Meade County news., 1918-03-28

ominous to Offset Wards attempt at
righteousness Indeed, the very weak
ness Of the attempt was in itself omi-
nous. Ward might try to be coldly
malevolent, but the light that burned
in his eyes and the rage that tightened
his lips gave the lie to his forced COM
posure.
He went out and led up the horses
to the door. He came back and started
to unite Buck Olney's feet, then be-
thought him Of the statement he had
promised to write. He got magazine
and tore out the frontispiece-whi
oddly enough, was somber picture of
Death lowering with outstretched
wings over a battlefield-an wrote
several lines in pencil on the back of it,
where the paper was smooth and
white.
Flows that?" he asked, holding up
the paper so that Buck could read
what he had written. II amt in the
mood to sit down and write a whole
book, so had to boil down your pedi-
gree. But that will do the business all
right, don't you thinkY'
Buck read with staring eyes, looked
into Wards face and opened his lips
for protest or pleading. Then he fol-
lowed Wards glance to the knife on
the table and shut his mouth with
snap. Ward laughed grimly, picked
up the knife and ran his thumb lightly
over the edge to test its keenness.
"Put a fresh edge on it for me, huh?"
he commented. "Well, we may as well
get started, l reckon. I'm getting al
mighty sick of seeing you around"
He loosened the rope that bound
Buck to the chair and stood scOwling
down at him, drawing in corner of
his lip and biting it thoughtfully. Then
he took his revolver and held it in his
left hand, while with his right he un-
did the rope which bound Bucks
hands.
"Stick your hands out in front Of
you," he commanded. you'll have to
ride ways. There isn't any ga.iows
LLeS III WdlhluB ulSJduCe.
"For Gods sake, Ward" Bucks
voice was hoarse. The plea came out
of its own accord. He held his hands
before him, however, and he made no
attempt to get out of the chair. He
knew Ward could shoot all right with
his left hand, you see. He had watch
ed him practice on tin cans long ago
when the two were friends.
"You know what 1 told you," Ward
reminded him grimly and took up the
knife with a deadly air that made the
other suck in his breath. Hold still!
I'm liable to cut your throat if 1 make
a mislick."
Really, it was the way he did it that
made it terrible. The thing itself was
nothing. He merely drew the back of
the blade down alongside Bucks ear
and permitted the point to scratch
through the skin barely enough to let
out a thin trickle Of blood. A pin
would have hurt worse. But Buck
groaned and believed he had lost an
ear. He breathed in gasps, but did not
say word.
go ahead. Talk all you want to-
Buck" Ward invited, and wiped the
knife blade on Bucks shoulder before
he returned the weapon to its sheath
in his inside coat pocket.
Buck flinched from the touch and sci
his teeth.
Ward tied his hands before him and
told him to get up and go out to his
horse. Buck obeyed with abject sub
missiveness, and Wards lip curled
again as he walked behind him to the
door. He had not the slightest twinge
of pity for the man. He was gloating
ly glad that he could make him suffer
and he inwardly cursed his own hu
manity for being so merciful. He
o"ght to have cut Bucks ear off slick
and clean instead of making a bluff a
it, he told himself disgustedly. Bucl
deserved 1t and more.
He helped Buck into the saddle, tool
the short rope in his hands and hobblet
Bucks feet under the horse, graspet
the bride reins and mounted Rather
Without word he set off up the rougl
trail toward Hardup, leading Buck
horse behind him.
Before you go, Buck, want to tel
you that you needn't jolly yourself int
thinking your death will be avenged
1t won't. You noticed what l wrote
and there isn't scrap Of my writing
anywhere in the country to catch m
, up" Wards thoughts went to Bill
Louise, who had some very good sam
pies, and he stopped suddenly. H
was trying not to think of Billy Louis
today. "Also when somebody happen
to ride this way and sees you 1 won
be anywhere around"
"This is the tree" he added, stopping
under a cottonwood that flung a bi
branch out over the narrow COW trai
r they were travelling. "The chances ar
, friend Floyd will be ambling aroun,
! this way in a day or two" he sal,
I hearteningly. "He can tend to the las
, sad rites and take charge of you
horse. He's liable to be sore when h
reads your pedigree, but don't recko
that will make n great deal Of differ