Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-10-18


beat for want Of sleep. ! can sec that.
Go mp stairs and go to bed. I'll keep
watch and not soul'll know you're
here"
Hickory Sans shoulders sank when
he heard the money was gone, and
look Of almost despair came into his
half closed eyes. He sat thus for few
moments unheeding the others advice,
then with an effort shook OF his lethar-
gy.
"No," he said at last, ~ won't go
TO bed. I'd like to enrich you. Mike,
but that would be too easy. Cut me oR
some slices OF this cold meat and put
them between chunks Of bread. want
. three days supply and q bottle OF
whisky"
Mike did as requested, and at Sans
orders attended him to his horse. Il
was still dark, but there was a sugges-
tion Of the coming day In the eastern
sky. Buller's horse was a. jaded and as
tagged out as its rider. As Sam. stoop-
ing like an old man. rode away Mike
hurried to his bedroom, noiselessly
opened the window and pointed ut the
back OF the dim. retreating man o shot
gun loaded with slugs. He could hard
ly have missed killing both horse and
man if he had had the courage to fire.
but his hand trembled and the drops OF
perspiration stood on his brow. He
k., ,t-e. ktsuo fhsYo
would be no question In Sans mind
about who fred the shot. Resting the
gun ON the ledge and keeping his eye
along the barrel, he had not the nerve
to pull the trigger. At last the retreat
ing figure disappeared, and with it
Mikes chance Of a fortune. He drew In
the gun and softly closed the window
with long, quivering sigh Ut regret.
Sidney Butler went west from Detroit
when he received the telegram that an
nounced his uncle's death and told him
he was heir to the ranch He was 30
years younger than his uncle had been
ut the time of bis tragic death, and he
bore remarkable likeness to the old
man-that is, q likeness more than
striking when il was remembered that
one had lived all his life in city while
the other had spent most OF his days on
the plains. The young man had seen
the sheriff on his arrival, expecting to
find that active steps had been taken
toward the arrest Of the murderer.
The sheriff assured him that nothing
more effective could be done than what
had been done by the dead man himself
in leaving $50, 900 to the killer Of Hick
ory Sam. The sheriff had made no move
himself, for he had been confidently ex
pecting every day to hear that Sam was
shot. Meanwhile nothing had been
heard or seen Of the desperado since he
left Salt Lick on the back Of the mur
dered mans horse. Sidney thought this
was rather slipshod way Of admins
tering justice, but he said nothing aud
went back to his ranch. But il the sher
iff had been Indifferent his own COW.
boys had been embarrassingly active.
They had deserted the ranch In body
and were securing the plains searching
for the murderer, making the mistake
of going too far afield. They, like Mike,
had expected Sam would strike for the
Bad Lands. and they rode far and fast
to intercept him. Whether they were
actuated by desire to share the money,
q liking for their old "boss" or hatred
Of Hickory Sam himself they themselves
would have found 1t difficult to tell.
Anyhow 1t was Q man hunt. and their
hunting instincts were keen.
In the early morning Sidney Butler
walked forth from the buildings Of the
ranch and struck for the open prairie.
The sun was up. but the morning was
still cool. Before be had gone far he
saw approaching the ranch single rid.
erless horse. As the animal came near
er and nearer it wbinnied on seeing
him and finally changed its course aud
came directly toward him. Then he
saw that there was q man on its back,
q man either dead or asleep. His hand
hung down nervelessly by the horses
side shoulder and swung helplessly to
and fro as the animal walked on, the
mans head resting on the horses mane.
The horse came up to Sidney. thrusting
its nose ont to him, whinnying gently,
% IL it knew him.
"Hello," cried Sidney, shaking the
man BY the shoulder What's the mat
teri Are you hurtF'
Instantly the desperate was wide
awake, sitting bolt upright and staring
at Sidney with terrified recognition in
his eyes. He raised his right hand, but
the pistol had evidently dropped from il
when he, overcome BY fatigue and
drowsy after his enormous meal. had
fallen asleep. He flung himself OF.
keeping the animal between himself
and his supposed enemy. pulled the
other revolver and fred at Sidney across
the plunging horse. Before he could
iire again Sidney, who was an athlets.
brought down the loaded head Of biz
cane On the pistol wrist of the rufaan,
QyinSs