The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-11-14

eteep, smooth bank and tumble it
Eomehow into a broad, low sided boat
ought to be possible for him.
He took hold of one of the strong
handles of the chest and dragged it q
little way. Then he stopped and sat
down on it.
NO" said he aloud; mot if it was a
Million
Horton sat down on the chest and
waited. Ten minutes passed, and then
he became aware of two men in the
mouth of a path through the bushes.
Even in the uncertain moonlight they
were Checkers beyond d shadow of
doubt.
Horton raised his useless weapon.
Don't you fellers come any higher"
he said
the men eXcitedly. Its the car they
put the gold in! The wind must "a
blown her loose"
Horton reflected upon what Banks
had said about the amount of informa
ton possessed by the Checkers.
'Never mind what she isl he said,
on one knee behind the chest. "You
fellers stand back
A parley ensued which seemed mean
ingless to Horton until an unexpected
and painful explanation of it was
thrust. upon him. A third member of
the gang who had been making a
strategic detour while the others held
Horizons attention suddenly precipi-
tated himself upon the young mans
back. An instant later all three were
upon him, and he was helpless. His
arms were strapped behind him with
leather belt, and his legs were similar
ly secured.
Its a strong box, boys" said one of
the Checkers, bending over the chest.
"We can't open it here. We amt got
much time"
Load it into the boat and take it
down stream" said another. That's
our only show"
They began to struggle with the
chest and Horton with his bonds.
Tears of rage We're in the young mans
eyes.
IF l get loose" he said to himself,
''Tll slaughter the whole thr+" of 'em.
It's in me to do it,"
The belt around his arms snapped
with loud noise. He sprang to his feet,
forgetting that his legs were, tied, and
fell in a heap. An instant later, how
ever, he was free. He ran down the
bank, but the chest was already in the
boat, and the men had pushed out into
the swift current
For a moment Horton meditated the
folly of plunging in, hoping that he
might reach the boat and upset it.
Then a cry from the top of the slope
arrested his attention.
Wiggin and half dozen others came
running down the slope. Horton plod-
ded up to meet them.
Il couldn't hold 'em," he said in a
| tone of despair. 'They got away with
| it,"
eye done jest rightv' exclaimed ST.
| las, grasping him by the hand. 1.-THE
| gold is safe"
"Safe? echoed Horton, amazed.
ut never was in the chest" said ST.
las. "It's in them three Sacks"
He dragged away bit of the wreck
age and exposed the sacks to view.
''For the love of heaven Horton
| began.
Look here, Joe Horton" said Silas,
| interrupting, there's two ways of
workin' in this world. Ones with yer
hands, the others with yer head. Here
was this gold, an no way to guard it.
A slit with knife would "a got it. 1
knew the Checkers was comm, an l
couldn' stop 'em. had to so fer help
an leave ye here, an We was under a
cloud, Joe. They said ye'd stole money.
$50 what did l do? Findin' We
thought the gold was in the chest,
let We think so, an l give We a scheme
to git away with it. If ye'd done it.
the Checkers would "a caught We be.
fore We could have loaded the chest
into the boat. If We stayed here an
made a bluff for the chest, the Creek.