The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1912-01-11

Almighty glad to see you, Bart
am, indeed. Want money-Bill an l
both want money-can't drink with
out money-can't eat without money
shay, when you goin' stake u.s."
I'm see you again in the morning.
Fred" returned the other briefly. Go
on back to Sleep
will when l git good an ready
go sleep, stay wake, just as please
don't care damn what yer do-got
new frien' now"
"A new friend? Who?" Hawley
spoke with aroused interest.
"Oh, he's all right-he's mighty fine
fellow-come in wisout in-inyita-
tion-called her Hope-you fool, Bart
Hawley, think my sister Christie
Christie-damfino the name-my sis.
ter, Hope-don't want yer money
my-my new friend, he'll stake me
he knows my sister-Hope
The gambler grasped the speaker,
shaking him into some slight SEM
blance of sobriety.
Nov, look here, Wflloughby, l want
the truth, and mean to have it," he In
sisted. HAS some one been in here
while Scott was gomez"
"Sure-didn't just tell yer?-
friend O. Hopes"
Who was he? Speak up! l want
the name!"
There was a faint gurgling sound,
as though the gamblers vice-like fin
gers were at the boys throat; a slight
struggle, and then the choked voice
gasped out:
Let up! damn yer! He called him.
self Jack Keith"
The dead silence which ensued was
broken only by heavy breathing. Then
Scott swore, bringing his fist down
with a crash on the washstand.
THAT rather stumps yer, don't it,
Bart? Well, it don't me- l tell yer
it's just as l said from the first 1t
was Keith an that niger what
jumped We in the cabin. They was
hidin' there when we rode in. He
just nat'rly pumped the gal an now
he's up here trailin' you. Blame It all,
1t makes me laugh"
Il don't see what you see to laugh
at. This Keith isn't an easy man to
play with, let me tell you. He may
have got on to our game"
ooh, hell, Bart, don't lose your
nerve. He can't do anything, because
we've got the under holt. He's fugi-
tive; all we got to do is locate him,
an have him flung back inter jail
there's murder an hoss-steali1g agin
him"
Hawley seemed to be thinking
swiftly, while his companion took an
other drink.
We'll, pard, Amt that so?"
NO, that trick won't work, Scott.
We could do it easily enough If we
were down in Carson, where the boys
would help us out. The trouble UP
here is that Wild Bill Hickock is
Marshal of Sheridan, and he and
never did hitch Besides, Keith was
one of his deputies down at Dodge two
years ago-you remember when Dutch
Charles place was cleaned out? Well,
Hickock and Keith did that job all
alone, and Wild Bill isn't going back
on that kind of a pal, is he? l tell
you we've got to fight this affair
alone. and on the quiet Maybe the
fellow don't know much yet, but he's
sure on the trail, or else he wouldn't
have been in here talking to Willough.
by. We've got to get him, Scott, some
how. Lord, man, there's clean mil.
lion dollars waiting for us in this deal,
and I'm ready to fight for it. But I'm
damned sleepy. and I'm going to bed
You locate Keith tomorrow, and then,
when you're sober. we'll figure out
how we can get to him best; I've got
to set Christie right. Goodnight,
BILL
He went out into the hall and
down the creaking stairs. the man he
wanted so badly listening to his de-
scending footsteps. half tempted to
follow. Scott did not move, perhaps
had already fallen drunkenly asleep
on his chair, and finally Keith crossed
his own room and lay down. The din
outside continued unabated, but the
mans intense WEAKNESS overcame 1t
all, and he fell asleep, his last con-
scious thought a memory of Hope.