The Red Cloud chief., 1912-05-16

III HlEnty bOTry tHut ten uOllaTS
loaned you was bad you don't
need ever to pay It back! 1t were
Captain Murrell gave II to me"
Il consecrate myself to hts dcstruc-
tion! Judge Slocum Price cannot be
Inundated with impunity!"
II should think you would save
your wind. Price. until you'd wad.
died out of dangcr!" Mahary spoke
grufly.
How are you going to get me out
OF this. Solomon.-for | suppose you
are here to break jail for me-" said
the Judge,
well, Price, guess all we can do
Is to go back to town and see II
can get into my cabin--l've got an
old saw there. II I can find II, ! can
come again tomorrow night and cut
away one OF the logs. or the cleats OF
the door"
"ln heavens name. do that tonight,
Solomon" implored the Judge. why
procrastinate"
Price. there's a pack Of dogs in
this neighborhood. and we must have
full night to move In. or they'll pull
us down before we've gone ten
miles,"
You're right. Solomon: I'd forgot.
ten the dogs"
Mahaffy closed and fastened the
shutters. then he and Hannibal stole
across the clearing and entered tho
woods. The Judge went to bed. lie
was aroused by the arrival OF his
breakfast. which the sherin brought
about eight o'clock.
couldn't sleep like you!" remarked
that official admiringly. But l reckon.
sir. this amt the first time the peni.
tentiary has stared you in the face
1t was nearing the noon hour when
the judges solitude was again In.
vaded. He first heard the distant muir.
muir OF voices on the road and passed
an uneasy and restless ten minutes,
with his eye 70 crack in the door.
He was soothed and reassured. how.
ever, when at last he caught sight or
the sheriff.
We'll. Judge, got company for
you." cried the sheriff cheerfully, as
he threw open the door. "A boss.
thief"
lie pushed into tho building a man.
hatless and coatless. with a pair OF
pale villainous eyes and a tobacco.
stained chin. The Judge viewed the
newcomer with disfavor. AS for the
horse-thief. he gave his companion In
misery a coldly critical stare. seated
himself on tho stool. and with quite
fierce air devoted all his energy to
mastication. He neither altered his
position nor changed his expression
until he and the Judge were alone.
then. catching the judges eye. no
made what seemed casual move
ment with his hand. the three fingers
raised; but to the Judge this clearly
was without significance, and the
horse-thief manifested no further in.
terest where he was concerned. lie
did not even condescend to answer
the one or two civil remarks the
Judge addressed to him.
A. the long afternoon more itself
away. the Judge lived through the
many stages OF doubt and uncertain.
ty. for suppose anything had hap
pened to Mahaffy!
Standing before the window. the
Judge watched the last vestige Of light
fade from the sky and the stars ap.
pear. Would Mahany come? The
suspense was intolerable. Suddenly
out of the silence sounded q long.
drawn whistle. Three times II was
repeated. The horse.thief leaped to
bis feet.
"Neighbor. that means mel" he
cried.
The moon was rising now. and by
its light the Judge saw a number OF
horsemen appear on the edge OF the
woods. They entered the clearing.
picking their way among the stumps
without haste or confusion. When
quite close. five OF the band dis.
mounted: the rest continued on about
the jail or cantered or toward the
road.
Look out inside. there!" cried q
voice. and log was dashed against
tuo OOOTs OuCc-LWIC6-U rose ana
fell on the clapboards. and under
those mighty thuds grew up a wide
gap through which the moonlight
streamed splendidly. The horse-thief
stepped between the dangling cleats
and vanished.
The Judge tossed away the stool.
He understood now. With q conf.
dent. not to say jaunty step. the Judge
emerged from the jail
Your servant. gentlemen!" hs
said. lifting his hat.
"Git!" said one OF the men hr.ss.
ly. and the Judge moved nimbly away
toward the woods.
Now to find Solomon and the boy.
and then to put the miles between
himself and Pleasantville with all
diligence. As he thought this, almost
at his elbow Mahaffy and Hannibal
rose from behind fallen log. Tho
Yankee motioned for silence ana
pointed west.
ITO RE CONTyNsrEn