The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-02-01


: how it was done.
"Of course a plain 81 oknot would do
7 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 me co."
Ward started. He did not know that
mans voice could change so much in
so short time. He never would have
recognized the tones as coming from
Buck Olney's loose, complacent lips.
Ward, I'll never-I'll leave the coun-
try-I'H go to South America or Aus
tralia Or"
you'll go to a hotter climate, Buck"
Ward cut in inexorably. you've got
-FOUR ticket"
IN own up to everything. I'll 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
hirshly, 'tor I'll make hanging a relief
to you. know pretty we'll right now
all you could tell. And if l wanted to
send your pardners up wouldn't need
your help. It's partly to give them
chance that I'm sending you out this
way myself. don't call this murder,
Buck. I'm saving the state lot of
time and trouble, that'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 off slick and clean, just as
you've done before, you-you-"
Buck Olney got it then hot from the
fires of Wards wrath. A man does
not brood over treachery and wrong
and blackened future for years with
out storing up good many things that |
he means to say to the friend who has |
played him false Ward had been a |
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 if Ward had dashed him
with rawhide instead of with singing
words. The muscles of his face twitch-
ed spasmodically. His eyes were
growing bloodshot.
Ward spilled two papers of tobacco
before he got cigarette rolled and
lighted He wondered a 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 If he saw Buck now and the
use to which the horse was being put.
Ward finished the cigarette, rolled
another and smoked that also before
he could put his hand out before him
and hold it reasonably steady. When
he felt fairly sure of himself again he
lifted his hat to wipe off the sweat of
his anger, gave big sigh and returned
to the tying of the hangman's moose. /.
When he finally had it fixed the way :
he wanted it he went close and flung
the moose over Buck Olney's head. He
could not trust himself to speak just
ward, took Bucks horse by the bride y
md led him forward a few steps so
hat Buck was directly under the over /
hanging limb. Then, with the coil of
Bucks rope in his hand, he turned back
md squirmed up the tree trunk until
lie had reached the limb. He crawled r
tut until he was over Bucks bullet o
hat crown, sliced off what o
ope he did not need and flung it to the p
round. He saw Buck vince as the f
ope went past him. The pinto horse
hied out of position. Fl
flake the reins and bring him back II
ere," Ward called shortly, and gave a c.
witch of the rope as hint
Mechanically Buck obeyed. He did Ii
ot know that the rope was not yet fl
led to the limb.
Ward tied the rope securely. leaving Il
nough slack to keep Buck from chok- b;
lg prematurely. He fused a minute
niger, with his lip curied into grin
sardonic humor. Then he crawled
ack to the trunk of the tree and slid W
own carefully so that he would not
tighten the pinto. pl
He went up and took the hobble off -
uck Olney's feet, felt in the seam of
is coat lapel and pulled out four pins,
18th which he fastened Bucks "pedi-
rec" between Bucks shrinking shout
Then he stood off and sur
eyed his work critically before he
ent over to Rather, who stood doing
the sunshine.