The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-12-06
CHAPTER XIV.
A Race TO the Swift.

FT A Race to the swIst.
Since Sheriff Harding had left his
office in the county jail and had gone
home to his ranch on the north side
OF the river some hours earlier, not a
little precious time was consumed in
hunting him up. Beyond this, there
was another delay in securing the dep.
uty. When Starbuck's car came to q
stand for a second time before the
mesa-fronting entrance Of the court.
house, Smith came quickly across the
walk from the portal.
"Mr. Harding" he began abruptly,
Judge Warner has gone home and he
has made me his messenger. There Is
| bit of sharp work to be done, and
you'll need a strong posse. Can you
deputize fifteen or twenty good men
who can be depended upon in a fight
and rendezvous them on the north.
side river road in two hours from
nowr'
The sheriff. big. bearded man who
might have sat for the model Of one
Of Frederic Remington's frontiersmen,
took time to consider. 'Is II a scrap7''
he asked.
ut Is likely to be. There are war
rants to be served, and there will
most probably be resistance. Your
posse should be well armed"
''We1l try for It," was the decision.
ION the north-side river road, you
say? You'll want us mounted2"
ut will be better to take horses. We
could get autos, but Judge Warner
agrees with me that the thing had
better be done quietly and without
making too much of stir in town."
"All right" said the man Of the
law. ut that all7"
mo, not quite all. The first Of the
warrants is to be served here In Brew
ster-upon Mr.. Crawford Stanton.
Your deputy will probably find him at
the Hophra House. Here is the paper !:
II is bench warrant of commitment
on charge OF conspiracy, and STAN
ton is TO be locked up. Also you are
to see to 1t that your jail telephone
Is out OF order, so that Stanton won't
be able to make any attempt to get a
hearing and bail before tomorrow"
"That part of II is mighty risky"
said Harding. 'Does the judge know
about that, toof"
''He does; and for the ends of pure
justice, he concurs with me-though,
of course, he couldn't give a manda-
tory order"
The sheriff turned TO his Jail dep
uty, who had descended from the
rumble seat In the rear.
"You've heard the dope, Jimmie"
he said shortly. go and get His
Nobs and lock him up. And II he
wants to be yelling 'Helpr and send
Ing for his lawyer or somebody, why,
the telephones takin' a lay-off.
Savvy?"
The deputy nodded and turned upon
his heel. stufiing the warrant for Stan
toms arrest into his pocket as he
went. Smith swung up beside Star
buck, saying: "In couple of hours
then, Mr.. Harding; somewhere near
the bridge approach ON the other side
OF the river"
Starbuck had started the motor and
was bending forward to adjust the oil
feed when the sheriff left them.
"You seem to have made ten
strike with Judge Warner" the ex
cowpuncher remarked, replacing the
flash-lamp in its seat pocket.
"Judge Warner is a man In every
| T.. zf k,,t A. L.. ls a
behind this nights work that l dom
quite understand" was the quick re
ply. II had hardly begun to state the
case when the judge interrupted me
4 know he said. 4 have been wait
ing for you people to come and ash
for relief What do you make OF
that, Billy?"
II don't know; unless someone II
Stanton's outfit has welshed. Shaw
might have done II. He has been tC
Bob Stllllngs, and Stillings says he II
sore mt Stanton for some reason. Shaw
was trying to get Stillings to agree t.
drop the railroad case against him
and Bob says he made some vague
promise Of help in the High Line bust
ness II the railroad people, wonlt
agree not to prosecute"
"There Is n screw loose somewhere
I know by the way Judge Warner
took hold. When proposed to sweal
out the warrant for Stanton's arrest
he said. 4 can't understand. Mr.
Smith, why you haven't done this be
FORE and he sat down and filed ou
the blank. But we can let that go fo
the present. How are you going 4
ge. me across the river without TAX
ing me through the heart of the tow
aad giving the Brewster police . sb,