Part 44 (1/2)
Catching the drift of their remarks, Billy waved them to one side
”I'm bossin' this picnic,” he announced ”Get out o' the way, an' be quick about it if you don't want to be hurted”
Again he rode forward Again the troopers interposed their mounts, and this time their leader cocked his carbine His attitude was
Billy was close to him Their ponies were shoulder to shoulder, that of the bandit almost broadside of the trail
Now Billy Byrne waswell acquainted with many of the fundamental principles of sudden brawls It is safe to say that he had never heard of Van Bibber; but he knew, as well as Van Bibber knew, that it is well to hit first
Without a word and without warning he struck, leaning forith all the weight of his body behind his blow, and catching the man full beneath the chin he lifted hi rauel drew revolvers from their shi+rts and as Billy wheeled his pony toward the re five they opened fire upon them
The battle was short and sweet One aluel, who proved to be an excellent revolver shot, brought hiard for the rules of civilized warfare, dispatched those ere not already dead
”We must let none return to carry false tales to Pesita,” he explained
Even Billy Byrne winced at the ruthlessness of the cold-blooded murders; but he realized the necessity which confronted thes which the Mexican did with such sang-froid and even evident enjoyuel, when he had assured himself that each of the six were really quite dead
Spurring after hiround at the base of the little hill, and then parallel to the arroyo for a matter of a hundred yards, where they espied two Indians, carbines in hand, standing in evident consternation because of the unexpected fusillade of shots which they had just heard and which they were unable to account for
At the sight of the three the sharpshooters dropped behind cover and fired Billy's horse stuh upon his hind legs and then toppled over, dead
His rider, throwing himself to one side, scrambled to his feet and fired twice at the partially concealed e rode in rapidly to close quarters, firing as they came One of the two uests” dropped his gun, clutched at his breast, screamed, and sank back behind a clue of the bank into the arroyo, rolling and tu to the bottom in a cloud of dry dust
As he rose to his feet and started on a run up the bed of the dry strea course from one bit of scant cover to another Billy Byrne stepped to the edge of the washout and threw his carbine to his shoulder His face was flushed, his eyes sparkled, a sular features
”This is the life!” he cried, and pulled the trigger
The htened jackrabbit, sprawled forward upon his face, le effort to rise and then slue, dis broadly
”The captain is one grand fighter,” he said ”How eneral would admire such a man as the captain Doubtless he would make him a colonel
Come with me Senor Capitan and your fortune is made”
”Come where?” asked Billy Byrne
”To the ca Mexico--to General Francisco Villa”
”Nothin' doin',” said Billy ”I'uess I'll stick He's given me more of a run for my money in the last twenty-four hours than I've had since I parted from my dear old friend, the Lord of Yoka”
”But Senor Capitan,” cried Miguel, ”you do notback to Pesita! He will shoot you doith his own hand when he has learned what has happened here”
”I guess not,” said Billy