Gunnison news-champion., 1908-05-08

f1& nt&ooAt<ss< oAs sss o&&1U<ss>3 .
LanGfora followed him eusckly, and
Nsasoa aad Baker ~erc not Tar be
hind They trotted bre~xiiy across th.
opea IN = banch. without words
Where the tndisti.ct trail To the house
slipped into the sooded enclosure they
paused Mas the de~veraao OF Last
really ruuadec ur - that ss must eth
er ssbai; eaiokly or turn at bay? 1t
~as 80 stiIl spots vi ssnlisht had
Altered through the foliage aad heckel
the pathway insects aittea about
hambls bees droaed butterflies koy-
cred over the snc~ ON he mountain. A
tutris dove mosrned A snake giided
sinaously through the grass Peerine
down the warm. shaded interior. one
might almost imagine one ~as in the
heart Of An ABcient ~oed The drossy
suggestions of solitude crept IN upon
the sensibilities Of all the men and
Allied them With vague doubts II
this Nas the haunt of Q man . care-
le~s. sordid man. WoulA this place
which knew him breathe forth 80
sweet, still. and undistursssd = pesce
Langford hrst sheok himself free u
the haunting fear Of . deserted hearth
stone
Id stake my all on my belisf that
he's there" he said. In = low voice.
Nov listen. boys. johnson and I viii
ride to the house and make the arrest.
providing he doesn't give us the slip.
Baker. You and Jim will remain here in
ambush in case he does. He's bound
to come this way to reach the main
land. Ready, Johnson"
Jim interposed. His face was iinty
with purpose.
Not ef the court knows herself. and
! think she do. Me and johnson will
do that there little arrestin' job and
the boss he'll stay here in the ambush
III anybody's countin' on my toiin'
the bosss openwork body har o
Mary Williston. it's high time he was
a losin' the count, for | amt goin' to
do it.
He guided his horse straight into
the path.
But. jim" expostulated Langford
laying a OBTAINING hand on the cow
boys shoulder. as for danger, there's
every bit as much-and more-here
DO cou think Jesse Black will tamely
sit down and wait for us to come up
and nab him? l think he'll run"
Then why are you 4 shirkin, ef
this is the worst spot o. all? You ain I
no coward. boss, leastways you never
was. Why don't you stay by it? That's
what I'd like to know"
Johnson grinned appreciatively
Well. there's always the supposi-
ride into his clearing" admitted Lang
ford. 'Of course, then-it's too late"
Jim blocked the way.
I'm an ornery, no-'count cowboy
with no one in this hull world to know
or care what becomes o. me. There
amt no one to care but me, and
cant say I'm a hurtin' myself any a
carin, You just wait till | screech.
will you?"
jim" said Langford. huskily, you
go back and behave yourself. I'm the
boss-not you. You've got to obey or
ders. You've sassed me long enough.
You get back. now"
Tell Mary, ef / come back a dead
er,' said Jim. that women are s'per-
fluous critters, but forgive her. She
can't help bein' a woman"
He gave his horse dig with his
knee and the animal bounded briskly
forward.
Jim, You fool boy, Come back"
cried Langford. plunging after him.
+ johnson shrugged his shoulders and
wheeled his horse into clever conceal.
ment on one side of the path.
Let the fool kids CO." he advised
dryly. I'm a lookin' for Jess to run,
anyway"
The two men rode boldly up toward
the house. IL seemed deserted. eeds
were growing around the door-stoop
and crowding thickly up t. the front
windows. A spiders silver web gleam
ed from casing to panel of the warped
3 and weather-stained door. The win
dows were blurred with the tricklings
of rain through seasons of dust. Ev.
erything appeared unkempt. forlorn
desolate.
There was sound from the rear
1t carried a stealthy significance. A
man leaped from the protection of the
cabin and was seen running toward
the barn. He was heavily armed
Stop that. Black" yelled Langford
authoritatively. We are going to take
you. dead or alive-you'd better give
yourself up, II will be better for you
The man answered nothing
Wing him with you rife. Jim, be
fore he gets to the barn" said Pau
quickly.
The shot went wild. Black wrench
ed the door open, sprang upon the al
ready bridled horse and made bold
dash for the farther woodland not in
the direction where determined mer
waited in ambush. What did it mean
As his horse cleared the stable. he
turned and shot a vindictive challenge