kness followed--a blank,
thick, enveloping mantle. Then red flashes of guns emphasized the
blackness. Inside the store there broke loose a pandemonium of shots,
yells, curses, and thudding boots. Jean shoved his rifle barrel inside
the door and, holding it low down, he moved it to and fro while he
worked lever and trigger until the magazine was empty. Then, drawing
his six-shooter, he emptied that. A roar of rifles from the front of
the store told Jean that his comrades had entered the fray. Bullets
zipped through the door he had broken. Jean ran swiftly round the
corner, taking care to sheer off a little to the left, and when he got
clear of the building he saw a line of flashes in the middle of the
road. Blaisdell and the others were firing into the door of the store.
With nimble fingers Jean reloaded his rifle. Then swiftly he ran
across the road and down to get behind his comrades. Their shooting
had slackened. Jean saw dark forms coming his way.

"Hello, Blaisdell!" he called, warningly.

"That y'u, Jean?" returned the rancher, looming up. "Wal, we wasn't
worried aboot y'u."

"Blue?" queried Jean, sharply.

A little, dark figure shuffled past Jean. "Howdy, Jean!" said Blue,
dryly. "Y'u shore did your part. Reckon I'll need to be tied up, but
I ain't hurt much."

"Colmor's hit," called the voice of Gordon, a few yards distant. "Help
me, somebody!"

Jean ran to help Gordon uphold the swaying Colmor. "Are you hurt-bad?"
asked Jean, anxiously. The young man's head rolled and hung. He was
breathing hard and did not reply. They had almost to carry him.

"Come on, men!" called Blaisdell, turning back toward the others who
were still firing. "We'll let well enough alone.... Fredericks, y'u
an' Bill help me find the body of the old man. It's heah somewhere."

Farther on down the road the searchers stumbled over Gaston Isbel. They
picked him up and followed Jean and Gordon, who were supporting the
wounded Colmor. Jean looked back to see Blue dragging himself along in
the rear. It was too dark to see distinctly; nevertheless, Jean got
the impression that Blue was more severely wounded than he had claimed
to be. The distance to Meeker's cabin was not far, but it took what
Jean felt to be a long and anxious time to get there. Colmor apparently
rallied somewhat. When this procession entered Meeker's yard, Blue was
lagging behind.

"Blue, how air y'u?" called Blaisdell, with concern.

"Wal, I