The Hickman courier., 1914-12-17


Where iid you drop fromY"
From That freight" Judith ex.
planned olr,lotTly ueglecting to eluci.
date Goo a,act fashion Of her drop. Il
JUDGED you'd boz along presently and
thought IA like 10 learn the news.
Wen what uek2"
Her father shrugged with his one
movable shoulder Mr. Marrophat
fWuicd Indignantly The others shut
Ted uneasily and looked all ways but
one ai the girl in mans clothing.
None" Judith Interpreted You
don't mean To tell me that after | had
taken an that troube-cast the ca.
boofc loose Ia the middle Of that
rcsile az the risk Of my liie--you
didn't have the nerve To 20 through
with the business
We went through with Il all right.
replied Marrophat deiensiyoly; but
as usual. they wor too quick for us
Ihoy jumped out and dropped on the
'rrsiie before our engine hit the ca.
bose We smashed that to kindlng
wood but they got away just In time
tu miss the crash Aad boy the time
We had stopped ana calmod down the
engineer veil Il was dark aud no
way of telling which way they had
run
The girl started 10 speak. but merely
dropped limp hands at her sides and
rolled her eyes hclplessly
We DO our best. Maruphat OBJ
served We cant be- blamed II
something somehow always hap
pens to ,ip the others on
The Girl swung 10 face him with
blazing eyes Just what does that
mean she demanded la a dangerous
voice
Narrophat lifted his shoulders.
Nothing much. he allowed \ am
only thinking how strange Il - that
Ne Law can't be caught by any sort
of struiaEem when you are on the Job,
Mics ludth'"
The r,rls hands were clcnched into
hsls white knucklcs showing through
the flesh You contemptible puppyl"
she snapped.
Hui on this her voice failed for her
tyes Travelled last the person OF Mr.
Marruphst to the doorway Of the draw
,nE room and found II framing q
stranger
Excuse me. friends" he offered Ia
a laEy. semi.humorous drawl IT pain'
me considerable 10 butt In on this
happy family gathering. but business
Ia business. same ~ usual. and ! gol
10 at you.all to please put up youl
hands,"
What do you want'" the invalid de
manded
why" drawled the bandit, "no,hinl
In partiouiar-only your cash Shol
out. II you please gents all and th'
lady. too" lie ran an appreclativ'
glance down the figure which Judith
Disguise revealed rather than con
coaled ~ you1 pardon my takin
notice. he amended Perhaps
wouldn't u the lady's clothes didn't n
her 20 ALFRED quick"
/ Keep a civil tongue In your head
my mani" Judith counseled. withou
any show Of fear
, Al the same time her fathers yoic'
brought her to her senses.
Judith Be quiet Let me dea
, with this gentleman am sure VI
! can come to come arrangement
+. You bet your life agreed the ger
tlcman a. the girl mutinously steppe
back. 4 know what / want. and YOU
oil know you got Il: so the name q
the said arrangement Is just she
! out
|, cone minute" the invalid intel
p posed Don't misunderstand me:
y guarantee you shall be amply satii
dcd. give you my word--the wor
k OF Seneca Urine"
b The eyes OF the bandit widene'
, "Noy Ia that so1 Seneca Trine. tn
I railroad king? Sures you're Dor
b you're him. I've seen your pictur
In the papers a dozen times Wei
q now, Il looks like I'd drawn fu
house to this pair of deuces, don't II
I You ought to be able to pay somethin
4 handsome"
Z I'm pay you Gar more handsomel
D than YOU dream Of II you'll do as
wish" Trine interrupted quickly. Il
q me the service wish-and nan
Il YOUR price: whatever Il is, YOU sha
have it!"
b Nothing could BE- faircrn that
q the two-guB man admitted suspicion
o ~ but what's the number of th
l. here service-like you call III"
n Listen 10 me" Trine bent his he'
d forward and iabbed the air with
8 emphatic forohnger What's the II
n a, a man worth in this neck OF q
= woods7"
q How much YOU got"
y 'Tn pay you ten thousand dolla
for the life Of the man will name" "
n The eyes of the bandit narrow'
& Hold on. my friend IL that what y
y call my naming my own price?'
n Name It. then said Trine
u "Giye me n thousand on account 81