The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-01-08
THE SHERlFF'S
- DEPUTY. ~
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,By LUCY BAxERy JEROME.

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8By 1ucy BAxEF JEROME. 5
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IF it had not been for the gray eyes
/ that looked you in the face from
the big SLOUGH hat you might have said
that the sheriff's deputy was the pro-
verbal square peg in the round hole.
Every one in PUTNAM Creek had Won
dered when Jack Farley, standing but
I'VE feet two in his feathers, with
voice like woman's, countenance
apparently hewn out of wood and
known as the most modest and retiring
man throughout four counties, had
been appointed deputy to Sheriff Hart,
q giant in stature and a genius at
blufing, who boosted that he was the
terror of evil doors all over the state.
- Since the deputy's election, now some
three months cold, his duties had main
" consisted in interfering in = few
cock fights, forbidden sport now, save
In precincts out of reach of the law;
in the keeping of an eye on the sa-
looms along the river front, and In
guiding convivial and belated wander
ers gently toward the lookup at the
farther end of town. But this morn
ing the town was astir. Big Pete, who
made his home in the pine-covered
mountains, descending only at long in
tervals to secure the needed supplies
for his cleverly concealed cabin far
up some mountain trail, was wanted
{ and the sheriff had set out to secure
him.
He had ridden into town the night
before; had become involved In 2 hasty
quarrel with man whom he had never
seen till that moment: had drawn his
revolver and shot, once-twtce- q
man stretched at horrible length lay
prone in the dusk, while miles away,
heading toward the mountains that
rose gray and grim against the sky
line, rode pursuer and pursued with
but a league between.
The sheriff returned the next day
angry and excited. Farley rode mildly
In his rear. They had ridden 40 miles
into the mountains only to be baff1ed
by QUE of Big Pete's clever tricks. Cut
ting across a stream which In dry
weather served as q ford, he had
crossed it again half mile farther up
: its bank, had discovered the footprints
Of q band of wild mustangs and,
doubling on their tracks, had success
fully eluded Ms pursuers, who, riding
on in mad haste, we're happily uncon-
!. scious that Big Pete rode leisurely
along in their rear. On the return way
they had been met by an old noun
taineer who explained the ruse to them
70 convincingly that the sheriff vowed
to return for his quarry at daybreak.
The deputy lounging carelessly out
side the store, listening in silence to
the questions and comments Of the
various groups Of men, might have
seemed, to q casual observer, slightly
bored, but the eyes under the SLOUGH
4 hat were unusually bright and keen,
and not a word of the heating argu-
ments that occurred was lost on him.
He sat quietly on dilapidated box,
hastily upended for the convenience
Of his small stature, and appeared to
DO lazily chipping bits Of wood from
the corner of the log building. He
leaned forward a little to look at the
hast speaker.
"What d'you say, Jim?"
l.. An old man with grizzled hair and
beard turned slowly toward the dep
uty:
&55 'tHe's got some things cached on the
mountain side. I seen him there one
day. He was windin' round the place
I Hike a hawk"
'sWhere att" asked Farley, indiffer-
emily.
The old man leaned eagerly forward.
u ~say! You know that big flat-top pine
up beyond the fork Of the Snow river
canyon? It's by the big bald bluff 40
+ foot along the river bed" -. ::
II wonder If Hart1l know about that
place." queried the deputy in his soft
voice, rising as he spoke and casting
aSkeen glance sbout.
The old man shot contemptuous
. glance at him. 81 guess the sheriff
viii get him all right" he commented
4 1ac0nically, fitting his chair on its
mind legs that he might have an I'M
interrupted view of Farley's face
Harris pretty keen on the scent, and
/. he ain't no SLOUGH when his minds
i naade up. I reckon we'll hear some
thing tomorrow. II Hart can't get
4 him, nobody can -....
70 this last remark PUTNAM Clesk's