Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-06-17

The sheriff lifted his lanky form as
If by a single movement Who's
gomez? he yelled.
THAT man. Gallon" replied the
guard.
1--WE must get him, boys!" the sheriff
said. They rode to the edge of the hill
and looked down into an iridescent sea
of mist, a mere pool Of curdling moon.
shine.
Hes got away from US, boys" said
the sheriff. well never find him
there"
Gallon rode quickly on. no longer
seeking for a light, but for darkness.
and yet as he felt the pony culver un.
der him he himself felt a strange trem.
! or-Wilkerson was still alive-some
where behind that veil was his enemy
and the man who knew the location OF
the richest mine in all golden Califor
MA.
Mission Street pier marks the point
on the San Francisco water front where
sooner or later every one in this world
passes, and among the multitudes
strange. subdued and unsubdued by
the tremendous forces which make our
civilization, Gallon found himself abso-
lutely unobserved in this thron.-he
was as he hoped to be. Berthed at
the pier was a steamship. quartermas.
tiers at the gangway. and a sign hung
on the rail saying. I'VE sail at 9:15
p. M"
When he reached his cabin Gallon
s~tealthily took out from his pocket a
folded paper and looked at it. He laid
it on the white covering of the bunk
and once more clipped into his jacket
This time it was the picture of q girl.
II will save it for you" he murmur.
ed to himself. The bare room held
"At the foot of San Jacinto noun
tain, on the upper level" Gallon STAN
mered.
Get your horses, boys" ordered the
sheriff.
1t 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 q painting.
grooming man was crawling IN 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 q
spot Of white, which spread until the
murk OF the night had turned to dusk.
well, 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 in the east. The moment it
struck the brass on his pony's bride
Gallon Involuntary refined in. Through
his blistered lips he muttered: "Goldl
Ruth!"
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"
A sinewy arm reached out and took
Gallons gun away from him. 81 think
I better keep this" said the sheriff, his
dark countenance growing stern.
So this cavalcade made its way
through the fresh California dawn
mesa. The deputy threw out his hand
"There are a 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 headstall and thai
word. Should he tell them the location
of that gulcl? The stroke Of ono
horses hoof might disclose the mother
lode. and yet he had told them the out
laws had killed Wilkerson.
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."
Half an hour later the posse was
grouped about the dead fire. and the
sheriff was staring at a blood stained
blanket.
"There has been trouble be sale
abruptly. Then he turned on Gallon.
"Why is this coffee hot?" he said
lifting up the pot The brusque tone:
Of the sheriff cut the silence that fol
lowed.
II don't see your man. L don't under
stand this. You are under arrest-foI
the murder off, He looked at Gallon
and the old mar ~involuntarily said
"Wilkerson."
All day the sheriff. with Gallon. hi
arms pinioned behind him. searched
the gullies and gulches for the ma
whose blood stained blanket they hat
found. The old man. taciturn as ever
merely said, as if repeating by rote
1.-The outlaws got him"
When the full moon had risen ant