Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-08

GoOu Loru, you uOn mean II.
Eyes. do mean it, I'm Gallagher,
the man that there's a rewarS offered
for. \ reward. The only reward any
one will get for tacklin' me is bull
let"
Are you the man that killed CO
Alen:"
Yes"
"And Burt Holiness"
Yes, and a lot more OF 'em. But
how did you hear OF these fghts?"
"Oh, everybody round here has
heard of 'em. You better look out for
Burt Holmes widow. heard
The boy shut himself up suddenly.
well, what have you heard?"
81 suppose oughtn't to tell"
You will tell" and the man held a
cooked revolver near the lads temple.
she's got three men on your track.
They're goin' to surprise you. comm
on to you from different points"
We'll, go on; tell all you know"
II don't know any more-I swear I
don't"
YES. you do" And Gallagher gave
the boy a cuff. He was about to re-
peat it when the boy cried:
Don't. I'll telI'
We'll, tell. then"
They're watchin' you no-. They
know just where you are. They're
goin' to shoot you from behind trees
when you go through some bit of tim
ber."
Gallagher looked at the boy suspi-
ciously. 1t did not seem likely that
he should know these things. The
desperate didn't believe that there
was word of truth in what he said,
but that he had been frightened into
confessing a falsehood in fear of an
other cuff or something worse. But
when man has had warning of a
plot against his life he is not likely to
ignore it.
How did you get wind Of all this?'
The boys explanation was not at all
satisfactory. He stammered through
two or three stories. all disconnected.
and ut last broke down and confessed
that he had heard only what he had
first said-that Mrs. Holmes had hired
three men to come on him from diff
ferent points and kill him. Gallagher.
seeing that nothing was to be gained
by browbeating, desisted, making up
his mind that the boy was like any
other boy and his story only worthy
of attention so far as what he had
stuck TO was concerned.
But the story had its effect on him.
He never entered wood that he did
not hold a cooked revolver in each
hand and peer ahead of him, darling
his eyes in every direction. Presently
when they were approaching a sharp
turn in the road the boy said:
Il reckon if | were YOU I'd cit out
and make this turn through those sap
Inns"
why"
"Well, it's mighty good place for
any one to make an ambush"
A hidden enemy even in magma
ton is more apt to affect one than an
open enemy in the flesh. Gallagher
knew he was giving way without due
cause, but he had been so reckless in
| his killings that he had begun TO
fear retaliation and was ready to see
an enemy behind every bush. Pulling
| up and handing the reins to the boy
| he alighted, telling him to, drive on
! He had walked few yards In ad
! vance of the wagon when he heard an
ominious click behind him and boy
ish voice say:
Hands upw
He turned to see a wonderful change
| in his companion. He had dropped thu
reins, and in each hand resting on tht
dashboard, behind which he crouchcd
ne held revolver. 1t did not occur t
/ the man to obey such an order from
a boy, He was simply looking in won
| der.
Hands up" was repeated in shril
tone, and at the same time bule
sang within an4nch of his ear. Their
was something in the :ping" that NOV
ed the hands up mechanically, as th
limbs of jumping jack are moved b.
pulling string.
do you know who am?" asked tn
boy.
mo"
I'm Betsy Holmes - Bert Home:
widow"
| Gallagher had looked into eyes benin
weapons before, but never had he see
death more surely depicted than nov
The chances were against him, but h
must take them. He had a chance {
get off with wound, and before
second shot could be fired. or at leas
third, he might raise his weapon an
get in shot. But his enemy saw hi
design in his eye. Her revolver cracl
ed. and Gallagher staggered. Hestoo
long enough to fire one shot; but. bein
wounded to death, 1t went wild.
second shot from the woman pierce
his brain. and he fell.
A wagon turning the bend in I'll
road came suddenly upon man lyir
dead there, horse nibbling graz
beside it and what was supposed to |
boy lying in faint In the bottom
q wagon.
The murder of Bert Holmes ",
avenged.
a III