West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-11-07

drink ~ this very bar since the news
came and that there's n hoss kept ham
dy I'm the stable already saddlcd lust 10
tempt him cf he was inclined 10 scoot." :"
That's only n blum &c start him go.
In. so they kin shoot him In his tracks" ="
said a bystander
THAT aln't no good ef he has--as
they say lac has-papcrs slowed away
with friend that would frlghten somc
mighty particklcr men out OF their
boots" returned the first speaker.
"But he's got his spies. too. and there
aln't man that crosses the divide as
aln't spotted 10y them The officers
brag about havin put Gordon around
the district. and yet they've just found
out that he managed 10 send tclc-
graphic dispatch from BLACK Rock sta.
tion Just under their noses. why only
Sn hour or SO artcr the detectives and
the news arrived here thar came along
one ~ them cmlgraut teams from Pike,
aud the driver said that n smart look
In chap I'm store clothes had come
out OF an old prospcctor's cabin up
thar ON the Rise about n mile away and
asked for newspaper. And the de-
scrlptlon the toamster gave Just fitted
rriSlt TO n r. Well. the informal ton
was give so publicllkc that the detect
ives had 10 make n rush over thar and.
b'gosh. although there wasn't soul
passed them but file OF Chinese COO
lies, when they got thar they found
nothln - nothln but them Cinnamon
cookm their rice by the roadside"
Mastcrton smiled cnrclcssly and walk
ed TO the window as IL intent upon the
still falling SNOW. But he had at once
grasped the situation that seemed now
almost providentlal for his inexperi-
encc and his mission. The man he was
seeking was within his possible reach,
II the story he had heard was true.
The detectives would not be likely TO
Interfere with his plans. for he was the
only man who really wished TO meet
the fugitive. The presence OF Poole
made him uneasy, though he had new
er met the man before. Was II barely
possible that he was on the same mis-
sion on behalf OF others2 III what he
heard was true. there might be others
equally involved with the absconding
manager But then the spies-how
could the deputy sheriff elude them
and how could he?
He swas turning impatiently away
from the window when his eye cnught
sight OF struggling file OF Cinnamon
brcasting the storm on their way up
tue hill. A sudden Idea seized him.
Perhaps they were the spies In ques-
ton. He remembered the drivers sto-
ry. sudden flash OF Intuition made
him now understand the singular way
the file OF coolies which they met had
diverted their course after passing the
wngon. They had recognized the dep
uty on the box. STAY There was an
other Chlnaman I'm the coach. He
might have given them the signal. He
glanced hurriedly around the room for
him. lie was gone. Perhaps he had
already Joined the file he had just seen
Ills only hope was to follow them. But
how? And how TO do II quietly? The
afternoon was waning. II would be
three or four hours before the down
coach would arrive, from which the
driver expected assistance. Now, IL
ever, was his opportunity.
He made his way through the back
door and found himself among the
straw and chips of the stable yard and
wood shed. Still uncertain what to do,
he mechanically passed before the long
shed which served as temporary stalls
for the steaming wagon horses. At
the farther end, TO his surprise, was n
tethered mustang. ready saddled and
brldlcd. the opportune horse left for
the fugitive, according to the lounger's
story. Masterton cast a quick glance
nroupd the stable. 1t was deserted by
all save the feeding animals.
He was new to adventures OF this
kind or he would probably have
weighed the possibilities and conse-
quences. He was ordinarily n thought
full. reflective man, but like most men
Of intellect hc was also imaginative
and superstltlous, and this crowning
accident of the proyIdentlal situation
n which he found himself was superior
10 bis logic. There would also be n
grim Irony I'm his taking this horse for
such purpose. He again looked and
listened. There was no one In sight or
hearing. He united the rope from the
bit ring, leaped into the saddle and
emerged cautiously from the shed. The
wet snow mufIled the sound OF the
horses boofs. Moving around TO the
rear OF the stables so as TO bring II be-
tween himself and the station, he clap
ped bis heels into the mustangs tanks
and dashed into the open.
At FIRST he was confused and bewiI-
dercd by the half hidden powders and
snow sbrouded bushes that beset the
broken ground and dazzled by the still
driving storm. But he knew that they
would also divert attention from his
Eight. and beyond he could now see n
white slope slowly rising before him,
scar whose crest few dark spots were
crawling In file. like Alpine climbers.
They were the Chnnmen he was seek
Ing. IIc had reasoned that when they
discovered they were followed they
would, In the absence Of any chance OF
dgnallng through the storm, detach
ono OF their number TO give the alarm.
Him he would follow. He felt his re-
yolver safe on his hip. He would only
use II n necessary TO intlmidate the
spies.
For some moments his ascent through
the wet snow was slow and difficult,
but AZ be advanced he felt a change Of
temperature corresponding TO that b9
had experienced that afternoon on the
wagon coming down. The air grew
keencr. the snow drier and finer. lie
kept n sharp lookout for the moving
figures and scanned the horizon for
some indication Of the prospcctor's de-
serted hut Suddenly the line OF
figures be was watching seemed 20 be
broken and then gathered together as
n group. Had they detected hlm2 Evl-
denly they had. for. as he expected.
one Of them had been detached and
was now MOVING NJ rfUbf an0foq from