Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-06-21

he showed symptoms Of wanting to
talk.
IF | turn you loose, Buck, what will
you do?" he asked at last in a curious
tone.
IF you Ward, I'll prove I'm a
friend to yuh In spite of the idea you've
got that / amt. l never done moth
Ing"
'No, of course not" Wards lip curl
ed. 'That was my mistake, maybe.
You always used to say you were my
friend when"
And that's the Gods truth, Wardr'
Bucks face was becoming flushed with
his eagerness. 81 done everything 1
could for you, Ward, but the way the
cards laid l couldn't"
Get me hanged. / know; you sure
tried hard enoughl" Ward puffed hard
at his cigarette, and the lips that held
it trembled little. Otherwise he seem
ed perfectly cool and calm.
Say. Ward, them lawyers lied to
YOU"
"Oh, cut it out, Buck. I've seen you
wriggle through a snake hole before.
believe you're my friend just the way
you've always been"
That's right, Ward, and can prove
IT,"
Ward snorted. You proved it. old
timer, when you laid up there behind
rock with your sights ON this shack,
ready to get me when l came out. /
sabe now how it happened Jim Nc
CURE was found face down in the
spring behind his shack with a bullet
hole in his back that time. You were
his friend tool"
Ward, +"
Shut up! just wanted to see If
you'd changed any in the last seven
years. You haven't unless it's for the
worse. You've got to the end of the
/ trail, old timer. When you went lay
ing for me you fixed yourself a-plenty.
Do you want to know what I'm going
to do to your
Ward. you wouldn't dare shoot me!
With the record you've got you
wouldn't stand"
"Who gave it to me, huh? Oh, /
heap sabe; you've left word with your
pardners that you were coming up here
TO arrest me single handed. They will
give the alarm if you don't show up
and III go on the dodge and get caught
and" Ward threw away his ciga-
rette and took step toward bis cap
tive. a step so ominous that. Buck
squirmed in his bonds.
swell, you can rest easy on one point.
I'm not going to shoot you" Ward
stood still and watched the light of
hope fare in the eyes of his enemy.
I'm going to wash the dishes and take
a shave, and then I'm going to take
you out somewhere and hang YOU"
MY God, Ward You-you-"
II told you seven years ago." went on
Ward steadily. "that I'd see you hung
before | was through with you. Re
member? BY rights you ought to hang
by the heels over a slow fire. You're
about as low a specimen of humanity
as ever saw or heard Of You know
what you did for me, Buck. And you
know what | told you would happen
Well, it's going to come off according
to the program.
Il did think Of running you in and
giving you a taste of hell yourself
But, as usual, you've gone and tangled
up couple of fellows that never dit
me any particular harm and l dom
want to hand them anything if l car
help it. So I'll just string you up
after awhile when ! get around to it
and leave a note saying who you arr
and that you're the head push in thii
rustling business and that you helped
I spend the money that Hardup banl
, lost awhile back and that you're one o
the gazabOs-"
, "You can't prove It'll You"
{ 81 don't have to prove it. The au
I thorities will do all that when they ge
G the tip I'll give them. And you, bein
E hung up on limb somewhere, can
very well give your pardners the dor
y BILE cross. SO they'll have a figbtin
$ chance to make their getaway.
Now, I'm through talking to you
2 What say goes. You can talk If yo
+ want to. Buck, but I'm going to cary
h a steak out Of you every time you ope
d your mouth" He pulled Bucks ow
knife out of its sheath and laid it COZ
4 venient to his hand, and he looked a
d IL he would do any cruel thing b
n threatened.