Part 63 (2/2)

He had scarcely spoken to Barbara Harding all day, for his duties as rear guard had kept hih he had often eyed the latter whose gaze wandered irl ahead of theht before It seemed to him a cruel fate that had so shaped their destinies that his best friend loved the girl Billy loved That Bridge was ignorant of Billy's infatuation for her the latter well knew He could not blae, nor could he, upon the other hand, quite reconcile himself to the more than apparent adoration which ht waned the fugitives realized fro heads and dull eyes that rest was ied, too, and when a ranchhouse loomed in front of them they decided to halt for much-needed recuperation

Here they found three Americans ere totally unaware of Villa's contemplated raid across the border, and hen they were inforlad to welcome six extra carbines, for Barbara not only was armed but was e it

Rozales and his sry while their quarry fed themselves and their tired mounts

The Clark brothers and their cousin, a man by the name of Mason, ere the sole inhabitants of the ranch counseled a long rest--two hours at least, for the border was still ten ht be their soleon at once before the reinforcements, for which he was sure Rozales had dispatched his er, could overtake theued, too, that upon jaded ponies they could not hope to escape and so they waited, until, just as they were ready to continue their flight, flight became impossible

Darkness had fallen when the little party commenced to resaddle their ponies and in theinterruption Billy had kept either the Chinae constantly upon watch toward the direction in which Rozales' e's carbine which awoke the Ah the border lay but a few miles away they were still far froe turned in his saddle and shouted to the others to make for the shelter of the ranchhouse

”There are two hundred of them,” he cried ”Run for cover!”

Billy and the Clark brothers leaped to their saddles and spurred toward the point where Bridge sat pu ene hurried Barbara to the questionable safety of the ranchhouse The Mexican followed the the doors and hile he and Billy and the Clark boys held the bandits inconstantly as they came the four approached the house while Pesita and his full band advanced cautiously after theed forward fro their ponies inside the house Billy alone noted the wounding of his friend

Without an instant's hesitation he slipped froe lay and lifted hi thick about thealloped forith drawn saber to cut down the gringos

Billy, casting an occasional glance behind, saw the danger in tih the air toward his head Dropping Bridge and dodging to one side he ed to escape the cut, and before the swordsman could recover Billy had leaped to his pony's side and seizing the rider about the waist dragged hiround

”Rozales!” he exclaimed, and struck the man as he had never struck another in all his life, with the full force of his ht, with clenched fist full in the face

There was a spurting of blood and a splintering of bone, and Captain Guillerround, his career of crie in his ar the ranchhouse without opposition though a little crimson stream trickled down his left are upon the floor of the house

All night the Pesitistas circled the lone ranchhouse All night they poured their volleys into the adobe walls and through the barricaded s All night the little band of defenders fought gallantly for their lives; but as day approached the futility of their endeavors was borne in upon them, for of the nine one was dead and three wounded, and the numbers of their assailants seeht upon his sto out into the darkness at the diround of the moonless desert

Presently he leaped to his feet and crossed the floor to the room in which the horses had been placed

”Everybody fire toward the rear of the house as fast as they can,” said Billy ”I want a clear space for oin?” asked one of the Clark brothers

”North,” replied Billy, ”after some of Funston's men on the border”

”But they won't cross,” said Mr Harding ”Washi+ngton won't let theotta,” snapped Billy Byrne, ”an' they hen they know there's an Aos yappin' around”