Evening star., 1896-09-19

to disown yer parent and cut sticks. and
such things rile me!'
She entered the back room without an
other word, and Old Robertson walked
outdoors just as Jim Finch rode up The
two walked off to the shed and sat down
| in the same place before and held
conversation lasting for an hour. Then
Jim handed over small bottle. laughing
as he did so, and rode back over the trail
he had come. The girl Kit saw him from
one Of the windows-saw her father with
I the bottle in his hand-and there was
look of mingled resolution and anxiety in
her eyes she said to herself:
Il hoped they had gwen 1t up, but they
are going ahead. and now 1 must think of
some plan to beat the game and yet save
daddy
The paymaster's ambulance and escort
were not new sight TO Old Robertson on
that road. When he first opened up his
ranch was a stopping place for the first
nig6 out, but after his reputation began
| to decay the escort logged along to Silver
Springs and made their camp in the cedars.
At sunset of the second day after Jim
Finch's second call Old Robertson had
surprise. He was sitting on the doorstep
smoking his pipe when he heard the rattle
| of wheels and the sound of hoofs, and next
moment the paymaster's outfit came
around the corner and halted before him.
! He rose up and looked at the men In
puzzled way. and Captain Dakin descend
/ ed from the ambulance to say:
'See here. Robertson. we want to stop
mere for the night. We're behind time.
and there's d storm coming up to make a
! wet night. Just drive out your gang and
give us the house for the night"
! Il don't know what you mean by gang
/ replied the old man. with an injured look
! but l shall be glad to hev ye stop fur
| the night. l kin give the two of We rooms,
| but the boys'll new to put up with the
she'd"
| Good enough" said the sergeant in
| charge Of the escort, and the safe was lift
! sd out Of the vehicle and carried into a
| small bed room off the bar ROOM which the
| captain was to occupy.
| Tine soldiers asked for neither food nor
| drink off the ranch. The creek furnished
them with water, and they cooked their
| bacon and made their coffee at a fire In
| front of the shed. The paymaster and his
! clerk were received as guests, and a hum
| hle but hearty supper spread for them
Just before it was served the cid man, who
bad been officiously flying around and de-
| claring he wanted to see everybody COM
| Portable. entered the kitchen and said tc
| the girl
Kit. one of the soldiers wants a bottle
of whisky on the quiet. Just drop through
the trap and hand 1t up
| He opened the trap door in the kitchen
| floor, which led to a shallow excavation
| and the girl dropped through without a
| lock at him. She wasn't thirty seconds ou,
| of sight, but during this interval he lifted
| the cover of the coffee pot and poured part
| of the contents Of a bottle into 1t. The
| remainder was poured into a quart bottle
| of whisky which he took from his BOSOM
| For the paymaster and for the blue
| coats!' he chuckled: land in an hour from
| this We'll be riding away with the safer
| The girl handed up the whisky, drew her.
self out of the cellar. and as the mar
| walked out of the room she took the coffee
| pot of the fire and emptied its contents te
! the last drop and grain, and then put fresh
coffee to steep. She had heard him at the