The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-04-15
And, Turner, yet


prise of eve e.. for old Morton. the
trapper, had becr friend Of his in the
eari.eJGays.
\ moment later only the stranger and
Turner were left at the sleeping tent.
The searching party was well down the
valley and McGinnis had gone to the
cock tent. Presently he came back
with his hat and spectacles on.
ITS from my little granddaugh
he said to the stranger, as he opened the
letter. Would you mind readin' it to
me? My eyes was never much a hand
! wr:tin'"
The man read it-a child'e etc of
! only few labored lines, chiefly words
CT love, but he read it unstt" ". for
The cook he'd lighted candle before
his face, and whenever he glanced mp
from the page the old mans eyes were
irtently fixed upon him.
''Ah. it's bad business-bad bust
ness repeated the cook, as he put
away his candle. Nov at L know
what's in the letter, think II go down
an help find out what it all means
al this blood, here
Turner grew uneasy after the cid
man had gone. The stranger said lit
tie, but be watched his companion
closely, and waited till the sounds Of
the cocks footsteps had died out in the
distance. Then he got up, ard without
llmring walked to the tent Opening.
after standing there moment he
ic41 aI -
Turner with a drawn revolver.
keep still and walk outside" he
sail, quietly.
Turner cbeyed promptly. He had no
weapon with which to defend himself,
and he was badly frightened
In d few moments 4 second stranger.
can, raW-bcned and taller thar Inc
first, cane cut Ct the brush leading TIVE
horses, one saddled, Tire other bearinga
pack. The rising moon shed but dim
light along the mountain side: yet
Turner saw at a glance that the ami
mails were the old mail carriers.
"They cit easy" said the shorter man,
with low laugh. "Theres no one at
camp by this. Now hurry"
The asst arrival emptied the grips and
Gags ard selected whatever was of
value He also took couple of pairs
Cf blankets and al the ammunition the
boys had eft behind them. Then he
began to make pack of what he had
taken.
The tall stranger went to the cook
tent. The other knelt down, laid his
revolver on the ground, kept his eye
constantly on Turner, and made roll
OF what the first had put down.
When he had cinched this onto the
packhorse he marched Turner before
him to the cook"tent.
The flaps of the tent were slightly
parted, but there was no light inside
and everything was quiet. He stopped
before the opening, gave Turner t,he
bride reins and made him keep his
hands above his head while at the same
tine he he'd the horses.
Hurry up with the stuff" he ex-
claimed, looking into the darkness of
the tent. lie waited a moment, and,
getting no answer, pushed aside the
flaps and started to enter.
But he had put only one foot inside
when the sound Of a heavy blow was
heard, and with muffled cry he fell
forward on his face.
Instantly McGinnis emerged from
the tent, and the surprised Turner saw
him drag out both strangers, almost
together, and deXtrous,y bind their
y nIS \ l., 7
into the cid mans frame, a new alert
ness. There were purpose and positive
ness in his every movement as he went
about his task.
When the men were secure he looked
a. Turner. The latter suddenly came to
himself and put down his hands. Nc
Ginnis took the weapons from his pris-
oners before they regained conscious
ness, and with Turner's help got them
into the sleeping tent, where there We're
lighted candles.
Il never liked this ones looks" Me-
Glnnls sad, by way of explanation, as
he wiped the blood from the face of the
man who had brought the letter. ''He
looks ike he'd set bait for you. an
that's why l wint away an come back
unbeknownce to 'em. | seen 'en whin
| got to the cooh-tent, and whin they
come over, | was waitin' fer EN- wild
the bear-trap, the only thing | could
find.'
Both men soon returned to conscious
ness, and after an effort to free them
selves they sat in logged silence.
In about half an hour several of the
searching party returned with our
pouch OF mail, but most CT the letters
had been opened, and many CT them
were torn ard almost destroyed. Soon
after, others came, accompanied bv
three or four strangers, carrying limp
form, which they laid carefully upon
one of the beds.
The prisoners looked on intently and
with unmistakable signs Of fear.
Morton, our mail carrier, had been
shot in the back, and, though danger
ously wounded. was still living.
lis he dead?" asked the smaller pris.
Oner.
At the sound of his voice, Morton with
ooh' oiSlNe euort sat up and put his
hand to his side as if to draw his re-
vclver, but it was not there.
The men who had come back with the
party relieved the cook of his prison
ers and took them out to civilization.
They were deputy sheriffs, part of a
large posse that for nearly a week had
followed the trail of the two desper-
adoeS.
The old mail carrier. unavoida bly de-
layed, had fallen in their way, when