The Argosy, August 1905 — page 60: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Haddon did not answer. His atten- tion was riveted upon the race toward the deserted imn. fo To reach this goal of temporary safety was the object of the fugitive; to over- take him on the highway the purpose of the Mexicans. Suddenly a puff of smoke arose above the neck of the first of the pufsuing horsemen; the dull crack of a carbine shot echoed among the hills. Sergeant Bradley made a fierce ges- ture. “My God, sir, he has no chance!” eried he bitterly. But it appeared the Mexican’s aim had been bad, for the first horseman dashed on with unabated speed, lashing his mount madly with his clenched hands. A fourth, a fifth, a dozen horsemen arose as though by magic from the hol- low, stringing out along the highway in the rear of the first two Mexicans. There was a second puff of smoke and a second report. A sharp exclamation simultaneously escaped the two Ameri- cans. The horse ridden by the fugitive wavered, swayed unsteadily, yet kept on, but with speed visibly lessened. A hoarse shout, a cry of triumph, arose from the pursuing guwerrilleros. The flash of a drawn saber elittered in the yellow sunlight. Sergeant Bradley was trembling in every limb. “God, sir!* he cried. “ And we lie Bese while they butcher him before our eyes!” He was upon his feet, his pistol in his right hand. The reckless bravery of the man was asserting itself, and he saw only the wounded horse and its luekless rider. That the pursuing Mexi- cans numbered a dozen was of secondary consideration. Haddon seized him by the arm. “What are you going to do?” he de- ‘manded sharply. tae Eezan ere himself loose, took a step forward, and then stopped sud- denly. . PP P “ Look,” he cried; “look at that, _ Awonderfui thing had happened. tt _ Seemed as if the angel of fate had inter- THE ARGOSY. posed an invisible harrier between the victim and the bloodthirsty devils who pursued him. The wounded horse had come to a dead stop in the center of the highway. At that moment the desperate artillery- man leaped from the saddle and dashed on foot toward the door of the inn, not iwenty rods away. Scarcely had his feet touched the ground when the stricken horse col- lapsed, tumbling in a shapeless heap in the middle of the road. The foremost querrillero, golloping madly forward, could not check his mount in time.*The knees of his own beast struck the pros- trate body of the dying horse. It was as though a thunderbolt had descended from heaven and palsied the hand which was preparing to wield the fatal saber. The shock of the contact hurled the Mexican from his saddle; he shot for- ward through space, turned a_half- somersault in midair, and struck the ground with terrific force twenty feet from the spot where his horse had fallen. A shout of rage arose from the other querrilleros ; the second pursuer checked his horse just in time to avoid the fate of his companion. In the middle of the road lay the Mexican, his neck broken, and two struggling animals. It is probable that the man who so narrowly escaped a saber stroke did not realize what had occurred, for without looking back he ran at top speed over the distance which separated him from the inn, dashed through the door, and slammed the latter behind him. From their point of observation Haddon and his companion saw the- Mexicans ride up one by one and dis- mount beside the dead querrillero and stiffening horses, : They were too far away to permit of their words being audible, but gestures are frequently as potent as words, and it was evident that a fate even worse than death would overtake the man in the inn should he fall into the power of such captors, | The first body of Mexicans numbered ten or a dozen, but now others appeared. riding out of the hollow. Two rode side by side in advance. mS 7