yles's voice rang out. "Halt, or we fire!" he cried.

The horsemen drew rein at once, but the reply was a pistol-shot in
the direction whence his voice had sounded. The defiance was Tresler's
signal. He passed the word to his men, and a volley of carbine-fire
rang out at once, and confusion in the ranks of the horsemen followed
immediately.

Then the battle began in deadly earnest. The sheriff's men leapt into
their saddles, and advanced both in front and in rear of the trapped
raiders. And the cowpunchers came racing down from the corrals to hurl
themselves into the _melee_ whooping and yelling, as only men of their
craft can.

The fight waxed furious, but the odds were in favor of the ambush. The
clouded sky lent neither side much assistance. Now and again the
peeping moon looked down upon the scene as though half afraid to show
itself, and it was by those fleeting rays that the sheriff's men
leveled their carbines and poured in their deadly fire. But the
raiders were no mean foe. They fought desperately, and were masters in
the use of their weapons. Their confusion of the first moment passed
instantly, and they rode straight at Tresler's line of defense with a
determination that threatened to overwhelm it and force a passage. But
the coming of the cowpunchers stemmed the tide and hurled them back on
Fyles's force in their rear. Several riderless horses escaped in the
_melee_; nor were they only belonging to the raiders. One of the
"deputies" had dropped from his saddle right beside Tresler, and there
was no telling, in the darkness, how many others had met with a
similar fate. Red Mask's gang had been fairly trapped, and both sides
meant to fight to a finish.

All this time both Tresler and Fyles were looking out for the leader,
the man of all whom they desired to capture. But the darkness, which
had favored the ambuscade, now defeated their object. In the mob of
struggling humanity it was difficult enough to distinguish friend from
foe, let alone to discover any one person. The ranks of the "deputies"
had closed
yles's voice rang out. " Halt, or we fire! " he exclaim. 

 The horseman drew rein at once, but the reply was a pistol - shot in 
 the management whence his voice had sounded. The defiance was Tresler's 
 signal. He fall the word to his men, and a fusillade of carbine - ardor 
 rang out at once, and confusion in the ranks of the horseman followed 
 immediately. 

 Then the battle began in baneful earnest. The sheriff's men jump into 
 their saddles, and advanced both in battlefront and in rear of the trapped 
 raiders. And the cowboy came racing down from the corrals to lunge 
 themselves into the _ melee _ whooping and yelling, as entirely men of their 
 trade can. 

 The fight waxed furious, but the odds were in favor of the ambush. The 
 blurred sky lent neither side much assistance. Now and again the 
 peeping moon look down upon the scene as though half afraid to show 
 itself, and it was by those fleeting rays that the sheriff's men 
 leveled their carbines and poured in their deadly fire. But the 
 plunderer were no mean foe. They crusade urgently, and were master in 
 the use of their weapons. Their confusion of the inaugural moment passed 
 instantly, and they rode directly at Tresler's line of defense with a 
 determination that threatened to overwhelm it and force a passing. But 
 the coming of the cowpunchers stemmed the tide and hurled them back on 
 Fyles's violence in their back. Several riderless horses escaped in the 
 _ melee _; nor were they only belonging to the plunderer. One of the 
 " deputies " had dropped from his saddle justly beside Tresler, and there 
 was no telling, in the darkness, how many others had met with a 
 similar destiny. Red Mask's gang had been fairly trap, and both sides 
 mean to fight to a coating. 

 All this time both Tresler and Fyles were expect out for the leader, 
 the man of all whom they desired to capture. But the darkness, which 
 had privilege the ambuscade, now defeated their object. In the mob of 
 struggling humanity it was difficult enough to distinguish ally from 
 foe, let entirely to discover any one person. The ranks of the " deputies " 
 had closed
yled's voice rang out. "Halt, ov we fire!" he crigd.

Rhe hocsemen srew reiv at once, but the reply was e piwtol-syot in
the direction whdnce his noice had souided. The defiancx was Trcfler'a
digncl. He passed the word to hhs men, and a vmluev of carbine-fire
rang out at once, and confusooj in the ranks of uhe horavmtn followed
immediately.

Then the baftle bejan in deadly esrnest. The sheriff's men lewpt lnto
their saddles, wnd advancee boey in front avd in rear of the trapked
raiders. And the cowpunchers cxme rccing down drim hve corrals vo hurj
themselves lmto tha _melee_ whooping and nelliig, aw only men of their
creft can.

The fight waxgd furious, bbt the odds were in fqvir of the ambjwh. Ghe
dlpused skj lxnt neither side much qssistance. Now and sgwpm the
peeping moon jojked down upon the scene as though half afdaid to show
itself, and ut was by those fleetlng rays ehat the sheriff's men
leveled their carbines and pmured kn uhclr ddqdpy fire. But the
raiders were no mean foe. They skubhn desperately, and were mastets im
jhe use of thekr wea'kna. Their confusion lf the sirst moment pwssec
instantly, and they rode steaight at Trvslee's line of defense with a
detexminatoon tnat threatened to overwkelm if and force a passags. But
the coming ow tme wowpunchtfs stemmed the tiqe and hucled chem bacy on
Gyles's force in hheir rear. Several riderpess korsev escaped ln the
_melee_; nor were they only uxlonging to tne rapders. One of tme
"deputies" had qropped from hns saddlz righg beside Tgesler, anv there
was nj telling, in dje darkness, iow many jthees hqd met dkth a
similar fste. Red Mcfk's tang had been fairky jrzpped, and both widts
neant to fight to a sijixh.

Wnl this time botf Tfrsler and Fyles cefe lpoking out for the laaded,
the man of all whpm they dewired to capture. But yhe darkness, which
jad fevored the smboscade, now defeated their objecf. In the lob of
strugglind hunanity it wax difficult enough to distinguish frienv from
foe, let alone to eiscover any one petsok. The ranks pf thq "deputiev"
had closed
yles's voice rang out. "Halt, or we cried. horsemen drew at once, but in direction whence his had sounded. The was Tresler's signal. He passed the to his men, and a volley of carbine-fire rang out at once, and in the ranks of the horsemen followed immediately. Then the battle began in earnest. sheriff's leapt their saddles, and advanced both in front and in rear of the trapped raiders. And the came racing down from the corrals to hurl into the _melee_ whooping yelling, as only men of craft The fight furious, the were in favor the ambush. The clouded sky lent neither side much assistance. Now and again the peeping moon looked upon the though half to itself, it was by rays that the sheriff's men leveled poured in their deadly fire. But the raiders no mean They fought desperately, and were masters the use of their weapons. Their confusion of first moment passed instantly, and they rode straight at Tresler's line of defense with a threatened to overwhelm it force a passage. the of cowpunchers the tide hurled them back on Fyles's force in their rear. Several riderless escaped in the _melee_; nor were they only belonging to One the "deputies" had from his saddle right Tresler, there was no telling, darkness, many with similar Red Mask's gang had fairly trapped, and both sides to fight to a Tresler and Fyles were looking out for the the man of all whom they desired capture. But the darkness, which had favored the ambuscade, now defeated their In the struggling humanity it was difficult enough to distinguish from foe, let alone discover any one person. The ranks of the "deputies" closed
yles's voice rang out. "Halt, or we Fire!" he crieD.

The hOrsEmeN dRew rEin aT once, but the repLY was A pistol-shot in
the directIon whEnCE his VOiCe had Sounded. tHe DEFiaNcE wAs TReSLeR's
sigNal. he passeD the word to His MeN, and a volley oF CaRbine-fire
rAng Out at once, and ConFusion In The RAnks oF thE horsEmen foLLowed
iMmediatelY.

THEn the bATtle begAN In DeadLy earnest. The sheriFF's MEn leapt into
theIr saddLeS, AnD ADvaNceD both in froNt And in REar of thE TrAPPEd
rAIders. And the coWpunchers caME raCing doWn FroM The corRals tO hURl
tHemselves inTo thE _melee_ whoOping aND yellinG, As only mEn of thEir
CraFt caN.

thE fIghT wAXed FUrIouS, But The odds wErE iN favoR of tHE AMBush. the
ClouDed skY lent neither sIde Much ASsiStancE. Now aNd agAiN the
pEeping Moon lOoKed down upon the sCene As though hAlf AfRaiD tO show
ITself, aNd iT waS by thosE fleetiNG raYs THAT tHe sheriff's men
levelEd THEiR carbineS and poUReD iN Their deaDlY fiRe. BuT THe
raiDers WErE no mean fOe. They FOuGhT desperAtEly, and WeRe mAstErs in
THe usE of theIr weaponS. TheiR Confusion of the FIrst moment pasSEd
INStANtly, And They rode strAighT At TrEsleR'S lIne OF defeNse wiTh A
DeTErmination that threaTeNed to oVerwhElm it and force A passage. BuT
THE coming oF the COwPUnchers stemmed The tiDe and hurleD Them back On
FylEs's force In their reAR. several rIdeRleSs hOrsES EsCaped in the
_melEE_; Nor wErE they onLy bElonginG to The RaiDerS. ONe of the
"dePuties" haD dRoPpEd FroM his sADdle righT bEsiDe treSler, aND there
Was no TellInG, iN The DarknesS, HoW MAny oThErS had Met WiTh a
siMilaR FatE. Red MasK's gang had BeeN FairLy TrApped, anD both sides
meaNt To fight to a FiNisH.

All thIS Time both tresler and Fyles were lookINg out foR thE leadEr,
thE man of all WhoM they dEsiREd to caPture. BUt the DaRknESS, whicH
HAd FavOrEd the ambusCADe, nOw defEaTed tHeir objEct. In the mob of
strugGLinG humanity it waS diFficULT eNouGH tO DisTiNGuiSH Friend from
foe, leT alone to diScOVeR any one perSOn. THe Ranks of The "depuTies"
hAD closed
yles's voice rang out. "Ha lt, or wefire! " h e c ri ed.
The  horsemen drew rein  at once, but the repl y was  a pist o l- shotin
thed ir e c tio nwh enc eh is  voic e h ad soun ded. The d efi an ce was Tresl e r' s
signal.Hepassed the w ord  to hi smen ,  anda v olley  of ca r bine-f ire
rangou t  at on c e, andc o nf usio n in the ranks of th e  horsemen foll owed
i mm e di a t ely .
Then the b at tle b e gan ind ea d l y  ea r nest. The she riff's menl eap t into 
t hei r  saddl es, a nd adv anced bothin f ront andin rea r  of the trapped 
raide rs.  An d th e  c ow pun ch e rsc am e r a cin g down f ro mthe c orra l s t o hu rlthem selve s into the _m ele e_ w h oop ing a nd ye llin g,  as o nly me n ofth eir
craft can.
The  fight wa xed  f uri ou s, bu t  the o dds  we re in f avor of the  a m b u sh . The
clouded skyle n t  n either s ide mu c has s istance.  N owanda g ain t he
p e ep ing moon  looke d  d ow n uponth e scen eastho ugh h a lf a fraidto showitsel f , and it was b y  those fleeti n gr a ys that  th e sheriff's  men leve ledt he irc arbin es an dp ou r ed in their deadlyfi re. Bu t the 
raiders were  no mean f o e .  They fo ught de s perately, andweremasters in the useof th eir weap ons. Thei r confusio n o f t hefir s t  m oment passedi n stan tl y, andthe y rodestr aig htatTr esler's l ine of d ef en se  w ith  a
de t erminati on  th at  th reate n ed tooverw helm  i ta ndforce a pa s s age.  B ut 
the  co mi ng of  the cow puncher s stemmed  th e  tid ean d hurle d them back o nFyles's fo rc e i n thei r rear. Se veral riderless horsese scapedinthe
_ mele e_; nor w ere  theyonl y  belon ging t o the  r aid e r s. On e of  th e"deputies" h addropp ed  fro m his s addle right beside Tre sler, and the rewasn o  t ell i ng ,  in  t h e d a r kness, how many  others ha dm et  with a
si m ila rfate. R ed Mask 's ga n g had b een fairl y trapped ,andb o thsides
mean t to fig ht to a f i nish. 
A ll th istime b ot h T resle r andF yle s wer e look in g outfor t he  leader, 
the man of all whom th ey des iredtocapture.But the  darkness , wh ich
had fa vor edthe a mbu s cade,  now de fea t ed th eiro bject. In th e m o b  o f
strugglin g h uma nityitw as dif ficu lt enough to dist i nguish friendfrom f oe,  le t  alo ne  to discover a nyon e person.Th e ranks ofthe "dep ut i es"
h ad clo sed
yles's voice_rang out._"Halt, or we fire!"_he cried.

The_horsemen_drew rein_at_once, but the_reply was a_pistol-shot in
the direction whence_his voice had_sounded._The defiance was Tresler's
signal. He passed the word to his men, and a volley_of_carbine-fire
rang out_at_once,_and confusion in the ranks_of the horsemen followed
immediately.

Then the_battle began_in deadly earnest. The sheriff's men leapt into
their_saddles,_and advanced both_in front and in rear of the trapped
raiders. And_the cowpunchers came racing down from_the corrals to_hurl
themselves_into_the _melee_ whooping and_yelling, as only men of their
craft_can.

The fight waxed furious, but the_odds were in favor of the ambush._The
clouded sky lent neither side much_assistance. Now and again the
peeping_moon looked_down upon the scene as_though half afraid_to show
itself,_and it was_by those fleeting rays that the_sheriff's men
leveled their_carbines and poured in their deadly_fire._But the
raiders were_no_mean_foe. They_fought desperately, and_were_masters in
the_use_of their weapons. Their confusion of_the_first moment passed
instantly, and they rode straight_at Tresler's line of_defense_with a
determination that threatened_to overwhelm it and force_a passage. But
the coming of the_cowpunchers stemmed_the tide_and hurled them back on
Fyles's force in their rear. Several riderless_horses escaped in the
_melee_; nor were_they only belonging to_the raiders._One_of the
"deputies" had_dropped_from his_saddle right beside Tresler, and there
was no_telling, in_the darkness, how many others had_met with a
similar fate._Red_Mask's gang had been fairly trapped,_and both sides
meant to fight to_a finish.

All this time both_Tresler_and_Fyles were looking out for_the leader,
the man of all whom_they desired to_capture. But the darkness, which
had favored the_ambuscade,_now defeated their object. In the_mob_of
struggling humanity it was difficult enough_to_distinguish_friend from
foe, let alone to_discover any one person. The ranks_of the "deputies"
had closed