Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-03-14
CHAPTER vi.
BARRELS FLIGHT.

+ CHAPTER vi.
DARREL'S FLIGHT.
Old Alb Gryce, under foreman at the
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 l did look through the bottoms of
few glasses before shackin' out OF
Anacondy, but it wasn't enough to at
feet my Judgement. Dynamite, thar on
the off side, is the original inventor
of the bed-post buck, an he kin be
plum scandlo when he takes no.
ton. AS fer Terror, the nigh boss,
| many time he's kinked Himself inter
bow knot an laid out three punchers
in the untanglin'. So eft 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
of his many infirlnities, universally
| liked. By way of greeting, the cattle
man pleasantly drew revolver and
| cut the air with bullet not half a
dozen feet from the old mans ear.
| With tipping hiss the missile
fAnned away into the void directly
over the rear of the mountain wagon,
so close to a pile of cases roped to the
wagon box that Gryce gave vent to a
terrified yell.
"Howdy, Uncle ABB" called the cat
tleman. THE sing of bullet has a
mighty queer effect on We, seems like"
You, Ben," shouted Gryce, "you
stop that. II 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 a 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
tiers, Jimmie" and Gryce reached the
front of the tavern just as the gong
sounded. "Howdy, boys?" he asked
taking in his friends with compre-
hensive look. Flows 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 1T out; As, and poor old Jack
never knew what struck him."
| Gryce swore softly. "Took care O.
the gambler, didn't ye?" he asked, sig
nifcantly.
Intended to, much as could be-" an
swered Cliff, "but while we were TAX
ing care of the marshal so he couldn't
interfere and making our plans the
gambler got away"
did he have help?"
"It's the general verdict that he die
1t himself; pulled up board in the
floor and dug down to drift that lee
out on the creek bank"
That's plagued rough" mutteret
j Gryce. You'll get i'm, though, won
ye?"
81 we can. Several parties are ou
combing the hills and I'm expectins
some fellows this way before long
Murgatroyd has offered 1000 to thu
man who brings Darrell in
Darrell, I've heard o. him, but he!
somethin' of a stranger on this part Q
the range. Come in to the bar, Cliff
an We'll crook elbows to your success
In baggin Darrell. Can't eat, anyhow
till put an edge on my appetite. An,
the rest O you care ter fine us?"
The invitation was eagerly accepted
During the meal that followed Gilt
4 aired the whole matter connected witt
the killing of Sturgis in detail.
His recital was punctuated witt
angry comments on the part Of the lis
d teners. Sturgis was known to be
gambler and hard citizen, but tn
manner of his taking off, together wit
the escape of Darrell, appealed strong
ly to the latent sympathies of til
rough and ready frontiersmen.
After the meal Gryce invited hi
friends into the other part of the tav
ern once more and drank so man
glasses to the success Of the Sand
Bar men that it was necessary to he'll
him out and boost him to his seat o
the mountain wagon.
With wild whoop he rolled out {
sight along the cross trail that led tc
ward the War Eagle, Dynamite an
Terror on the keen iamp.
Shouldn't wonder If Uncle Alb sc
off that load o his" remarked Be
Chickworthy, his eyes following tn
vanishing cloud of dust. sit was GRIN
inal carelessness fey the super at tn
War Eagle ter sene. such man ate
blastin material"
Another cloud of dust had appeare
> along the south trail and presently
dozen mounted men broke out Of
plying their lathered mounts wit
quirt and spur. 1t was the Sandy Be
contingent and they refined in the
horses at the door of the tavern.
Were hot after the fellow" sal
one Of the pursuers in response to