M wound. (The paunchy man, B
as. Nevers, had bottle of whisky VIII
est was used copiously both externa
mt and internally.) "Get the driver
here"
>, Long Peters brought himself
.ed cursing savagely at every step e
sounding hale and hearty in
.be process. He had been shot throl
the gun arm; that was what ma
nd him mad!
cd Cody and Bert Nevers, using tn
.d hands and the stage AK, clea
,ho away the tree; the wounded n
ou, were slowed inside; Cody climl
me to the high seat and gathered up
70, reins-and when he called out, g
- aboard?" he saw someone climb