The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-10-10
xxNi.
IS
Holt Frees His Mind.

Macdonald whirled In his tracks.
Old Gid Holt was leaning on his ei-
bow with his head out OF the win
dow. "You better cot"N and bent me
up first. Msc," h- tssct4 I'm oil
stove up with u bustei laig, so you can
wallop me good. I'd come out there,
but I'm too crippled to move"
you're not too crippled to 20 back
to Kusiak with me. II you can't walk,
you1l ride. But back you CO."
"Fine. I been worrying about how
to get there. It's right good of you to
bring one Of these here taxis for me, as
the old snyin' H."
''where have you cached the gold
you stole7"
II amt . the latest papers, Mac.
What Is this stun about Robin q bank
and shOotin' Miitont"
you're under arrest for robbery and
murder"
Am II Unload the particulars.
When did I do II ALP
"You know when. Just before you
left town."
Holt shook his head slowly. mo,
cir. I can't seem to remember It.
Sure II amt some n else you're
thinking about7 Howcome you to NJ
on me as one Of the bold, bad banditsT"
Because you had not sense enough
10 cover your tracks. You might 3ust
as well have left a note saying you did
II. FIRST. you come to town and buy
one Of the fastest dog teams In Alaska.
whyf"
that's an easy one. I bought that
team to win the Alaska sweepstakes
from you. And I'm goin' to do II. The
team wasn't handled right or II would
have won last time. I got TO mullin' II
ove and figured that old Gid Holt was
the dog puncher that could land those
hushies In front. Seer
"You bought It to make your get.
away after the robbery" retorted Mac
donald.
TITS a difference Of opinion makes
horse races. What Ase have you got
against usf"
I'VE found in your room one Of the
sacks that had held the gold you took
rom the Dank.'
That's right. I took II from the
bank In the afternoon, where I had had
II on deposit. to pay for the team ]
bought. Millions books will show that.
But you didn't find any sacF I took
when your bank IA robbed-if 1t was
robbed" added the old man signif-
cantly.
"Of course, I knew you would have
an alibi. Have you got n to explain
why you left town so suddenly the
night the bank was robbed? Milton
was killed after midnight. Before
morning you and your friend Elliot
routed out Ackroyd and bought a lot
Of supplies from him for a hurry-up
trip. You slipped around to the corral
and hit the trail right into the blizzard.
Will you tell me why you were In such
a hurry to get away, II II wasn't to es-
cape from the town where you had
murdered q decent old fellow who
had harmed q soulr
"Sure I'll tell you" The black eyes
af the little man snapped eagerly. ~
came so p. d. q. because that side pard.
ner Of mine Gordon Elliot wouldn't let
me wait til mornin'. He had n reason
for leavin' town that wouldn't wait q
minute. n big enough to drive him
right into the heart Of the blizzard. Ne,
l tagged along"
81 guess his reason" jeered the
Scotsman. "But I'd like to hear you
put a name to H."
Holt grfnned maiiciously and waved
a hand toward the girl who was pillow
ing the head Of her lover. "The name
Of his reason Is Sheba O'Neiil, but it's
TO he sheba Elliot soon, looks like"
"You mean"
The little miner took the words tn
umphantly out Of his mouth. He
leaned forward and threw them into
the face Of the man he hated. ri mean
that while You was dancin' and philnn.
derin' with other women. Gordon Elliot
was buckin' q blizzard to save the life
Of the girl you both claimed TO love.
he was mushin' into fifty miles OF
frozen hell while you was nllin' up
with potted grouse and champagne
Simultaneous with the lame goose and
the monkey s~inglestep you was doin',
this lad was windjammin' through
white drifts. He beat you at your
W game, man. You're q bear for
the outdoor stuff. they tell me. You
chew up q blizzard for breakfast and
throttle q pack Of wolves to work up
an appetite for dinner. It's your spe-
cialty. All right. Take your hat on
to that chechacko who has Just whaled
you blind. He has outgamed you, Col.
By Macdoaald. You don't run In his
class. I zee he II holding his haid up
again. Give him another haif-hour and
he'll be ready to 90 to the mat with
you again"
The big Alaskan pushed away q fear
that had been lingering In his mind svsr
since he had stumbled o. that body
buried In the snow yesterday sftsr-
noon. Was his enemy going b escape
him. after aIlf Could Holt - telling
the true re- sou vhy ehsy Md laft town