The Washington times., 1905-01-01
CHAPTER TX
Hard Beset.

For moment surprise held the crowd
silent. Then over the face of Gavin
there came an fnscrutable smile II was
better than he thought
From a farce. a seemingly divided
party. one portion OF which was to lynch
and the other portion to pretend to de-
fend a prisoner, the mob was now con-
solidated into band of law abiding ana
law supporting citizens. who, under the
sheriff. the legal authority, We're out to
overtake an escaped prisoner and double
and triple murderer
What better luck could Gavin ask?
In his former plans he had always to
think of the danger of Judge Gordons
shrewdness in ferreting out an Illegal
act under the cloak Of authority
| But cow. 1t was his duty to find and
punish this man who had killed she
keeper of the lookup and made his own
| escape.
We've got 10 get him." shouted the
sheriff to his men. He can't be far
Nose IS still warm. Whose horse IS
missing? If the fellow is on foot we'll
| have him in ten minutes. II he rode
out of town well catch him on the
prairie. If he is hiding well root him
/ out IL every building in Hubbicks has
to be torn down.
Belts were frightened and revolvers
looked to.
This was different To take an I'M
armed man from jail and hang him WIS
play But to tackle a desperate man
who had committed three murders need
ed caution.
| 'iHinckney, you take a party of four
cut toward the ridge You, Starr. lead
out along the Bluff Mines route. Scatter
! a little and cover the side trails. 'ihis
fellow knows the country as well as we
do Look sharp and watch out for an
ambush. III go out to the farm"
In Gavin's mind a sentence spoken by
Cayright at the time of his arrest stood
out distinctly
II cannot say when I'll be back, but
I will be" 'Cayright had said to Nellie
Gavin thought of the farm as likely
resting place for the fugitive. He did
not doubt that Nellie would shield him
So Gavin, Nelson, and Grimes rode
away hurriedly in the direction of the
farm.
1t was nearly morning when they At
rived, and the windows showed nc
lights and no life was stirring
He must have got here two or three
hours ago." said Nelson
He is more likely not to be here a
all said Grimes
He may have been and gone again,
said Gavin. II don't like to frighteI
Nellie, but we can't wait till she wakes.
The tramp of the horses reached thu
, ears of the girl, who was lying full,
dressed on her bed.
She was not asleep. Her heart hat
been beating rapidly for two hours past
She had been waiting with dread AM
terror for the arrival of the pursuers
for she knew they would pursue. an'
. she knew that Gavin would come to tn
farm.
In a loft over one portion of III
house Charley Ok was snoring piacidly
A half mile away. up the creek, Cay
right was asleep in dugout that coul'
scarcely be observed by one who dit
2 not know of its existence
1t was the shelter Charley OK ha
e made for himself and the young lamb
4 of his fiocks in time OF storm.
/ The warmth of sheep filed the plac
s now But Cayright cared not for col
= or neat. He was dreaming of Nellie.
= ''Ho, there!' came the voice of Ga
| vim Nellie. Nellie Hubbick! II l
n Gavin
The sheriff. added Nelson quite su
perfluously. But he wanted to do hi
share.
t a curtain was drawn aside after
few minutes waiting, and Nellie's whit
r face looked out.
n She's scared to DEATH said Crime.
s chaps escaped"
lin. sac '''