Argosy, Volume XXIII — Index Page, 1897 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

* 598 A CAMPAIGN OF STRATEGY. at command, possibly it might have proved ill for him, for she had already demonstrated that whoever tried to stop her did so at no little peril. Instead of attempting anything of the kind, the mounted Apache brought his gun to his shoulder and fired at the point where the fugitive was vanishing. For- tunately he had no time to take aim, and his shot was mainly by guess; but, as it was, the bullet whizzed so close to the cheek of Miss Warren that she heard it sing as it sped by. She glanced around and saw the buck, no longer able to use his horse, bound from his back and dash after her on foot. Instead of halting and firing at him, as was her first intention, she darted to one side, ran a few paces and then abruptly paused, with her back against a huge boulder. In the marvelous atmosphere of Arizona, the air is so clear that the stars shine with a brilliancy never seen in the north. Indeed the star gleam casts a dis- tinct shadow, which, happily for the fugitive, inclosed her entire figure, rendering it invisible to any one unless he came near enough to touch her with outstretched hand. Standing thus, she had to wait only a minute, when a shadowy figure as- sumed form in the gloom and approached. She knew on the instant that it was the buck carefully searching for her, but he was depending as much on his senses of hearing as upon that of seeing. Pausing within a rod, he stood still and listened. The starlight fell upon him and clearly outlined his form to Miss Warren, who could make out the stocky figure, the bare chest, and the long, coarse hair dangling about his shoulders, while she was sure she saw the glitter and gleam of his snaky eyes, as they roved over the slight space in his field of vision. His head was thrown slightly forward, and he held his Winchester tightly grasped in one hand at his side, from which posi- tion he could raise it to a ‘‘ dead level’’ at an instant’s call. The gun that had served the fugitive so well was held with both hands and extended across the front of her body, from which she could aim and fire it as quickly as her enemy. She had no intention of using the weapon ex- cept in self defense, and the instant that was necessary, she would shoot to kill. She had lived but a short time in the Southwest, but long enough to know that every white woman exposed to capture by the demons carried a revolverewith which to blow out her brains, on the instant that all hope of escape was gone. She never removed her eyes from the dusky figure, but watched his every movement, ready to anticipate his first demonstration. Suddenly he took a couple of steps forward, directly toward her. The Winchester was grasped more tightly and partly raised. She was ready to fire when he paused again, bent his head in listening, and then advanced, but with such a change in his direction that he would come no closer. It was an unspeakable relief, for it looked now as if the encounter was not to take place. But the suspense was by no means over. ®It must be borne in mind that all this took place within a brief distance of the building from which the two women had fled. ‘The Apaches were riding furiously around it, firing their guns, whooping, and evidently trying to taunt the defenders into exposing themselves. They must have known that some of the white people had fled =) COmicbooks:com —