Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-05-12

III aW1ulf L got the roar IN my ears
yet"
"How does it come you're settin'
there with the seat of the wagon p"
asked another of the Sandy Bar men
Got throwed out o the wagon"
said Gryce, an it's the best thing that
been in the old trap along with that
other feller? I'd be where he is now
an that's tellin'."
THAT other fellow went up with
the wagon, did he?" inquired Cliff
Sure He was hangin' to the lines
when | shot out o the wagCnboX with
the seat He stayed with the wagon
and the high explosive, all right, an
| reckon he's still with EN- Got
blowed ter atoms, that's what he
did"
The Sandy Bar men exchanged
plances, tken swerved their eyes to
take in the havoc wrought by the ex-
plosion.
Don't ye know, Uncle Alb, that was
the chap that killed Sturgis and gave
us the slip at the Bar. last night?"
"Ye don't mean it,"
IT'S the truth" returned Cliff. I'VE
saw you Just before you took that turn
in the trail and we knew the man in
a minute"
Then" returned Gryce. after a
period of reflection, that's why he
let the bronks out inst'id o pulIin' 'em
in after he looked back an saw you
comm" He got up painfully. We'll, ,"
he added, "it's all right; five hundred
| pounds O high explosive is as good as
a tree and a rope. only pebby not SO
satisfyin'. Wonder how I'm goin' ter
set myself right with the super, at the
| War Eagle?"
| The Sandy Bar men were not con-
cerned with Uncle Abs troubles and
| dismounted to make a more thorough
| examination of the surroundings.
| From the thicket above, Darrell
watched them moving here and there
searching for any gruesome relics that
might have been left.
All that was found was the crown of
derby hat deep in clump of torn and
| twisted haZels.
Its Darrels," said Cliff, walking
towards his companions and holding
the object up for inspection. 9TH ere is
no doubt about it, boys. Fate has
| taken this matter in hand and avenged
| the murder of Sturgis Darrell is dead"
"It would be heap more satisfyin'
if We could find some remains ter prove
| it," averred one of the men. Would it
be possible for man to be blown off
| the face of the earth like that?"
why not" rejoined CHff, inpatient
| ly. IF the wagon and its load were
| blown to atoms, the same fate must
| have happened TO Darrell"
Let's have look around before we
settle on that" answered the doubter
1T seems as though we ought to find
| somethin'."
Like wrath Darrell turned and
| glided away. A grim humor filled him.
They believe I'm dead" he thought
Let them think so; it's the safest way
| out of this trouble, for me-"
He was bruised in body and limb,
but life was at stake and he counted
his small injuries as nothing Through
the hills that bordered the trail he
| took his course, keeping steadily west
ward.
At last, completely tagged, he
dropped down on a rock to rest. He
had not had a mouthful OF food since
escaping from Sandy Bar and the ex-
ertions called forth by his flight had
! left him weak and nerveless.
hn 80 L. In ;,,+
rogated himself? To don a disguise
and get out of the country would be
comparatively easy, but he had no
desire to get out of the country.
There was still that unsettled score
with Murgatroyd. He was dOggedly
determined that nothing should come
between him and that.
But that must be secondary, now.
His first work, if he could devise a
way, must be to prove his innocence
of the murder of Sturgis.
In his secret heart he had persuaded
himself that MuTgatroyd had slain
Surgis, and with the deliberate inten-
tion of involving him-Darrel. 1t was
a fearful suspicion to hold against a
man, but none knew Murgatroyd's Sc
cretiveness, cunning and desperate
methods better than Darrell.
Now, if ever, was barrels time to
take his fate in his hands and make OF
it what he would. The very audacity
of the measure appealed to the fugi-
tive.
AS he sat there and rested a puzzling
thought came to him. Il had to do
with the explosion of the giant pow
! der.
Just what had set off the explosive?
1t could not have been the shock caused
by the collision of the front wheels of
the wagon with the boulder, for the
effect would then have been instanta-
| neouS.
The bronchos had dragged him by
the bits out of harms way between the
moment of the collision and the mo-
ment of the explosion. The time re-
quired had been brief indeed yet long
| enough to convince him that Soma-