The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-03-27
ten. fifteen minutes passed, and still
the obstruction remained. Barring ton


the obstruction remained. Darlington
grew uneasy. Jim Busby might at any I
moment deem that he had imbibed
quantity of liquor commensurate with
his contemplated task and begin to .
search for him. But at the end of
twenty minutes, to his great relief, the
perspiring train crew succeeded i'll re- /
placing the derailed car. and the /
freight train pulled slowly ont upon a I
siding Even as it did SO Darlington I
caught sight Of the $50 train as 1t /
rounded the curve just beyond the sta
| ton.
| A moment later Susie Cutler, her
trim little figure set off by skillfuily
! tailored gray travelling suit and her
| face wearing the look of determination
betting girl who had just completed
/ journey nearly across the continent
alone, descended to the platform of
Gilt Gulch station. harrington rushed
toward her joyfully. Within three
steps of her he encountered an obsta-
4 cle-a very serious obstacle. This was
nothing less than the muzZle of a re-
volver. Behind the revolver stood MT
james Busby.
!. Now, young man." said Mr.. Rusby,
we'll attend to your little matter, and
we won't be long doing it."
Then Busby became suddenly con-
scious of voice, evidently feminine,
proceeding from some point, In his
rear and OF the light pressure of
hand upon his arm.
do you know" said the voice, its
dreadfully careless of you pointing
that thing at anybody so. Why. it
might go off"
Turning about, BuSby looked into
the piquant features of Susie Cutler.
He decided unhesitatingly that not
withstanding some freckles and the
tendency of the nose to turn up, it was
a rather pleasing face to view.
$50 it might" said Busby slowly.
$50 1t might
We'll. then, stop aiming 1t at Har-
Mr.. Darlington" she commanded.
you make me nervous"
Fact is" said Busby, 81 was sort
of planning to shoot Mr.. Darlington"
He had lowered his weapon and
spoke very calmly and deliberately.
"Whatr' shrieked the girl You
have the audacity to stand there and
tell me you mean to commit cold
blcoded murder? Where are the po-
lice? A splendid place this must be to
live in, where man goes out to kill
breakfastw
That's the way with all you folks
, from out Boston way" grumbled Bus
, by. You're always getting murder
and the administration of justice
, mixed. ! amt going to murder him.
/ I'm going to execute him. He's done
me dirt. and If he amt killed he'll do
, somebody else dirt So for the good
of everybody he'd ought to be shot
! What do you care anyway? Amt no
relative of yourn, is hep"
t ''Why, no." she answered in some
9 confusion, che isn't relative exactly
f that is, he''
CLEAN of comprehension shone in
] Busby's eyes.
! Come to think of it," said he, Il
heard something about his being go
ing to get married Be you the girlT'
She nodded
t eyes," she answered simply, "rm
the girl"
: ''Then," said Busby, Its clear
enough to my mind that in interfering
: with this execution you're preventing
me from doing you great favor.
: Howsomever, if you stick to it that
~ Il, 81,
J. take him out of Nevada and keep him
I OUT
+ The girl did not wait for him to fin
e ish. She transferred her grasp from
d Busbys arm to that of Darlington,
s who during the preceding conversation
II had stood silent, his face white, his
It limbs trembling, cold sweat beading
t his forehead
Come, Harry" she said imperiously
(, Meekly, with bowed head and down.
: cast eyes, Darlington suffered her tc
n lead him aboard the train, which was
it now, the track being clear. about to
e move eastward.
" Jim Busby sat down upon the edge
G of the platform and burst into roal
/? of laughter. Long after the train had
n disappeared around the curve below
the station the station master found
D. him there, his broad shoulders still
d shaking with merriment.
'e We'll, you doddering idiot" said the
% station master, what's the joker
It ooh, amt he going to get his al
. right, thought queried the mirthfu
h Busby did you hear her Come, Har
IS ry,' him and snake him aboard th'
train like he'd been a puppy hitchec
" to string? He got out of being exc
ar cuted. but he's getting life sentence
10 and that's whole lot worse