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Show 208 He pointed to a worn horseshoe lying on the dry alkaline clay, several feet from the road. "Heh I hch I" cackled Waller. "Had to pull up. Yanked it off and heaved it." " Lost time," said Chilcott. Suddenly he pointed ahead. "There he is now. Get ready to go it." Waller and I stared up the road. Dawn was fast breaking over the barrier of the mountains and the moon had not yet set. A mile before us, over the clay flats, we saw a dark object crossing the skyline of a low ridge. It was the team and the buggy-topped buckboard of the fugitive. Chilcott put the spurs to his horse and sprinted to the foot of the ridge but reined in to walk his horse up the ascent. ' As we rounded the top of the ridge we looked over into one of the snowy expanses of salt and alkali flats that lie around the shores of the Great Lake. At first I could not see the fugitive. His horses were jogging along at a pace that enveloped the buckboard m a cloud of white dust. When Waller pointed it out to me I was dismayed to see how near we were upon it. " 'Most half a mile gain! " he exulted. " The cuss must be snoozin'." "No!" said Chilcott, and he uttered a frightful oath. " Watch him streak out! He's seen us. Here's where we ride I " The dark blur of the team and buckboard had shot out from the obscuring cloud of alkali dust into clear view. The driver had lashed his team into a gallop. We rushed down the ridge at a breakneck pace and raced away across the flats, spurring our mounts to their utmost speed. A stern chase is proverbially a long chase. Though we gamed steadily on the fugitive, Chilcott's horse began to blow before we came within rifle-shot. The man was hunched forward on the seat of his light veh1cle, desperately urging his team to top speed. The sun, glaring blood-red over the Wahsatch peaks, glistened on the side and crown of his tall silk hat. THE MORMON LION 209 Waller began to forge ahead. My splendid mount was the freshest of the three, but I held him in the rear. I was overjoyed to see that Chilcott's horse was fast failing. Only a little longer at this killing pace, and he must drop in his tracks. Nor could Waller's mount last many minutes. Chilcott measured the lessening distance with a cool eye, and called sharply : " Keep on, Jake! Ready, Dave-- When I give the word, we'll jump off and shoot. Now- pull up! " He started to rein in. I shot past him. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw him swing up his rifle. " Stop! " he shouted. I obeyed as quickly as I could, reining in so suddenly that I nearly went over my horse's head. I sprang off. Chilcott was down beside me in a moment, his rifle muzzle almost touching my head. His face was dark with suspicion. " Shoot! "he commanded. " Hit him! " It was a question of my own life or the fugitive's. I raised my rifle to take aim. The victim had straightened in his seat to look about at us. Waller swung over to the extreme edge of the road, that we might have a clear mark. Glancing over my rifle sights, I looked into the face of the fugitive, which was clearly illummed by the glare of the rising sun. It was the kindly red face of my friend Norton Sen by. My first impulse was to drop my rifle. In the same instant I realized the futility of such an act .. A moment's hesitation would cost me my own hfe. I sighted at the top of Mr. Senby's hat and pulled the trigger. The crack of my rifle sounded to me like the roar of a cannon. The silk hat went spinning off the bald head of the merchant. He ducked forward. "You got him!-- Dammit, no!" roared Chilcott. He swung the rifle around. I flung myself against him- an instant too late. He had pulled the tngger. Mr. Sen by leaped up, as sometimes a deer leaps when 0 |