Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1947-07-18

Lande stifened. "By gee, then I did
see kind of Cutlery figure just a
second before the lights went out !"
Guess we've cinched it that Ell Ca
ballero Rojo and Bartle are in cahoots,"
snapped Wallace. Both of 'em are
here, and"
$50 am l." Lande cut in, his voice
hard. 81 aim to take 'em both alive-if
, possible. I'm asking 'em to come out
peaceful and empty-handed. If they
refuse we'll pull them out with lead"
"You can't open fire on that house p
Ellen cried. "My brothers in there
Let me go in ! I've got to know what's
happened to Chef. I-Pll-"
Suddenly Ellen turned and ran to-
ward the house.
Five minutes, ma'amw Wallace
shouted after her.
Ell Caballero Rojo watched imper-
turbably. He saw Ellen Maxon speed
to the kitchen door and opened it for
her, hastily barring it again. With just
one heeting glance of hatred at Ell Ca
ballero Rojo, she sped to her bleeding
brother with a choked cry.
At the sight of his wound she turned
hate-lit eyes upon the man in the scar
let sash and neckerchief.
"You beast !" she flung at him. "And
to think that once I thought you were
fine and generous!'
Her wounded brother gripped her
hand. "You don't understand, Ellen
Bartle did this to me!
The girls eyes widened as she gazed
at the masked man. "You didn't shoot
Chet?"
He shook his head. mo, ma'am, l
didn't. Barte did-as your brother
says"
Ellen's hand flew to her throat. And
l helped to get you into this-this
corner I brought Sheriff Lande and all
his men j"
Help me" Ell Caballero Rojo
pointed to the ledger, the papers, the
horseshoe on the zinc-topped table.
"Give them to Sheriff Lande-later.
The booming voice of Luke Wallace
| rang out.
"Time, ma'am Get out of the kitch-
en- We're coming a-shooting!
Valdez picked Chef Maxon up and
carried him down the cellar steps, fol-
lowed by a weeping Ellen.
"Adios," he called down as he bolted
| the door on her stif1ed sobs.
At once Sheriff Lande's voice doomed
out:
Both of you hombres have exactly
t, minutes to come out of that house.
Between barn and hen coop streaked
horseman bent double, and with the
wind filling his dark velvet serape out
as stiff as the wings of bat.
The sheriff drowned his own warning
cry with three shots at the flying horse
man. Wallace yelled and fired. Thu
rider almost pitched from his saddle
but down the incline beyond the drying
shed, where the land dipped sharply
| flashed the dark figure, racing the Grin
| Reaper.
| Wallace raced for his horse.
| after him !" he beloved.
"Take every man you brought!
yelped the sheriff. I'm staying here
Bartle won't get away"
'"Sheriff !" Ellen Maxon called from
the doorway. SHERIFF! Quick
She threw the door wide and ran out
At the alarm in her voice the sheriff
and his deputies who were stationed
on Ellen's side of the house raced to
ward her. Shots rang out from the
other side of the house and a mai
yelled. Lande whirled and raced bacl
to where the guns were booming. Ant
| lust in time to see a second serape-clat
figure that had slid from the front dool
melt into the night
Gel Caballero Rojo!" the possemar
roared. HE got away"
| Lande flashed about with hare
oath.
Zone of 'em was Bartle!" he grount