The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1908-05-15


want to undertake this?'
II certainly do
'Then l will give you the warrant.
| gladly. You are the one man in the
state to do it-unless 1 except the gal
| liant little deputy marshal. You know
| the danger. l admire your grit, my
boy. Get him if you can; but take care
of yourself. Your life is worth so
much more than his. Who will you
take with you?"
"Munson, of course He will 60 in
spite of the devil, and he's the best
man I know for anything like this.
Then I thought of taking the deputy
; sheriff. He's been true blue all along.
and has done the very best possible
under the conditions.'
Every good. Take Johnson, too. He'll
be glad to go. He's the Quickest little
fighter in the world,-not a cowardly
hair in his head
So it was agreed, and the next
morning, bright and early, the little
| posse, reinforced by others who had
! earnestly solicited the privilege of CO.
! ing along, started out on it's journey.
, The rains were over, but the roads
! were heavy. In many places, they
: were forced to walk their mounts. No
| one but the initiated know what gum
| DO mud means. Until they took to the
| hills, the horses could scarcely lift
! their feet, so great would be the
weight of the sticky black earth which
chung in immense chunks to their
hoofs. When they struck the hills, it
was better and they pressed forward
rapidly. Once only the sheriff had as
serted that he had run across the
famous outlaw. Black had resisted saw
agely and had escaped, sending back
the bold taunt that he would never be
taken alive Such a message might
mean death to some of the plucky pos
Sc now making for the old-time haunts
of the desperate.
The sun struggled from behind rain.
! exhausted clouds, and rollicking
wind blew up. The clouds skurried
away toward the horizon.
At White river ford, the men looked
at each other in mute inquiry. The
stream was raging torrent. It was
swollen until it was half again its
ordinary width. The usually placid
waters were rushing and twisting into
whirlpool-like rapids.
What now" asked Baker, the dep
uty-sheriff.
I'm thinkin' this here little pleas
ure party'll have to be postponed
vouchsafed one of the volunteers, nod
ding his head wisely.
"Wa'n sure have to wait for the
cloud-burst to run out" agreed an
other.
| why, we can swim that all right"
put in Langford, rallying from his mo-
mentary setback and riding his mount
to the very edge of the swirling water.
Hold on minute there, Boss"
cried Jim. Don't be rash now. What's
the census of 'pinion O. this here COM
pany? Shall we resk the ford or shall
we not?"
why, Jim," said Paul, a laugh in
his blue eyes, ARE you afraid? What's
come over your
! "Nothin'. I amt no coward neither,
and eff you wasn't the Boss I'd show
you. was just thinkin' o'-some-
body who'd care-that's ALL"
Just for moment a far-away look
came into the young ranchman's eyes.
Then he Strengthened himself in his
saddle.
II, for one, am going to see this
L mo oh ho
what do you say, Johnson?"
II never for one minute calculated
on doing thing else," replied the dep
uty-marshal, who had been standing
somewhat apart awaiting the end of
the controversy, with good-humored
smile in his twinkling blue eyes.
; Paul urged Sade into the water. He
! was followed unhesitatingly by Mum
son, Johnson, and Baker. The others
held back, and finally, after a short
consultation, wheeled and retraced
their steps.
II amt no coward, neither" NUT
tered one, as he rode away, "but I
| plumb don't see no sense in bein'
drowned. I'd ruther be killed round
in up jesse
| The horses which had made the
initial plunge were already in water
up to their breasts. The current had
an ominous rush to it. !
! IT don't care. didn't mean to hold
over and let our quarry get wind of
this affair." cried Langford over his
shoulder. Keep your rifles dry, boys!"
Suddenly, without warning, SADIE
stepped into hole and lost her bal
ance for moment. She struggled gal
lantly and recovered herself, yet it
weakened her. It was not long before
all the horses were compelled to swim,
and the force of the current immedi-
ately began driving them down
stream. She was plucky little COW
pony and loved her master, but It was
about all she could do to keep from
going under, let alone making much
! Roadway against the tremendous pres
sure of the current. Langford's dan
1 orc,