Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-07-26


an 1 got him spotted SOS he can't gel
no letters there 'thout me KNOWN it
Hear that, Mr.. Tenderfoot?"
But Holiday only sneaked back t.
his tent and sat down at the soap boz
which served him as a table. Will
much effort and many loving touches
of the pen he finally finished address
ing his letter. Then he saddled his
pony, and, leading it before Capt
Crews tent, sa1uted and said:
Captain, I'd like leave of absence
till midnight
Crews eyed him furtively from the cor
ners of his bright gray eyes, saw the enc
of a letter peeping from the poke
of his blouse, coughed, hesitated, ant
then drawled: ''AII right, Holiday. .
won't ask you what you're up to, but !
don't mind telling you that the boy;
are saying ugly things"
81 know it, sir. hope you don't be
lieve everything you hear?'
''N-no-oo, but, Holiday! You'll be
careful what you say and do, wont
you? I've my heart set on getting
this Pete Dimitri. There are seven war
rants out for him, and I'd give weel
of my life if this troop could lan6
him.
''Ill not spoil our chances, sir. YOU
can bet on that" And the big sus
pect stalked away with the light of {;
lover in his black eyes and the spring
of young fervor in his tread.
But when he had ridden away, thu
captain summoned Tomkins, ant
said:
Tommy, 1 don't like the idea O
spotting one of my own men, but
'II watch him like a hawk, SIR an
ticipated the bOw-legged bully.
But not a word to anyone, Tom
And promise me?'
Eyes, captain"
eff it turns out that Holiday is al
right, you'll stop this backcapping and
made friends with him?''
''I'll go you better, sir. I'll beg hi
pardon"
''He has leave till midnight. So hav'
YOU"
And Tomkins grinning maliciously
got on his pony and trailed away to
ward the river. And all that day lil1l
a stealthy shadow Tomkins stalked hii
man.
At eight o'clock from his hiding place
in a doorway Toml1ins saw the dude
come out of Wah Lees restaurant
mount his pony and 1ope leisurely to
ward the west. A mile from town ht
turned toward the river and, riding
in the shallow water so as to leave nc
trail, went pacing slowly down stream
toward the low wooden bridge which
spanned the shallow river between ole
Paso del Norte and the American
town.. Tomkins, riding out of sight
and hearing, in a parallel with his
quarry, saw Holiday stop like black
er shadow in the shelter of the bridge
his pOny's head almost on a level with
the low floor of the central span. Tom.
kins crossed the approach and driving
his pony down into the ooze of the
eastern side dismOunted and tied il
among the willows. Then he crept into
the yellow shadows till he was oppo.
site Holiday, raised himself into the
low timbers of the bridge and peered
up and down the viaduct in search of
the woman. or was it Panhandle Pete
he should see at thislonely rendezvous
Even as he watched he saw the outlaw
skulking along the western sidewalk
of the bridge. He loitered, scanned
the American approach, turned his
back upon the little mule car which
passed, and then, with light spring
sat upon the top rail of the fenceIike
guard and began to make a cigarette
d. He was lighting it when suddenly
ho to I,
the whistle of a lariat. A woman
screamed: run, Pete, rum" and the
bulky body of the outlaw fell backward
into the water. The watcher dropped
down into the sand, got out his re-
volver. mounted his pony and scram-
bled out of the black shadows toward
the shore. AS he reached the level Re
saw a hOrseman neutrality-suspicious. in
long cloud of dust that rose high into
the moonlight, and as he gained the
bridge approach Tomkins saw the
scared woman standing under a street
lamp looking wildly after the vanish
ing cloud.
Capt. Revere was smoking in the
moonlight before his tent when he
heard the clatter of horses hoofs
coming loud on the rocks and dull on
the sand. "KelIy's drunk again. he
guessed, as he walked toward the cor,
raj. But there he found Holiday dis
moaning. The men came running, but
the dude" laughed in their faces and
said:
give got him, fellows; there at the
end of my rope"
Tomkins. all befuddled with his vain
stalking, galloped up as they stopped
over the bound outlaw. They carried
the limp prisoner into tent and
searched him, and in his greasy pocket
they found a letter which read:
Sweetheart: found the flowers on my
table after supper. I know they came
from you. Meet me at the middle post Of
the bridge at nine O'Clock tonight. I have
something to tell you. Your own
''FLORENCE.'
They looked up at Holiday.
''I didn't forge the letter." he said
blushing. "She sent it to me all right
But I-er-just fixed up the envelope a
little, Chicago RecordHerald.