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Show --- ......... "'I"" THE MORMON LION helpless victims pierced above the ferocious whoops of the savages and the no less ferocious shouts of the Mormons. A number of militiamen burst out of the cedars on the far side of the road. Their guns and revolvers did far deadlier work than the arrows and tomahawks of the Indians. I dropped my bridle and rifle and tottered forward, my teeth chattering and cold sweat streaming down my face. I pressed my hands over my ears to shut out the cries of the women and children-- Ankotash rushed back into the shelter of the cedars dragging Lucy by the wrist. She was sh~ieking and struggling, too frantic to heed hts reassunn9 words : " Me Ankotash- no kill'um. Me Ankotash. ' The sight of her broke the spell of horror that had unnerved me. I ran to meet them, crying out to the terrified girl : " Lucy! Lucy! here I am- here! You're safe! Lucy! you're safe!" . Her fright was so extreme that she dtd not recognize either my voice or my face. But she saw that I was a white man. She sprang ahead of Ankotash. As he released his grip on her wrist, she flung herself at my feet, begging ptteously : " Save me! Oh! save me! save me! save me!" Not until I caught her up in my arms did she know me. "David! " she screamed, and she clung to me shuddering. "Drive him away! save me! drive him away!" " You are saved! It's Ankotash. He brought you to me," I sought to reassure her. But she shuddered still more violently. "No no! He struck her !- Flora! She held to me-h~ struck_her! "she panted, and she hid her face in my bosom. "No save'um two," explained the Indian, and he darted past me. " Run heap quick. Mormon come." Thinking that some of the murderers were upon us, I rushed Lucy to my horse. He stood where I THE MORMON LION had left him, pricking his sleek cars at the shrieks and shouts and war-whoops that came from the road, whe_re the butchers were pursuing the last of their VIctims. Ankotash caught up my rifle and beckoned me to follow htm. He started off through the thickest of the cedars. We had to follow afoot, leading the horse. Had I mounted and taken up Lucy the low branches would have swept us off his back. ' It was fortunate that Lucy was still sustained by her fnght, for Ankotash set a pace that often compelled us to break into a run. Already the gunshots and outcnes had almost ceased. But this only added to my fear. The fiends would be scattering in pursuit of the few survivors that might have escaped into the cedars. As we hurried in and out among the scrubby trees I noticed for th~ first time a broad red streak dow~ the Side of Lucy s blue calico dress ::You're hurt- wounded!" I cried. No, no-- Hurry! oh, hurry hurry David I" she \.anted. ' ' · I coked closer and was relieved to see no cut or bullet hole at the top of that ghastly wet streak. Then I recalled her words and her frantic terror of Ankotash- and understood. In rescuing her the savage had been hindered by one of the Fa~cher guls. She had clung to Lucy, no doubt thinkin to save her from Indtan captivity- a fate worse ttan death. Unable to tear Lucy from her the Indian had struck her down with his tomahawk, and her lifeblood had gushed out on Lucy's dress. |