Hungry Horse news and Columbian., 1947-04-18
CHAPTER VIII

d now, and the blazing oil from the eS
r ploded lamp behind the bar burst liquor
! bottles. Blue flames, coursing here ant
3 there with searching tongues, spread
swiftly, to make the Palace Saloon s
roaring furnace.
With a defiant shout Michael Valdez
!. rode full tilt through the rear door.
He found himself in a dead-end alley,
and turned along it between two build
ings, heading toward the street.
One swift glance at the alley, though,
and he knew that Flash Conroy, who
was now out of the burning saloon,
and Conroy's cohorts were all ready
for battle. They were at the mouth of
the alley with the whole area covered.
Men with cooked guns were awaiting
Valdez appearance.
A cracking hail of lead poured into
the alley from the guns of the holed-up
men searching for him with gunfre.
Then Valdez took lis one and only
chance of getting out of the trap alive.
The next instant he was racing through
the rain of fire, with both his own guns
blazing. As he hit the street, one swift
glance picked out Conroy, in the shadow
of general store on the other side of
the street, his six-gun blazing steadily.
Valdez downed the gambler neatly
and coolly with one we'll placed shot.
Number two" Valdez gritted as
El Cielo tore down the dusty street
toward the sanctuary of the mountains. |
Valdez cast swift glance backward,
but with the death of their boss, Con-
roy's fighting force had not dashed for
their horses to pursue the fighting
demon who had downed the gambler.
Half an hour later Michael Valdez
felt that he was safe from pursuit. He
was we'll into a hidden mountain trail
and here he stopped to give the gallant
I'll Cielo well-earned breather.
He had ridden all day, keeping to
the obscure trails in the more noun
famous sections, without meeting a
soul, when late in the afternoon he was
brought to the alert by a crashing in
the brush. Swiftly his hand went to
his gun butt, as he caught a glimpse
of a rider in the brush. Then he re-
axed and his hand fell to his sid,.
A ragged figure broke out of cover
Ind rode toward him. One small hand
vas held high in greeting.
"Hello, Senor Caballero Rojo"
Juanita de Cuevas looked weary, but
Ter soft dark eyes sparkled with hap
,iness.
Didn't Padre vincente get nv
etter?" Valdez said. Thought wrote a
i'm to keep you at the mission" i
$50 he said," Juanita said calmly. I
And most certainly he got your letter. I
'ut when he told mel didn't argue O
nth him, senior. l accepted the room b
had prepared for me, and left b
uring the night. That is better than n
argue with padre" a
You shouldn't have done that, Juan |,
a." Valdez said soberly. "I've told
ou the outlaw trail is no place for {
)u"
But l have decided to go with you, L
nor" the girl said simply. wherever
~ go, | am going. Is not this my R
INT, too? To what better purpose ! ty
uld l devote my life? l have nothing fl
Sc to live for" W
But you still don't understand" 81
lldez told her little desperately. 81 pt
going now to Deep Water Valley, tr
d there is much trouble there. There gr
II be bloodshed, and you will be in
nger. You must" M
Then zoe are going to Deep Water 10
Hey" the girl answered him, still wi
mly, and Valdez did not know how an
handle such situation as now con- co
nted him. be
Not knowing, there appeared only th
thing to do. There seemed nothing
it now but to give in-at least for wi
time being. Ju