Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-04-10

lngly out through the bunk-house win
dow.
Its quite a walk, amt it?"
"Walk?" Berkeley laughed. "Tt's
two or three thousand miles!" Glass
sighed heavily. why do you ask?"
"Oh. nothin'. Jest gettin' home
sick" He Gained himself with an ef-
fort. entered the gymnasium as II in
search Of something, and then set
forth to find Speed.
That ecstatic young gentleman
wrenched his gaze away from the blue
eyes Of Miss Blake to see his trainer
signaling him from afar.
What is 1t, Lawrence?"
Got to see you" =
Presently"
Mkt / got to see you now!"
Glass ruddy face was blotched, and
he seemed to rest In the grip of some
blighting malady. Beneath his arm
he carried tight-rolled bundle. Sens.
ing something important back of this
unusual demeanor, Speed excused
himself and followed Larry, who did
not trust to speech until they were
alone in the gymnasium with the
doors closed. Then he unrolled the
bundle he carried, spread 1t upon the
floor, and stepped into Its exact GEN.
| ter.
Are you standing on my prayer
rug?" demanded his companion, an.
grily.
81 am! And from this on I'm goin'
to make It work itself to death. She
said feller couldn't get hurt II he
stood on 1t and said Allah Well,
I'm goin' to wear It out"
What's wrong?"
DO you know what's goin' to hap
pen to me II Covington don't get here
and beat this cook?"
Happen to you?"
Yes, me! These outlaws have put
1t up to me to win this bet for them"
We'll. Covington can beat any
body"
But Covington isn't here yet"
Not yet, but" The young man
smiled. You're not frightened, are
your?
Scared to death, that's ALL" ac-
knowledged the other. Then when his
employer laughed openly, he broke
out at whitehead. Joke, eh? Well,
you'd better have a good laugh while
you can, because Humpy Joe's finish
VIII be ten-course dinner to what
you'll get II Covington misses his
train"
How easily frightened you are!"
Yes? Well. any time people start
shooting shots I'm too big for this
earth. The hole In a gun looks as big
as a gas-tank to me-" at..s1.
But nobody Is going to shoot you'll"
exclaimed the mystified college man.
They amt. heyi missed the
Golden Stairs by a lip not half an
hour ago." With feverish Intensity he
told his narrow escape from destruc.
ton. the memory bringing sweat of
agony to bis brow. "And the worst
Of 1t is." he concluded. I'm marked
with guns. I've always been that
way"
Tut! tutl Don't alarm yourself. II
covington shouldn't come, the race
will be declared on" p.
mo chance" announced the train
er. with utter conviction. "These
thugs have made 1t pay or play, and
the bets are down." ~
you know l can't run" 81
III he don't come. you'll have tol"
Absurd! shall be indIsposed."
III you mean you'll get sick. or
sprain an ankle, or break a leg, or
kill yourself. guess again. I'm re-
sponsible for you now. Something
may go wrong with me, but nothin'
Is goin' to happen to you. My only
chance to make live OF II IL to get
some one TO outrun this cook. You're
the only chance I've got, II Culver
don't show. and the FIRST law Of na,
ture amt never been repealed"
"Self.protection. eh?"
Exactly" Glass coughed thrice
without result. stepped on the prayer.
rug, rolled II up tightly; then, hug.
ging II beneath his arm, went on: :
That foureyed guy slipped me n
whole lot OF feed-box information.
Why. he's a killer, Wallyl And he's
got cash.register to tally his dead"
"Notches on his gun-handle. sup
poser"
80 many that II looks like his wife
had used II to hang pictures with. I
tell you, he's the most deceitful rum.
my ever seen. What's more, he's got
the homicide habit, and the habit has
got Its eye on me-" Glass was In
deadly earnest. and his alarm con-