Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-26


searches for. cattle missing from his
ranch-the Lazy s. ON a wooded spot
IN the rivers bed that would have
been at high water. he discovers
= band of horse thieves engaged
IN working over brands ON cattle, He
Creeps near enough to note the changing
of the Three Bars" brand on one steer
to the -. r." brand.
CHAPTER I1-Paul Laneford, the rich
owner of the "Three Bars" ranch, is sent
for by. Williston and is informed OF the
operations OF the gang of cattle thieves
who long have defed the law and author
lties of kemah county, South Dakota;
with impunity, but who. heretofore, had
not dared to modest any Of the property
of the great Three Bars" ranch. Willis
ton shows his reluctancy in opposing a
band so powerful in politics and so dread
cd by all the community. Langford
pledges Willston his friendship if he
Will assist in bringing Jesse Black" and
with the beauty of Mary, commonly
known as "Wllistons little girl"
CHAPTER III--Louisc Dale, an expert
court stcnographer who had followed her
uncle, Judge Hammond Dale from the
, East , to the "Dak9tahs" and who Is ~ ",
by the county attorney, Richard Gordon.
10 come to Kemah and take testimony in
the preliminary hearing Of Jesse Black.
she accepts the invitation ana makes her
first trip into the wild Indian country.
Arriving at Nelpen across the river from
kemah she is met by Jim Munson. a hot
headed cowboy OF the Three Bars"
ranch.
Munson looks at some cattle In the stock
pen. In the herd being shipped to Sioux
city by BIZ Brown he detects old Mag"
his employer of the Three Bars" ranch.
CHAPTER v-Munson and Louise
I'm Il al ~ 'h.1 kn l1ts- "a a
Higgins. a great admirer of Richard
Gordon, the county attorney.
CHAPTER vI-Louise is told OF
neat poisoning ,,,g, plot which resulted in the
witnesses for the state in the cattle thief
case against Jesse Black. A blackboard
tries to block the way Of Munson's team
the river Munson crowds past the buck
board team wrecking the blackboard.
They arrive at Williston's.
CHAPTER v1I-Crowds assemble In
Justice James r. McAilster's court for
the preliminary hearing. Jesse Black
Waivins e tai a fhrous shrpIs ske
Sanderson. a member of the outlaw gang.
he had learned that the steer Mag" had
been recovered and thus the useless
ness of fighting against being bound over.
Richard Gordon, the county attorney who
Is unpopular because Of his many failures
admiration Of Louise. which is mutual.
CHAPTER vIII.3County Attorney
return to Windy City. He tells her of the
disappointments OF his Office of witnesses
that I,s can be bribed and Of The system Of
him from securing conviction. He has
the girls sympathy.
CHAPTER TX CONTINUED)
drop your guns" called the chief,
roughly. Then the desperadoes moved
up.
y take it that / am the one
wanted said Williston.
His voice was calm and scholarly
once more, In the uselessness OF
further struggle. it had lost the sharp
incisiveness that had been the call to
action. If one must die it is good TO
die after a brave fight One is never
a coward Their. Williston's face wore
an almost exalted look.
my daughter is free 10 go?" he
asked, his first words having met
with no response. Better much bet
ter, for the make of q man like Willis
ton to die in the dignity Of silence.
but for Mary's sake he parleyed
Il guess mott responded the leader,
curtly IF "a putin idiot hadn't missed
the broad side Of you-as. pretty a
mark this side heaven as man could
want-then we might talk about the
girl. She's showed up too damned
much like a man now to let her loose. "
His big, shu1llng form lOunged in
VI Ia wi N
every appearance Of lazy Indifference.
They were to be shot down where
they stood, now, right on the TIRES
hold Of their burning homestead. VIII
liston bowed his head to the newt
able for moment then raised it
proudly TO meet the inevitable.
A rifle shot rang out startlingly
clear. At the very moment the lead
er's hawk eye had swept the sight, his
rifle arm had twitched uncertainty,
then fallen nerveless TO his side. while
his bullet, playing a faltering and
discordant second to the first true
shot. tore up the ground in front of
him and swerved harmlessly to one
side. Instantly the widest confusion
Df horses mingled with the sharp
scrack Of firearms, The shooting was
wild. The surprise was too com
plete for the outlaws to recover at
once. They had heard no sound Of ap-
preaching hoofbeats. The roaring
names licking up the dry timber and
rendering the surrounding darkness
the blacker for the contrast had been
OF saving grace to the besiegers after
all.
In moment the desperadoes raj
lied. They closed in and imposed q
curslng, malignant wall between the
rescuers and the blazing door OF the
shanty and what stood and lay before
It. Mary had sunk down at her fathers
feet and had no cognizance OF the
fierce though brief conflict that en-
sued.
Presently she was dragged roughly
70 her feet. A big. muscular arm had
heavy grasp Of her.
Make sure OF the girl. Red" com
fnanded sharp voice near, and 1t was
gone out into the night.
Afterward she heard-oh. many
many times In the night Watches,
the eerie galloping of horses hoofs
growing fainter and ever fainter
heard II above tho medley Of tramp
lln0 horaoa md yaliiu0 man orA ,,cor