Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-01-11

N
ly proved that il was Jack Doolan's.
Contrary to his expectations, Bob met
with an hospitable reception, without
any suggestion Of suspicion. True, Jim
Smith was murdered there that morn
ing, but Jim Smiths murderer had al
ready been apprehended, and from the
bootless feet Bob discovered dangling
in the breeze back of the camp, had evil
IDENTIFY met with lofty treatment. At
any rate, some one had paid the PEN
atty, and Bob had nothing to fear.
1t made a great story for the Meteor.
Being on the ground Bob got all the de-
tails, and they needed no embellishing.
He did not rest until he had the story
on the wires, though il necessitated an
extra ten miles on horseback to Jim
town, the nearest telegraph station.
But the Meteor appreciated it, and that
was sufficient.
The next day Bob returned TO Jack
Doolan's prepared to continue his vaca-
ton that had heen so suddenly inter-
rupted. He had hardly entered the
camp, however, when the man who had
given him the main facts in the murder
story called him aside.
"Say, stranger, do you want another
story? Since you're in the biz you
might as we'll have all that's goin', and
there's n cusseh lot of il round these
diggins jest at present, We're sus-
picionin, Jack and me, that thays a
gang o counterfeiters back in the
mountains somc'ers. You know that
Teller you met on the road yesterday?
Well, he's one o 'eln, err | miss my guess.
He didn't want you up here. Mistook
you fer a government chap. See?"
Bob grew interested. He wasn't par
ticularly anxious for another scoop, but
neither was he in the habit of letting a
good story escape him. The result vas
,quiet Investigation, eliciting proof that
the miners suspicious were correct.
Several days later a scare-head topped a
three-column article from the Meteor's
correspondent at Jimtown. Then fol-
lowed a visit to Rocky Canyon of a posse
of government officials and a raid on the
den. The Meteor had a SCOOP daily. and
the Telegram and News felt themselves
obliged to send correspondents to this
interesting scene of action. But Bob
had the advantage of precedence. and
the rival scribes found themselves I'M
able to get at the facts which the Meteor
published regularly.
The close of Bob's vacation found him
in the midst OF the government raid and
a telegram from The Meteor's managing
editor complimented him on his good
work and requested him to remain at
Jimtown until further orders.
One night a Delayed traveller was
steering peacefully, rolled up in a
blanket under a tree, nine miles from
Jack Uoolan's mining camp. His horse
was tetiIered near 10y. Towards morn
ing the sleeper was gently aroused by
the sudden tightening of Il rope about
his waist, p%inning his arms to his sides.
He looked up 10 see four men, Two of
whom might have been recognized as
members of the counterfeiters' rang,
who had somehow escaped the ends of
justice, and for whose capture Il heavy
reward was now waiting. The others
were strangers and remained in the
background, though no one of the four
seemed at all timid about being OBJ
served.
The prisoner saw at once that he was
known, but he waited silently for the
announcement of his fate.
so you're the chap who brought the
hobbies down On we uns, aire you?"b be-
gan the recognized leader, tauntingly.
Come up here and spied into what wus
none o. your - biz, and reported it.
Do you know the fate O. the spy?"
The man remained silent.
well. they say their prayers; So il
you've got any messages to wire up'ards
you better be about it, cause this ere
station closes in about three minutes"
The prisoner felt the rope slipping
towards his chin. Already the Other
end was over a limb of the tree under
which he lay. He set his teeth firmly,
threw out his arms in final. desperate,
almost unconscious, struggle-then it
was over.