Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-02-16

morse.
wits, yet he pretended to be slightly
confused in order to get grasp upon
the situation before greeting his Wis
itor.
"Howdy, BuckY" he said, adjusting
his revolver as he swung half round
in his chair that he might reach his
weapon more readily in an emergency.
Dustin or busted?"
"Well, I'm about even with the
game" replied Mckee, pulling from
his pocket bag of tobacco and pa
pers and deftly rolling butterfly ciga-
rette. Coin to shake it before lose
my pile. It's me fer the Lazy K.
Dropped in to say goodby"
Terrill, who had recently had an
expensive seance with Mckee at
poker, demonstrated.
you ought to give me another
chance at you. Buck. Yer goin' away
with too much O. my money"
well, ole man, I'm likely to rob
you Nv lot more eff you hain't keer-
full" answered Mckee.
"You can't jest yit awhile" said Ter
rill. Dead broke"
Jaw, come off! Everybody knows
yer walkin' bank. Bet you got three
thousan' in that inside pocket Nv
yourn this minute"
Terrill started at McKee's naming
the exact amount he was carrying. He
forgot his customary caution IN his
surprise. "Well, you did jes' hit 1t,
shore enough. | believe yer half
gypsy instid o. half Injun. Jes' like
; yer KNOWN stood pat on four o
kind when you had aces full an
THROWN down yer cyards fore c'u'd
git even with you. How do you do 1t
Buck?"
Mckee gave smile of cunning, in
scrutable superiority. ooh, it's jes' q
power have Keen sabby, as the
greasers say-I'm keen on the know
!, how Why, kin tell you more abou,
the money. It's fer Jack Payson"-
, "Now, there's whar yer way off a:
, a cleervoyant, Buck" said Terrill tri
umphantly .You guessed oncet to-
often. The three thousan' Is count.
!. money, consigned to Sheriff Hoover
;. Jack Payson has jes' lef' with pack
age from X. c., but it wasn't money
h 1t was purity gilt chair-a weddin
!. present fer the gal he's goin' t
L marry"
|. At that moment the sounder of tn
h telegraph began clicking the call o
O. the station. Terrill whirled about Il
Il his swivel chair and faced the table.
h Mckee stood close behind him. Hi
d lips twitched nervously. His eyes nal
rowed as he watched every movement
n Of the agents big shoulders as he OF
t. Grated the key. At the same time tn
e half breed drew his revolver and COY
d cred the back Of TerrilPs head.
o The agent completed his messag
z and turned to continue his interrupte
4 converse ton He found himself ga
.e ing into the muzzle of 44-big,
D. seemed, as a thirteen inch gun "Wh
-what?" he stammered.
r. Pm actin jes' now as Sims de-
u pity" said Mckee. "Unbutton a
is ham that money over"
D. Once having his victim in his powe
u I'LL Iue llllEtle cruelty VI tAC ihuAu
es blood of his maternal ancestors fas
a ed to the surface. Terrill was at h
ee mercy. For one desperate moment
to would play with him. even torture hi
as his forefathers had once made mi
a cradle the last moments of captiv
It, He knew that unless he silenced TIE
ty ril his life must pay the forte
a Death was the penalty of detectio
The arm of the express company w
LONG. Ultimate capture was certai
Pursued out OF Arizona by the sheri
he would be trailed through eve
camp and town In the far west.