The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1918-01-16


Of it."
Bill Macy condemned burden in Ian.
guage profane and energetic. He
didn't stop at burden. Holt came to
for a share Of it, also Elliot and Self
ridge.
"Cut 1t out, Bill. That line o. talk
don't buy you anything" said Holway
CURLY. "What's the use of beefing?"
"Now you're shouting, my friend"
agreed old Gideon. 81 guess, Elliot,
you can loosen up On the chefs throat
awhile. He's had persuading enough
sorter keep the boys company while
you cut the pack-ropes and bring 'em
here. But first I'd step in and unload
all the hardware they're packing. If
you don't one of them is likely to get
anxious. I'd hate to see any of them
commit suicide with none of their
| friends here to say, Don't he look nat
ural?"
| Elliot brought back the pack-rOpes
| and cut them into suitable lengths.
Hollis mOnOlOgue FsIubied on. He was
! garrulOus and affaSle. Not for a long
time had he enjoyed himself so much.
Gordon tied the hands of Big Bill
behind him, then roped his feet togeth-
er, after which he did the same for
Holway. The old miner superintendent
the job and was not satisfied till he
had added a few extra knots on his
own behalf.
''That'll hold them for awhile. /
shouldn't wonder. Now if you'll just
cover friend chef with this sawed-Off
gat, Elliot, I'll throw the diamond
hitch over what supplies We'll need to
get back to Kamatlah. III take one
brOnch and leave the other to the con-
victs," said Holt cheerfuly.
Forget that convict stuff" growled
Macy. with Macdonald back Of us
and the Guttenchilds back of him,
you'll have a hectic time getting any
thing on US"
THAT might be true if these folks
were back of you. But are they?
Course I amt any Sherlock Holmes
but it don't look to me like they'd play
any such fool system as this"
After Holt had packed one of the
animals he turned to Elliot.
81 reckon we're ready"
Under orders from Elliot bud fixed
up the smudges and arranged the mos
quito netting over the bound men sc
as to give them all the protection pos
sible.
"We're going to take bud with us
for part of the trip. Wen send hin
back to you later in the day. You'll
have to fast till he gets back, but out
side of that you'll 90 very well if you
don't roll around trying to get loose
Do that, and you'll jar loose the mos
quito netting. You know what thai
MEANS" explained Gordon.
at amt likely any grizzlies viii
come pokin' their noses into camp. Blu
you never can tell. ANY last word.
you want sent to relatives?" asked
Gideon Holt.
The last words they heard from Bis
Bill as they moved down the draw
were sulphuric.
1t was three O'Clock in the morning
by the watch when they started. AbOu
nine they threw off for breakfast. B!
this time they were just across the
divide and were ready to take thu
down trail.
Il think We'll let bud go now" FL
liOt told his partner in the adventure
Better hold him till afternoon. Ther
they can't possibly reach us till W.
get to Kamatlah."
''What does it matter if they do
, We have both rifles and have left then
only one revolver. Besides, I don
like to leave two bound men alone il
so wild a district for any great time
No, We'll start bud on the back trail
That grizzly you promised Big Bill
might really turn up"
The two men struck the headwater
. Of Wild Goose creek about noon an(
followed the stream down. They trav
. eled steadily without haste. So Ion:
as they kept a good lookout there wa
nothing to be feared from the mel
they had left behind. They had boil
long start and the advantage O
weapons.
If Elliot had advertised for a yea
he could not have found a man VIII,
knew more of Colby MacdOnalds pas
than Gideon Holt. The old man hat
worked a claim on Frenchman creel
with him and had by sharp practice
so at least he had come to believe
been lawed out of his rights by tn
shrewd Scotsman. For seventeen year
he had nursed a grudge against Mac
donald, and ne was never tired of talk
ing about him. One story in particu
lar interested Gordon.
"There was Farrell O'Neill. He wa
a good fellow, Farrell was, but he ha
just one weakness. There was time
when he liked the bottle too well. He'
let it alone for months and then jus
lap the stuff up. 1t was the time o
the stampede to BOn@nZa creek. We'll
; the news of the strike On BOnanz
reached Dawson and we all burnt u
the trail to get to the new grOun
first. O'Neill was one of the first. H
! got in about twenty below Discovery