Larry was drawing ahead.

He had used all the shells in his rifle and

now with hand and spur was goading his horse.

Suddenly Neale heard the soft thud of lead striking flesh. His horse

leaped with a piercing snort of terror, and Neale thought he was

going down. But he recovered, and went plunging on, still swift and

game, though with uneven gait. Larry yelled. His red face flashed

back over his shoulder. He saw something was wrong with Neale's

horse and he pulled his own.

"Save your own life!" yelled Neale, fiercely. It enraged him to see

the cowboy holding back to let him come up. But he could not prevent

it.

"He's hit!" shouted Larry.

"Yes, but not badly," shouted Neale, in reply. "Spread out!"

The cowboy never swerved a foot. He watched Neale's horse with keen,

sure eyes.

"He's breakin'! Mebbe he can't last!"

Bullets whistled all around Neale now. He heard them strike the

stones on the ground and sing away; he saw them streak through the

scant grass; he felt the tug at his shoulder where one cut through

his coat, stinging the skin. That touch, light as it was, drove the

panic out of him. The strange darkness before his eyes, hard to see

through, passed away. He wheeled to shoot again, and with

deliberation he aimed as best he could. Yet he might as well have

tried to hit flying birds. He emptied the Winchester.

Then, hunching low in the saddle, Neale hung on. Slingerland was

close to the train; Brush on his side appeared to be about out of

danger; the pursuit had narrowed down to Neale and Larry. The anger

and the grimness faded from Neale. He did not want to go plunging

down in front of those lean wild mustangs, to be ridden over and

trampled and mutilated. The thought sickened him. The roar of

pursuing hoofs grew distinct, but Neale did not look back.

Another roar broke on his ear--the clamor of the Irish soldier-

laborers as they yelled and fired.

"Pull him! Pull him!" came the piercing cry from Larry.

Neale was about to ride his frantic horse straight into the work-

train. Desperately he hauled the horse up and leaped off. Larry was

down, waiting, and his mount went plunging away. Bullets were

pattering against the sides of the cars, from which puffed streaks

of flame and smoke.