The Green Forest tribune., 1915-06-25

, There was no one in sight. Softly, | almost stealthily, he crept up to the wagon, fetched out from it's wooden case a small violin, sat down with his Suddenly the bow rested motionless. A look of fear came into his face. He sprang up. The cowboys were all stealing from the other side of the wagon. They had arrived and dis mounted without his hearing them. He sprang to his feet and began to stammer apologies. Long Jim's hand was laid firmly upon his shoulders.
 Say, cookie, you don't need to look so scared. You ain't done noth- ing wrong. Me and the boys, we like your music. Sing us another tune on that fiddle!"
 The cook looked at him for mo- | ment incredulously. Then he real | iZed that the cowboy was in earnest. | He picked up the bow and commenced | to play again. They sat around him, wondering, absolutely absorbed. No | one even made a move towards the food. It was Craig who led them there at last himself, still playing. | Long Jim threw his arm almost caress- ingly around his shoulder. Say, cookie" he began, there ain't never no questions asked concerning the past history of the men who find their way out here, just so long as | nI hn X- be you've fitted up nice little hell for yourself somewhere, but we ain none of us hankering to know the address. You're white and you're one of us and any time any guy wants to | charge you rent for the little hell where you got the furniture of your conscience stored, why, you just let us settle with him, that's all"
 The interruption which came was from outside.
 More of these d-d tourists" Long Jim muttered. Women, tool" l Craig turned his head slowly. Quest was in the act of dismounting from his horse. By his side was the pro- lessor; just behind, Lenora and Laura. Long Jim greeted them with rough cordiality.
 Say, what are you folks looking for?' he demanded.
 l Quest pointed to Craig. | We want that man." he announced. This is Inspector French from New York. I am Sanford Quest | There was a tense silence. Craig covered his face with his hands, then suddenly looked up.
 | Il won't come,' he cried fiercely. | You've bounded me all around the world. 1 am innocent. 1 won't come.' .'
 Quest shrugged his shoulders. He took step forward, but Long Jim, as though by accident, sauntered in the way.
 Got a warrant?" he asked tersely.
 We don't need it, Quest replied. | Hes our man, right enough | Right this minute he's our cook ' 1 drawled Long Jim, and we ain't ex- actly particular about going hungry | just to please a bunch of strangers Cut it short. mister. If you ain't got a warrant, you ain't got this man.
 "All right" Quest agreed The in- | spector here and 1 will soon see to that. We'll ride back to the town | ship. With your permission, the ladies | and our elderly friend will remain for a rest"
 You're welcome to anything we've I got except our cook" Jim replied, turning away. s
 Darkness came early and the little | company grew closer and closer to the camp fire, where Craig had once more 1 taken up his violin. The professor had wandered off somewhere into the darkness and the girls were seated a little apart. They had been treated l hospitably but coldly
 Don't seem to cotton to us, these boys," Laura remarked.
 They don't like us, Lenora replied
 because they think we are after | Craig. 1 wonder what Long Jim has been whispering to him, and what that paper is he has been showing Craig. Do you know how far we are from the Mexican border?"
 Not more than five or six miles ] believe" Laura replied, | Lenora rose softly to her feet and strolled to the back of the range wagon. in a few moments she reap peared, carrying a piece of paper in her hand. She stopped down. | "Craip'S Saddling mn" she WhiS- l pered. Look what he dropped"
 She held out the paper, on which was traced roughly drawn map
 That lines the river that marks the Mexican border" she explained. You see where Long Jim's put the