The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-07-09
CHAPTER XIV.

THE SURRENDER OF THE LETTERS.
II the letters were safe, that was a
good deal more than was The mo-
ment the station master had made his
agreed upon announcement he said to
the walkers
Had any news of Mr.. Gordonp"
mo-" said Lord Rallies "And as
the lights keep moving in the town
they must still be hunting for him.
II reckon they'll do considerable
more hunting before they find him up
there" chuckled the man, with self
important manner. "He's hidden away
under this platform.
"Not right here?" I heard Madge cry,
but had too much to do to take in
what followed. was lying close to the
loose plank, and even before the station
master had completed his sentence ]
was squirming through the crack. AS
freed my legs heard two shots, which
knew was the signal given by the cow
boys, followed by a shrek of fright from
Madge, for which she was hardly to be
blamed. was ON my feet in an instant
and ran down the tracks at my best
speed 1t WASH { with much hope Of es-
cape, for once out from under the plank
ing found, what had not before real
lied, that day was dawning, and al
ready outlines at distance could be
seen. However, I was bound to do my
best, and did it.
Before had run 100 feet could hear
pursuers, and moment later a revolv-
er cracked, blowing up the dust in front
Of me. Another bullet followed, and,
seeing that affairs were getting desper-
ate, lodged round the end Of some
cars, only to plump into the arms of "A
man running at full speed. The COZ
lision was SO unexpected that we both
fell, and before I could get ON my feet
some one pumped down ON top of me
and 1 felt something cold on the back
Of my neck.
Lie still, yer snealkin coyote of
road agent" said the man, "or I'll
blow yer neck into hash.
/ preferred to take his advice and lay
quiet while the cowboys gathered. From
all directions heard them coming, call
ing to each other that "the skunk that
shot the woman is corralled, and 9TH
er forms of the same information. In
moment was jerked to my feet, only
to be swept off them with equal celeri-
ty and was half carried, half dragged,
along the tracks. 1t wasn't as rough
handling as have taken on the foot
ball field, but I didn't enjoy it,
In space Of time that seemed only
seconds was close to a telegraph pole;
but, brief as the moment had been, q
fellow with lariat tied round his
waist was half way up the post. knew
the mob had been told that had killed a
woman in the hold up, for the cowboy,
bad as he is, has his own standards, be-
yond which he won't 60 But I might
as well have tried to tell my innocence
to the moon as to get them to listen to
denials, even if I could have made my
voice heard.
The lariat was dropped over the cross
piece, and as q man adjusted the moose
q sudden silence fell L thought it was
q little sense of what they were doing, i
but it was merely due to the command
Of Baldwin, who, with Camp, stood
just outside the mob.
''Let me say word before you pull, "
be called, and then to me he said, "Now
will you give up the property"
was pretty pale and shaky, but l
come of stiffish stock, and I wouldn't |
have backed down then, it seemed to
me, if they had been going to boil me
alive. suppose it sounds foolish, and
IL I had had plenty Of time I think my
common sense would have made me
crawl. Not having time, was on the
point of saying "No," when the door
Of 21S, which lay about 200 feet away,
few open, and out came Mr.. Cullen,
Fred, Albert, Lord Rallies and Captain
Ackland, all with rifles. OF course it
was perfect desperation for the five to
tackle the cowboys, but they were game
to do it, all the same.
How it would have ended 1 don't
know, but as they sprang off the car
platform Miss Cullen came out on it
and stood there, one hand holding on
to the doorway, as if. she needed sup