nds fastened on Rojas. He jerked the
little bandit off the tangled pile of struggling, yelling men, and,
swinging him with terrific force, let go his hold. Rojas slid along
the floor, knocking over tables and chairs. Gale bounded back, dragged
Rojas up, handling him as if he were a limp sack.

A shot rang out above the yells. Gale heard the jingle of breaking
glass. The room darkened perceptibly. He flashed a glance backward.
The two cowboys were between him and the crowd of frantic rebels. One
cowboy held two guns low down, level in front of him. The other had
his gun raised and aimed. On the instant it spouted red and white.
With the crack came the crashing of glass, another darkening shade over
the room. With a cry Gale slung the bleeding Rojas from him. The
bandit struck a table, toppled over it, fell, and lay prone.

Another shot made the room full of moving shadows, with light only back
of the bar. A white-clad figure rushed at Gale. He tripped the man,
but had to kick hard to disengage himself from grasping hands. Another
figure closed in on Gale. This one was dark, swift. A blade
glinted--described a circle aloft. Simultaneously with a close, red
flash the knife wavered; the man wielding it stumbled backward. In the
din Gale did not hear a report, but the Mexican's fall was significant.
Then pandemonium broke loose. The din became a roar. Gale heard shots
that sounded like dull spats in the distance. The big lamp behind the
bar seemingly split, then sputtered and went out, leaving the room in
darkness.

Gale leaped toward the restaurant door, which was outlined faintly by
the yellow light within. Right and left he pushed the groping men who
jostled with him. He vaulted a pool table, sent tables and chairs
flying, and gained the door, to be the first of a wedging mob to
squeeze through. One sweep of his arm knocked the restaurant lamp from
its stand; and he ran out, leaving darkness behind him. A few bounds
took him into the parlor. It was deserted. Thorne had gotten away
with Mercedes.

It was then Gale slowed up. For the space of perhaps sixty seconds he
had been moving with startling velocity. He peered cautiously out into
the plaza. The paths, the benches, the shady places under the trees
contained no skulking men. He ran out, keeping to the shade, and did
not go into the path till he was halfway through the plaza. Under a
street lamp at the far end of the path he thought he sa