Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1918-07-12

fingers fumbled the rope az though his
determination were weakening. Then
lie remembered some things. hunched
his shoulders, impatient Of the merci-
full impulse. and began the knot again.
An old ~prospector had shown him one
how II was done.
"Of course a plain sllpknot would 40
the business all right" he said. But
I'll try and give you the genuine thing.
same as you gave the other fellows"
ward, for Gods sake, let mo gol"
Ward started. He did not know that
a mans voice could change 80 much In
30 short n time. He never would have
recognized the tones as coming from
Buck olney's loose. compliment lips.
Ward, III never-In leave the
try-Iu go to South America or Aus
tralla or"
you'll 20 to a hotter climate. Buck"
Ward cut In inexorably. you've got
your ticket"
"In own up to everything. Ill tell
you where some OF the moneys cached
we got In that Hardup deal. Ward.
There's enough to put you on Easy
street. I'll tell you who helped"
you'd better not" advised Ward
hlrshly, "or I'll make hanging a relief
TO you. l know pretty well right 10Y
all you could tell. And II l wanted 10
send your partners up l wouldn't need
your help. It's partly to give them a
chance that I'm sending you out this
way myself. l don't call this murder,
Buck. I'm saving the state a lot Of
time and trouble, thdt's all, and your
pardners the black eye they'd get for
throwing In with you. ! heap sabe
who was the head push. You got them
In to take whatever dropped, so you
could get or slick and clean. just as
you've done before, you-you-"
Buck Olney got It her hot from the
fires Of Wards wrath. A man does
not brood over treachery and wrong
and a blackened future for years with
out storing up a good many things that
he means to say to the friend who has
played him false. Ward had been q
happy go lucky young fellow who had
faith In men and In himself and In his
future. He had lived through black,
hopeless days and weeks and months
because OF this man who tried now to
buy mercy with the faith OF his part
ners.
In the saddle Buck sat all hunched
together as " Ward had dashed him
with rawhide instead of with singing
words. The muscles OF his face witch
ed systematically. His eyes were
growing bloodshot.
Ward spilled two papers Of tobacco
before he got a cigarette rolled and
lighted. He wondered n little at the
physical reaction from his %outburst, but
, he wondered more at Buck Olney sit
, ting alive and unhurt on the horse be-
fore him, a Seabeck horse which Ward
had seen Floyd Carson riding once or
/ twice. He wondered what Floyd
would do II he saw Buck now and the
| use to which the horse was being put.
Ward finished the cigarette, rollec
another aud smoked that also before
| he could put his hand out before him
and hold II reasonably steady. When
he felt fairly sure OF himself again he
lifted his hat TO wipe OF the sweat OF
+, his anger. rave a bis sigh and returned
: to the tying OF the hangman's moose.
. When he finally had II fixed the way
{ he wanted II he went close and flung
I the moose over Buck Olney's head. lie
could not trust himself to speak just
then. He cast an inqulrlng glance up
( ward, took Bucks horse by the bride
l and led him forward q few steps so
that Buck was directly under the over.
hanging limb. Then, with the coil OF
Bucks rope In his hand, he turned bach
and squirmed up the tree trunk until
he had reached the limb. He crawled
out until he was over Bucks bullet
D punctured hat crown, sliced of what
' rope he did not need and flung II to the
3 ground. He saw Buck vince MS the
rope went past him. The pinto hors,
SHE'D out OF position.
'"rake the relns and bring him back
here" Ward called shortly, and ave q
. twitch OF the rope as n hint.
= Mechanically Buck obeyed. He did
, not know that the rope was not yet
tied TO the limb.
Ward tied the rope securely, leaving
, enough slack to keep Buck from chok.
I ing prematurely. lie fused n minute
! longer, with his lip curled into n grin
4 OF snrdonic humor. Then he crawled
a back TO the trunk OF the tree and slid
: down carefully 20 that he would not
: Brighten the pinto.
! He went up and took the hobble on
Buck Olney's feet, felt IN the seam OF
his coat lapel and pulled out four pins,