Part 60 (1/2)

Eddie shook his head wearily ”I wish I could believe you,” he said ”I ben figgerin' on goin' back to see ht o' nothin' else since you told ht now just like I was there I'll bet she's scrubbin' the kitchen floor Maas always a-scrubbin' soh to cash in like this just when I was figgerin' on goin' ho to say He turned to look up and down the canyon in search of the enemy

”Home!” whispered Eddie ”Hoet hoht, kid The boysin no time now Then we'll clean up this bunch o' coons an' have you back to El Orobo an'

nursed into shape in no time”

Eddie tried to smile as he looked up into the other's face He reached a hand out and laid it on Billy's arht, old man,” he whispered ”I know you're lyin' an' so do you; but it s”

Billy felt as one who has been caught stealing from a blind man The only adequate reply of which he could think was, ”Aw, shucks!”

”Say,” said Eddie after a o back to the States promise me you'll look up maw and paw an'

tell 'em I was comin' home--to stay Tell 'em I died decent, too, will you--died like paas always a-tellin' e somewheres”

”Sure,” said Billy; ”I'll tell 'em Gee! Look who's coround just as a bullet pinged against the rock above his head and the report of a rifle sounded froot me I'll have to be 'tendin' to business better'n this”

He drew himself slowly up upon his elbows, his carbine ready in his hand, and peered through a small aperture between two of the rocks which composed his breastwork Then he stuck the er

”Didje get hiain ”Got that one too Say, they're tough-lookin' guys; but I guess they won't coht in the open, workin' up to us on their bellies They ht as sleepin'”

For an hour Billy neither saw nor heard any sign of the eneh several times he raised his hat above the breastwork upon the muzzle of his carbine to draw their fire

It was midafternoon when the sound of distant rifle fire came faintly to the ears of the two men from somewhere far below them

”The boys must be comin',” whispered Eddie Shorter hopefully

For half an hour the firing continued and then silence again fell upon the an to wander mentally He talked ed for water

”Buck up, kid,” said Billy; ”the boys'll be along in a et you all the water you want”

But the boys did not cos, and searching up and down the canyon for Indians He ondering if he could chance ht chance ofwith their companions, and even as he considered the matter seriously there came a staccato report and Billy Byrne fell forward in a heap

”God!” cried Eddie ”They got hiled to rise

”Like'll they got ered to his knees

Over the breastwork he saw a half-dozen Indians running rapidly toward the shelter--he saw theer With an oath Billy Byrne leaped to his feet From his knees up his whole body was exposed to the enee Whipping his carbine to his shoulder he let drive at the advancing Indians ere now beyond hope of cover They must come on or be shot dohere they were, so they ca momentarily to fire upon the rash white et before them

But their haste spoiled their ainst the rocky little fortress, they nicked Billy's shi+rt and trousers and hat, and all the while he stood there pu lead into his assailants--not hysterically; but with the cool deliberation of a butcher slaughtering beeves