The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1897-05-13

While we were talking the matter over
man in u lignL buggy drove rapidly
up and asked: as this the Gleason and
Fisk OUTFIT"
Fisk quietly informed him that it
was.
"Your other partner, Gleason" the
man in the buggy began, 'has been in
vesting rather heavily in stocks or
something of that kind, on security of
property owned by the company, and
as the investment has turned out badly,
and Gleason can't pay, I've been in
structed by the proper authorities to
ask you to settle the matter at once"
What have we got to do with his
investments2" asked Fisk, with a
scowl.
zone member Of firm binds the rest
in Kansas" suavely remarked the
stranger.
"And if we refuse to settler" l asked
inquiringly.
"Then, I'll have to serve an attach
ment on the outfit, that's all, said the
man.
LET me see your papers," said Fisk,
stepping up to the side of the buggy.
The man unbuttoned his coat and be-
gan to tumble in his pockets. AS l did
SO noticed sheriff's shield pinned on
his vest front.
'Confound the luck" he exclaimed
angrily. "I've left them back at Fort
Scott, but never mind; it's all straight
enough anyway. don't think you will
doubt my authority" and he exposed
his shield to US.
"Well," cried Fisk, wrathfully. 81
don't think you will attach anything
here without the papers-perhaps not
then"
"Forewarned-forearmed," laughed
the sheriff, as he glanced at the steam
kissing from the crack around the cyl
inder head II don't think that you will
be apt to run away with the property
before l can serve the papers," and
then he drove quickly away in the di-
rection of Fort Scott
"Say, sheriff." called after him. He
stopped his horse and looked back. "Is
this bill of Gleason's all straight, or is
it game of his to fleece us2"
The sheriff laughed a little at this,
and then he said: "Well, to tell the
truth, his ways are little dark. l
know him. he likes to catch tender
foot occasionally, but he's got the ad-
vantage of you fellows all right, be-
cause he's got the law on his side"
Fisk was about to make some warm
reply, but I shook my head warningly
at him and the sheriff went on.
at won't do to make him mad" l
said. 1--WE are in bad fix, and it will
only make matters still worse to get the
officials down on us.
But" groaned Fisk, ITO think what
a precious pair of fools we are.'
"Yes, it's pretty tough, old man." l
remarked, sadly. "All our money and
all our prospects gone at one sweep,
and all owing to the rascality OF that
Gleason and our greenness.
Clayton" 1 exclaimed a moment
later, springing up electrified with an
idea, bring me your rubber boots, and
step quick, too"
He brought them wonderingly, and
quickly slit open the legs and then
drew several circles upon the rubber
and began cutting them out with my
knife.
II guess this will work all right for
a little while. If it does" l cried, we
may give them the slip yet. Break up
that old tar barrel and stick it into the
fire box. If can get the cylinder to
hold it's steam, I'll bet five to four that
we can out-travel that apology OF
morse the sheriff had"
Not breath of air was stirring, and
the dense black smoke from the burn
ing tar barrel rose from our funnel per-
pendicularly in the clear morning sun
shine, giving our pursuers an mixing
of our intentions before they could
have otherwise imagined it possible for
us to escape. The smoke could be plain
ly seen at Fort Scott, which was about
three miles away. soon had the pack
ing rings cut out and the cylinder
heads bolted back into place again, and
all we could do now was to wait for
the steam to rise before we could start,
and it seemed as If the indicator never
moved so slowly before. If we could
only get back over the line into Mis-
souri,, the laws there would protect us
and we would save the Comic. Only
twelve miles lay between us and the
border line-could we reach 1t before
they overlook us?
The gauge showed 100 pounds pres
sure. ran the governor belt off so that
we could travel to the full capacity OF
our power without being automatically
checked; then pulled open the throt-
tie, and the next moment we were roll
ing out across the open prairie toward
Missouri. in race with the stake
$1,000.
The Comic did nobly. With a roar
like small thunder she belched up huge
clouds of baclk smoke and steam, and
fairly Quivered with the full pressure