The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-09-05

~ "eo SiCCPy hiBht, COOi anu
soft and still. He could walk his
horse all the way il he wanted to.
There was no haste. The boys
would all be in bed. They would
not even wait up for the mail,
knowing his, Jim's, innate aver
sion to hurry.
A little short of where the VIII
liston branch left the main trail
he half paused. IL il we're not so
late, he would ride up and give
them a hail. But, of course, they
were asleep. Everything seemed
still and dark about the premises.
He would just plod along.
Hello, there! Where'd you
come from" he cried of a sud
den, and before he had had time
to carry his resolve into action.
A man on horseback had drawn
rein directly in front of him. Jim
blinked with the suddenness of
the shock.
Might ask you the same ques-
tion," responded the other, with
an easy laugh. I'm for town to
see the doctor about my little
girl. Been puny for a week"
"Oh! where you FROM" asked
Jim, with the courteous interest
of his kind.
New man on the X Y H." an
swered the other, lightly. Must
be gettin' on"
He touched spurs to his horse
and WAS off with friendly $50
long" over his shoulder.
Jim rode on thoughtfully.
Nov, don't it beat the devil"
he was thinking, "how that there
cowpuncher struck this trail COM
in from the X Y with the X
Y Y clean t'other side o town "
He kept on straight ahead, and
it was well for him that he did
so. 1t was not the last of the af-
fair. The old, prosaic trail SEEM
ed fairly bristling with ghostly
visitants that night. He had gone
but scant quarter mile when he
met with a second horseman, and
this time he would have sworn
on oath that the man had not
been on the forward trail as long
as he should have been to be seen
in the starlight. Jim was not
doing now, and he knew what he
was about.
"Hullo!" the fellow accosted
him, genially.
TOO pleasant-the whole
bunch of EN-" found quick lodg-
ment in Jim's active brain. Aloud
he responded with answering
good nature, "Hullo!"
where we goin'?" asked the
other, as If In no particular haste
to part company. II he had met
with a surprise, he carried it off
we'll.
Home; been to town" Jim
was on tenter hooks to be off.
Belong to the Three Bars,
don't your"
Yep"
Thought so. Well, good luck
to you."
Jim rode briskly along until he
judged he had gone far enough to
allay suspicion, then he halted
suddenly. Very wide awake was
Jim now. His hand rested uncon-
sciously on his Colts AS, protrud-
ing from his loosely hanging belt.
His impulse was to ride boldly
back and up to Williston's door,
and thus satisfy himself as to
what was doing so mysteriously.
There was not cowardly drop in
Jim's circulation. But If foul play
was abroad for Williston that
night, he, Jim, of course, was
spotted and would never be per-
mitted to reach the house. 1t
would mean a useless sacrifice.
Now, he needed to be alive.
He touched spurs lightly, bent
his head against the friction of
the air and urged his horse to the
maddest, widest race he had ever
run.
Paul Langford dropped one
shoe nervelessly to the wolfskin
In front of his bed. An oil lamp
was burning dimly on the table.
The SCOT of many burnings ad-
hered to the chimney's inner side.
"One would know 1t was Jim's
week by looking at that chin
ney," muttered the boss, cycling
the offending chimney discon-
tentedly as he dropped the other
shoe.
Sometimes I wonder If 1t
wouldn't be better for the bunch
of us, IL one of the boys were to
marry and bring the girl to the
Three Bars. But I'll be hanged II
know which one I'd care to give
up to the feminine gender. Be-
side, she'd wear blue calico wrap
pers in the morning-they all
do"
He began pacing the floor in
his stocking feet.
wish l could get that blamed
little girl Of Williston's out of my
head tonight. Positively red-head-
ed. Well. call it aburn for the
sake of politeness. What's the diff
ference? She's a winner. though.
Wonder why ] didn't know about
her before? Wonder IL Dicks I'm
love with her? Shouldn't won
der" He stopped for a moment at
the open window and looked out
into the still, starry night.
The sound of galloping hoof-
beats on the hard road below
m n, a IN IN n In, aa M afnod - tba