Middletown transcript., 1911-01-21

6E6u III Su0AA 6tAIn kNA StO
lice. They gave the fugitive nc
time TO break his fact nor tc
sleep. They drove him halfway
across the desert, up through the
tsngle of scrub oak, down one
gulch after another, tirelessly,
relentlessly. Ned Hampton was
q man to whom duty stood above
everything else. Y
I'll get that Spider, he declar'
ca, when the first news OF the
murder ut Hardson's ranch
reached his ears. I'll get him or
I'M never come back to camp.
Harvey Kemp, otherwise
known as Spider-a sobriquet he
had picked up on the other side
Of the range-had had q full six
hours start Of the posse, and
had led them q merry chase
across the country. AT first it
had been on horseback, then the
fugitiEe's mount broke a leg and
lie took to the underbrush.
Hampton and the boys overlook
and shot the pinto, left their own
ponies at q convenient ranch.
house, and Immediately scattered
into the maze aud tangle of the
mountain shoulders They easily
found and kept his trail, since
he made no pretense at efacing
it, and as the hour dragged along
from dawn until near midafter-
noon, they instihctively realized
the fact that they were steadily
and surely gaining upon him. AT
one place the men came upon q
narrow gulch which Spider had
leaped, and had fallen, injuring
himself. And at intervals they
found blood splOtches.
Hurt hisself, one Of the men
yentured, as they paused before
the drying marks. He's gettin'
al tuckered ont, I'm allowin'.
Seems like he's heedin' for old
Bear Greek Canyon, too:
Hampton, overhearing, laugh.
cd grimly. Bear Greek Canyon
was q trap. Spider evidently
did not know it, but the posse
did, and each man Of them
chuckled. The canyon, widen.
ing ut this juHcture, narrowed
farther on, like the neck of q
bottle. In this neck lay Happy
Hollow Ranch.
He's likely to lay around Happy
Hollow for a bit of rest, the first
man spoke up again. We ought
to warn Hiltmsn. He'd be able
TO give us q hand.
Good idea! Hampton vouch-
ed: and at his orders they halted
for the final instructions.
No one at the Hillmsn place
but himself and daughter. Boys
assesstlz-. mes out on the roundup.
Wen split, and half Of us will
cut across the bill toward the
ranch.
The first man laughed shortly.
Hillman's girl il that kind to feel
sorry for Spider and let him hide,
he broke ont. A sympathetic
little cuss, hatin' to see, any
sufferin'. I remember the time
when she mothered half a dozen
chipmunks cause shot the old
one.
=
Hillman, driving in from camp
BY another route, told Gloria the
news. The girl listened quietly.
They've trailed Spider for
three days, he went oD, after he
had finished supper and was
helping with the dishes. Think
like as not they'll head him to.
ward Us. II he strikes the can
yon-weI, there amt no other
way out, unless he flies.
And suppose-suppose he
stops here, daddyH the girl asked
suddenly.
The old man shrugged his
shoulders and went over to, the
window. There's thousand
dollars reward offered, he ven
tured, sfter the pause in which
be lowered the shade. Reckon
Z could nse it as we'll as anybody.
Gloria mechanically poured out
The water and hung the pail
beneath the shelf. Then she
turned.
Poor man! she murmured. /
wonder If he isn't tired and hun.
Cry! She was barely conscious
that her word had been audible.
Hef father turned with q quick
iIangh.
Irsckon he's both, he answer.
ed sharply. Been on the move
Tor thee days, and Hampton
amt tBs kind to let up very easy.
HamptDn's the best sheriff we've