The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1914-11-13

! mGfSd
Get your horses, boys" ordered the
/ sheriff.
It was not but a few minutes until
! the posse, Gallon riding stolidly on an
! extra horse, was scampering through
the streets toward the mountains, now
absolutely dark, as the moon had set
Sheriff Hawkins was not aware that
/ as they crossed a wash a painting.
| groaning man was crawling on his
| belly toward the solitary light which
/ marked Vale VISTA Nor did Gallon,
dumbly riding toward the darkness
which hid the scene of his crime. real
lie that WilkersOn was within ten
yards of him as they splashed through
| the stream.
Then suddenly appeared in the sky
| spot of white. which spread until the
murk of the night had turned to dusk.
| "WeIl, thank God it's daylight" said
the sheriff to Gallon. II guess we can
get your partner all right now" And
| even as he spoke the dusk suddenly be-
came enriched by the light of the sun
| rising is the east The moment, it
| struck the brass on his pOnyS bride
Gallon Involuntary refined in. Through
his blistered lips he muttered: Gold!
Ruthr'
Inquiring eyes were turned on him.
The sheriff showed his horse over and
asked. "What gold?"
At the same instant came the deputy
on the other side of him.
'Say. chief. he says there was no
gold"
4 sinewy arm reached out and took
Gallons gun away from him. Il think
I better keep this" said the sheriff, his
dark countenance growing stern.
So this cavalcade made its way
through the fresh California dawn
until there was a sudden break in the
mesa. The deputy threw out his hand
There are hundred gulches in these
mountains. Which one is it. pardner?"
At the word ''pardner" Gallon pulled
himself together. The glitter of the
brass on the horses headstaH and that
word. Should he tell them the location
of that gulch? The stroke of one
horses hoof might disclose the mother,
lode, and yet ne had told them the out
laws had killed WilkeTson.
His horse stumbled and threw him
When he got up he gropingly pointed
his hands toward the hills and NUT
tered, THAT way, boys-that's where
they got him"
r., Half an hour later the posse was.
oh
sheriff was staring at blood stained
blanket 49,
There has been irouble." he said
abruptly. Then he turned on Gallon.
WHY is this coffee hot? ne said.
lifting up the pot The brusque tones
of the sheriff cut the silence that FOL
lowed '- -'-'.'''''''' %
Il don't see your man. / don't under.
stand this. You are under arrest-for
the murder Of He looked at Gallon.
and the old man inYoluntarily said.
"WilkerSon."
All day the sheriff. with Gallon, his F..
arms pinioned behind him. searched
the SullieS and gulches for the man
whose blood stained blanket they had /
found The old man. taciturn as ever.
merely said as if repeating by rote. 7
The outlaws got him"
When the full moon bad risen and .
the night life of the desert had begun. I
grotesque life. built of fleeting forms
and bizarre shadows. the sheriff called
a halt up the canyon.
On one side Of the gulley on which
they were camped the sherif's men
had built fire. It was against a rock
which rose whitley under the moon
Gallon saw his chanceA He worked
his way to the fire and in spite of the
pain held his hands out over the blaze
until lie felt the strands of the rome
weaken and finally part.
a moment later he was making his
way TO where the horses were tied
He leaped upon the nearest one and
within second was on his way down
tne nil into the mist which filed tie
valley.
tut the noise of his horses hoofs on
the rough shale of the hillside awak-
ened the guard
thlnk l will have cup of coffee"
ne said to himself sIeepily and slug
SiShiy stretched himself. A moment
later he flung the empty coffeepot into
the darkness. Sheriff. he cried, "he's
goner'
Inc sheriff lifted his lanky form as
II by single movement. who's
gomez he yelled.
THAT man, Gallon" replied the
guard.
we must get him. boysr' the sheriff
SAID. They rode to the edge of the hill
Ind looked down into an iridescent sea
If mist. mere pool of curdling moon
shine.
He's got away from us, boys" said
he sheriff Wen never find him
here"
Gallon rode quickly on, no longer
seeking for a light, but for darkness.
nd yet as he felt the pony culver un-
Ter him he himself felt a strange trem.
r-Willlerson was still alive-some- 1
where behind that veil was his enemy I
nd the man who knew the location of
he richest mine in all golden Califor.
la.
Z 81