The desperado fired again.A little cry came from Nancy Derwent.Littlefield whirled, with blazing eyes, and saw the blood trickling down her cheek.
"I'm not hurt, Bob -- only a splinter struck me.Ithink he hit one of the wheel-spokes."
"Lord!" groaned Littlefield."If I only had a charge of buckshot!"The ruffian got his horse still, and took careful aim.
Fly gave a snort and fell in the harness, struck in the neck.Bess, now disabused of the idea that plover were being fired at, broke her traces and galloped wildly away -- Mexican Sam sent a ball neatly through the fulness of Nancy Derwent's shooting jacket.
"Lie down -- lie down!" snapped Littlefield."close to the horse -- flat on the ground -- so." He almost threw her upon the grass against the back of the recum-bent Fly.Oddly enough, at that moment the words of the Mexican girl returned to his mind:
"If the life of the girl you love is ever in danger, remem-ber Rafael Ortiz."
Littlefield uttered an exclamation.
"Open fire on him, Nan, across the horse's back.
Fire as fast as you can! You can't hurt him, but keep him dodging shot for one minute while I try to work a little scheme."Nancy gave a quick glance at Littlefield, and saw him take out his pocket-knife and open it.Then she turned her face to obey orders, keeping up a rapid fire at the enemy.
Mexico Sam waited patiently until this innocuous fusillade ceased.He had plenty of time, and he did not care to risk the chance of a bird-shot in his eye when could be avoided by a little caution.He pulled his heavy Stetson low down over his face until the shots ceased.
Then he drew a little nearer, and fired with careful aim at what he could see of his victims above the fallen horse.
Neither of them moved.He urged his horse a few steps nearer.He saw the district attorney rise to one knee and deliberately level his shotgun.He pulled his hat down and awaited the harmless rattle of the tiny pellets.
The shotgun blazed with a heavy report.Mexico Sam sighed, turned limp all over, and slowly fell from his horse -- a dead rattlesnake.
At ten o'clock the next morning court opened, and the case of the United States versus Rafael Ortiz was called.
The district attorney, with his arm in a sling, rose and addressed the court.
"May it please your honour," he said, "I desire to enter a nolle pros.in this case.Even though the defend-ant should be guilty, there is not sufficient evidence in the hands of the government to secure a conviction.The piece of counterfeit coin upon the identity of which the case was built is not now available as evidence.I ask, therefore, that the case be stricken off."At the noon recess Kilpatrick strolled into the district attorney's office.
"I've just been down to take a squint at old Mexico Sam," said the deputy."They've got him laid out.
Old Mexico was a tough outfit, I reckon.The boys was wonderin' down there what you shot him with.Some said it must have been nails.I never see a gun carry anything to make holes like he had.""I shot him," said the district attorney, "with Exhibit A of your counterfeiting case.Lucky thing for me --and somebody else -- that it was as bad money as it was!
It sliced up into slugs very nicely.Say, Kil, can't you go down to the jacals and find where that Mexican girl lives? Miss Derwent wants to know."A NEWSPAPER STORY
AT 8 A.M.it lay on Giuseppi's news-stand, still damp from the presses.Giuseppi, with the cunning of his ilk, philandered on the opposite comer, leaving his patrons to help themselves, no doubt on a theory related to the hypothesis of the watched pot.
This particular newspaper was, according to its custom and design, an educator, a guide, a monitor, a champion and a household counsellor and vade mecum.
From its many excellencies might be selected three editorials.One was in simple and chaste but illuminat-ing language directed to parents and teachers, depreca-ting corporal punishment for children.
Another was an accusive and significant warning addressed to a notorious labour leader who was on the point of instigating his clients to a troublesome strike.
The third was an eloquent demand that the police force be sustained and aided in everything that tended to increase its efficiency as public guardians and servants.
Besides these more important chidings and requisitions upon the store of good citizenship was a wise prescription or form of procedure laid out by the editor of the heart-to-heart column in the specific case of a young man who had complained of the obduracy of his lady love, teaching him how he might win her.
Again, there was, on the beauty page, a complete answer to a young lady inquirer who desired admonition toward the securing of bright eyes, rosy cheeks and a beautiful countenance.
One other item requiring special cognizance was a brief "personal," running thus:
DEAR JACK: -- Forgive me.You were right.Meet me comer Madison and -th at 8.30 this morning.We leave at noon.
PENITENT.
At 8 o'clock a young man with a haggard look and the feverish gleam of unrest in his eye dropped a penny and picked up the top paper as he passed Giuseppi's stand.
A sleepless night had left him a late riser.There was an office to be reached by nine, and a shave and a hasty cup of coffee to be crowded into the interval.
He visited his barber shop and then hurried on his way.He pocketed his paper, meditating a belated perusal of it at the luncheon hour.At the next corner it fell from his pocket, carrying with it his pair of new gloves.Three blocks he walked, missed the gloves and turned back fuming.
Just on the half-hour he reached the corner where lay the gloves and the paper.But he strangely ignored that which he had come to seek.He was holding two little hands as tightly as ever he could and looking into two penitent brown eyes, while joy rioted in his heart.
