The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-03-13

Whitley would brook no excgte what
ever. The eRse was loo aaErnt,
there were tha two men indicated Ia
his orders. ia plain view an the time
until they met the third oaH. and.
puff. they were gone-vanshed into
thin air. No. Mason's salvation de
pended on finding the three men. and
landing them high and dry behind
bars. The sole leather valise" must
be secured at all hazards.
Walsh Agnew. OF course. knew St
Joe ike a book, and in those days 1t
was a typical river town; neither bet.
ter nor worse than others. There
were plenty Of saloons, dance halls
and gambling places, and the four
men started out to make systematic
tour, taking in every place Not a
sign Of their quarry. and finally Chief
Agnew said:
Wen, fellows, I'm near beat.
There's one more place, old man
Leftrichs dance hall, and if they are
not there it's ten to one St. Joe
doesn't hold them; that is, not the
under part Of the city"
Mason was mad-mad all the way
through.
They're in this town all right,
Walsh. They couldn't get out on a
train until eight o'clock, and the
country roads are so bad a team
couldn't pull a wagon very far. Some
house holds them, and I'm going to
find the gentlemen If have to search
every house in town Chief Whitley
expects a wire in the morning, and
he's got to have it."
Leftrieh's place was a typical dance
hall, a long, low, rambling shack
standing just across the Hannibal and
ST. Joe railroad tracks and right on
the bank Of the Missouri river. Ugly
stories had been told about crimes
committed within the shack, and all
evidences thereof cast into the swirl
ing torrent of the Big Muddy. Be that
as it may, old Leftrich himself was
not an entire stranger to the force
His revolver butt had two hicks, and
he had done time" down in jeff City.
In st. Joe, however, be had played as
fair as one Of his class could play
True, he ran a dance hall with gam
bling attachments, and once in a
while, doubtless, some of the light
fingered gentry had taken refuge
there, but Lefty" as he was called
steered clear from doing any action
by which he might be judged an ac
cessory before or after the fact. His
virtues would not entitle him to 9
place In Sunday school, but he
wouldn't sacrifice himself nor his lib
erty for any crook or gang Of crooks
They might meet there, and so Ions
as the law didn't intervene he
wouldn't raise any rumpus. Virtuou'
Leftrich! He knew Agnew, of course
and he also knew Mason; therefore
when he saw these men enter hii
place he glanced anxiously around ths
room to see who they might be after
There was a haze Of blue, rank
smelling tobacco smoke, the clink 0
glasses, and ribald songs and jests 0
men and-the pity of it-women, too
habitues of the place. AT one ent
was the bar, backed by bright mirrors
in front of which were the ornate bot
ties filed with what has been trul.
called hell fire and blue ruin"
faro game was in progress; poker ant
keno held forth. Such was the seem
greeting the eyes Of Mason and hi
party.
Many an anxious glance was cast a
the officers; perhaps more than on
heart beat faster in anticipation of
pinch" probably nine-tenths of tn
entire crowd should have been behin'
the bars. But it was not ordinar
game Mason and his party wanted
| Il6y WduLSu lulSc hCh ahu o ~
leather valise."
Leftrich came forward rubbing hi
hands like an Oily Cannon.
Good evening, gentlemen; wha
can | do for you this evening, o
morning, rather? Have drink o
the houseY'
NO" replied Agnew, were jus
looking round a bit"
Smooth old Lefty" knew wha
'1ooking round a bit" meant. Hi
eyes and ears we're wide open.
They're not here, evidently" sal
Agnew to Mason soto voce.
Now, Charley Mason was born 0
Friday, and the 18th Of the montl
He was great believer in "hunches
some of his greatest successes wer
founded on lunches" He suddenl
& @ 3g@A2s