Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-05-28
GAMBLING
WITH FATE
By WILLIAM WALLACE COOK
Auiher Of "Ths Gold Cleaners: atory Of
the Cyanide Tanks why's DAM
ssIis Friend the Enemy Rogers
Of Bate" Etc, Etc.
lCouyrighfs 1908. b. william Wallace Cook
CHAPTER VI.
barrels FLIGHT.

War Eagle mine, pulled in his half
broken bronco team at the rear of the
Half Way house and rolled off the
seat Of his mountain wagon.
when we take 'em off the pole.
Jimmie" said he to the hostler, don't
fool none with the harness. Them
bronks kin kick more an faster than
airy other critters in these parts"
Jimmie grunted and measured Gryce
sharply with his eyes.
NOW" continued the old man, don't
turn your lamps on me like that. Meb-
by did look through the bottoms Of
a few glasses before shackin' out Of
Anacondy, but 1t wasn't enough to af-
feet my Judgement. Dynamite, thar on
the of side, Is the original inventor
of the bed-post buck, an he kin be
plum scand'lous when he takes a mo-
ton. AS fer Terror, the nigh boss,
many a time he's kinked himself inter
a bow knot an laid out three punchers
in the untanglin'. So eff ye--"
Gryce was interrupted by one of the
cattlemen grouped in front Of the ho-
tel, waiting for the Chinese cook to
sound the dinner gong. The under
foreman was well known and in spite
sof his many inf'rmities, universally
liked. BY way of greeting, the cattle
man pleasantly drew a revolver and
cut the air with bullet not half
dozen feet from the old mans ear.
With tipping hiss the missile
famed away into the void directly
over the rear of the mountain wagon,
so close TO pile of cases roped to the
wagon box that Gryce gave vent to
terrified YELL
"Howdy, Uncle ABB" called the cat
tleman "The sing of a bullet has a
mighty queer effect on We, seems like"
You, Ben" shouted Gryce. you
stop that. If the pint of that gun had
been an inch lower the hull passed. Of
us would have been wiped off the
map" The old man drew sleeve
across his forehead. GLORY, man!
I'm freightin' 500 o. high explosive,
along with caps an fuse, ter the War
Eagle
The laughing crowd was instantly
sobered
IF the bronks are all you say. Uncle
Alb" said Jimmie, they're altogether
too frisky for load like that"
I'm less afeared o. the team than
/ am of some playful fool like Ben,
thar Mind what | say about the crit
ters, Jimmie and Gryce reached the
front of the tavern just as the gong
sounded "Howdy, boys?" he asked,
taking in his friends with a compre-
hensive look. "How's things at Sandy
Bar Cliff"
Couldn't be worse answered Cliff,
gloomily. Jack Sturgis got his ticket
across the divide last night"
BUY it HIMSELF"
"Not much, A gambler from Frisco
handed it out; 40, and poor old Jack
never knew what struck him."
Gryce swore softly "Tool care o.
the gambler, didn't YEP" he asked, sig
nifeantly.
Intended TO, much as could be" an
swered Cliff, but while we were talk
ing care of the marshal so he couldn't
interfere and making our plans the
gambler got away
ibid he have help?'
s'lf's the general verdict that he did
It himself; pulled up board in the
floor and dug down to drift that led
out on the creek bank"
That's plagued rough" muttered
sGryee you'll get i'm, though, won't
ye?"
III we can, Several parties are out
combing the hills and I'm expecting
some fellows this way before long.
Murgatroyd has offered $1,000 to the
man who brings Darrell ins'
''Darrel! I've heard o. him, but he's
somethin' of a stranger on this part o.
the range. Come in to the bar, Cliff,
an Wen crook elbows to your success
In baggin' Darrell. Can't eat, anyhow.
till put an edge on my appetite Any
the rest O you care ter Jine u.s."
The invitation was eagerly accepted.
During the meal that followed Cliff
aired the whole matter connected with
the killing of Sturgis in detail.
His recital was punctuated with
angry comments on the part of the lis
teners. Sturgis was known to be
gambler and hard citizen, but the
manner of his taking off, together with
the escape of Darrell appealed strong
ly TO the latent sympathies of the
rough and ready frontiersmen.
After the meal Gryce invited his
friends into the other part of the tav-
ern once more and drank so many
glasses TO the success of the Sandy
Bar men that it was necessary TO help
him out and boost him to his seat on
tthe mountain wagon.
With wild whoop he rolled out Of
ssight along the cross trail that led to-
ward the War Eagle. Dynamite and
Terror on the keen jump.
SHOULDN'T wonder if Uncle Alb set
eoff Ghat load O. his" remarked Ben
Chicl1worthy, his eyes following the
vanishing cloud of dust at was Grim
inal carelessness fer the super at the
War Eagle ter send such a man after