Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-29

nom, t0at chorus OK S00fNe lauGuter.
sWal, II them tourists ain't too
burned smoky the hoss III BE- safe
IN the 'dobe shack back Of BUS here.
Feed thar, too, but youth hev to rus
tie water"
Duane led Bullet to the place indi-
Gated, had care OF his welfare, and
left him there. Upon returning to
the tavern porch Duane saw the group
Of men had been added to BY others,
some OF whom he had seen before.
Without comment Duane walked
along the edge Of the road, ana wher-
ever one Of the tracks Of his horse
showed he carefully obliterated It.
This procedure was ,attentiyely
watched BY Fletcher and his com
panions, n ss
'swal, Dodge" remarked Fletcher.
as Duane, returned, "thet's safer n
prayin' fer rain"
Duane's reply was q remark as
loquaciouS as Fletcher's. to the effect
that . long, slow, monotonous ride
was conducive to thirst. They all
Joined him, Enthusiastically friendly.
But Knell was not there, and most
assuredly not Poggin. Fletcher was
no common outlaw, but, whatever his
ability, It probably lay in execution
Of orders. Apparently at that time
these men had nothing to do but
drink and lounge around the tavern.
Duane set out to make himself agree
able and succeeded. All morning men
came and went, until. al told, Duane
calculated he had seen At least fifty.
Toward the middle Of the afternoon
young fellow burst into the saloon
and yelled one word:
"Posse!"
From the scramble to get outdoors
Duane judged that word and the en-
suing action was rare In Ord.
whats all this1" muttered fetch
er, as he gazed down the road ct 6
dark. compact bunch OF horses and
riders "F'ust time ! ever seen tibet
in Ord Wish Phil was here or Posgy.
Now all you gents keep quiet. I'll do
the talkin,."
The posse entered the town, trotted
up on the dusty horses, and halted
In q banch before the tavern. The
party consisted about twenty men, AL
heavily armed, and evidently n
charge Of . clean-cut, lean-limbed
cowboy. Duane experienced consider
able satisfaction at the absence Of the
sheriff who he had understood was
to lead the posse. Perhaps he was
out In smother direction with . differ
Z ent foree.
"Hello, Jim Fletcher" called the
cowboy.
"Howdy," replied Fletcher.
At this short, dry response and the
way he strobe leisurely ont before the
posse Duane found himself modifying
his contempt for Fletcher. The out
law was different now.
Fletcher we've tracked man to;
all but three miles Of this place.
Tracks as plain ~ the nose on your
face. Found his camp. Then he hit
into the brush, an we lost the trsil.,'
Didn't have no tracker with rs. Think
he went into the mountains. But
we took q chance an rid over the rest
Of the way. seein' Ord was 80 close.
Anybody come In here late last night
or early this mornin'?'
Nope" replied Fletcher.
His response was what Duane had
expected from his manner, and eyi-
IDENTITY the cowboy took It as matter
Of course. He turned to the others
Of the posse entering into low con
sultation. Evidently there was dies
ence Of opinion, II not real dissension,
In that posse.
Didn't I tell We this was . Wild
goose chase, comm way out hereT
protested an old hawk-faced rancheF.
''Them boss tracks we follored amt
like any OF them we seen at the
water-tank where the train was held
up" +.
@Pm not sure Of that" replied the
leader.
"Wal, Guthrie, I've follored tracks
all my life"
'But you couldn't keep to the trail
this Teller made in the brush"
"Gimme time. an could. Thet
takes time. An heah you so hell-bent
for election! But It's wrong lead
out this way. II you're right. this
road-agent, after he killed his pals.
would hev rid back right through town.
An with them mailbags! Supposin'
they was greasersl Some greasers
has sense, an when 1t comes to thiev'
In they're shore cute"
sBut we amt got any reason to be
lleve this robber who murdered the
greasers is 4 greaser himself ! tell
you it was q slick Job, done by no
ordinary sneak. Didn't you hear the
facts? One greaser hoped the engine
an covered the engineer an fireman.
Another greaser kept hashin' his gun
outside the train. The big man who
showed back the car door an did the
killin'-he was the real gent. an don't
you forget II"
Some Of the posse sided with the
cowboy leader and some with the old
cattleman. Finally the Young leader
dlsgustedly gathered up his bride.
sAw, hell! Thet sheriff showed ycn
OF this trail. Mebbe he he'd reason
savyy theft II he'd . bunch Of COW
boys with me Il tell you what. "a take
4 chance and clean up this hole !"
All the while Jim Fletcher stood
quietly with his hands In his pockets.
"Guthrie, I'm shore treasurin' up
your friendly talk he snid. The