The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1908-10-08
lcopyrlght, by shorLslory rub. -
By d. w. BEDLNGER


but to think o. that devil escapin' me
when l was almost in sight o. him as
we passed McKee," answered the
sheriff. mournfully.
George" cried, cannot we go
through the tunnel and still have time
TO ride TO Powell before the man can
walk there?"
by gum! hadn't thought of that
cried the sheriff, Frightening up, but
in moment his face fell.
"No use" said George, "there isn't
a horse within three miles of the tip.
pie over the creek, and he cannot take
horse through 4S-inch tunnel"
but a mule" said, surely one of
those little mine mules will carry
him"
Again he shook his head. 'We
have not a mule on the place that is
low enough to so through that tun-
mel"
We looked at each other in silence
| for a moment. 1t was surely hard
luck for the sheriff, and l sympathized
with him.
Suddenly George shut one eye and
| gave low whistle. Then he cleared
his throat, as he always does when he
! Is going to talk business, and turned
to the sheriff
'Mr. Sheriff." he said, what will
you give us to help you get that man
and the reward?"
'I'll certainly give ye a hundred dol
lars apiece If it would be of any use,"
he answered. But it's too late. So
there's no use talking about f."
"A hundred dollars apiece?" ex.
claimed George, laughing. "You are
not talking business at all. Mr.. Sheriff.
Now, if you'll be reasonable in the
terms, we may be able to do some
thing yet"
There was something in his voice
that brought the officer out OF his
brooding with a start.
IF you can do anything, boy, then
for heavens sake spit her out quick"
he cried Don't waste time dis
putin about few dollars. 1t may
mean the capture of criminal. How
much do you want?"
Suppose we make ii an equal di.
vide between the three of u.s. an.
swered George, without the quiver of
an eyelash. THAT would make thou.
sand apiece"
For an instant the sheriff stood
dumfounded as though he did not un-
derstand, and then he began to
swear.
George looked at the man with n
smile. What do you say about ito"
1t was the sheriff's last hope, and he
realized it.
Have it your own way, then" he
said. sullenly, after exhausting his
stock of profanity.
Ned" cried George, reduce this
agreement to writing. and get his
honor's signature, while l get things
started and away he rushed to the
stable.
BILL" he called TO n man standing
near by, run out the big motor and
one of those hat trucks. Hitch on q
mine car, too"
In less time than it takes to tell 1t, |
had the signature of Nehemiah Brown.
sheriff of Spencer county, West Vir-
ginia, to paper binding him to de.
liver $4,000 to George and myself in
case he captured the fugitive and re-
ceived the reward.
fastening to the drift mouth we
found George with his mare standing
beside low, fiat car used for hauling
the cutting machines in the mine. This
and an ordinary mine car were at.
tached to motor.
Come, Linnie," said George. and
gngerly she stepped upon the fiat car
the platform of which stood barely a
foot above the rail-
Good girl" said George, patting
her on the neck, ''lie down." but Linnie
did not move. He tapped her fore.
legs with the whip, but her response
was to rear up and nearly fall OFF the
car.
l could see George getting red I'm
the face and losing his self-possession.
A crowd of miners had gathered and
were enjoying the spectacle of
Georges discontinue.
Put salt on her TAIL" shouted one
man.
Play dead, old girl" cried another
The magic word was spoken, and Lin.
ME gracefully reclined at full length
on the truck.
Jump on" called George TO the
sheriff, as he placed himself by the
head of the mare. "Off for Silver
Creek" he called to the motorman.
1t all happened so quickly that
stood dazed until ! saw the little train
begin to move. Then ! tumbled into
the mine car after the sheriff, and we
were whisked away out of sight into
the black tunnel.
Two weeks later, as George was
opening his mail saw grin spread
over his face. THAT old boy is the
kind OF business man like to deal
with" he said. "Hows this for
promptness?"