The Pulaskian., 1919-06-27
CHAPTER Iv-continued.


 dred yards below MT. Curtis propity, on the off side O the road. I hadn't any more'n got to our front gate when heard some one running in the road up there behind mes Fore I knowed what was happenin', bang went a gun. almost jumped out'n my boots. The runnin' had stopped. The horses was rarin' an tearing so I thought I'd"
 sWhere'd the shot come from?" de- handed Jones.
 Up the road some'eres, I couldn't swear just where. Must'a' been up by the road that cuts in to Green Fancy. So I thought I'd hustle in an see if pa was awake, an git my gun. Jest then pa stuck his head out'n the win der an yelled what the hell's the mat ter. You betcher life I sung out who was mighty quick, cause pas purty spry with gun an didn't want him takin' me fer burglars sneaking around the house. While we wuz talkin' there one of the hosses started our way liekety-Split, an in about two seconds it went by us. It was purity dark, but we see plain as day that there was a man in the saddle, bendin' low over the hoss' neck and shoutin' to it. We waited a couple O minutes, wonderin' gittin' furder and furder away in the direction of the crossroads. Then wayldown there by the pike we heerd another shot. Right there an then pa said he'd put on his clothes an we'd set out to see what 1t was all about.
 Well, pa come out with my gun an his'n an we walks up to where I seen the hosses. Shore 'nough, one of lem was still hitched to the fence, an tother was gone. We stood around minute or two examinin' the hoss an then pa says let's go up the road a ways an see if we c'n see anything. An by gosh, we hadn't gone moren' fifty feet afore we come plumb on a man layin' in the middle of the road. Pa shook him an he didn't let out sound. He was warm, but deader'n a tombstone. I wuz fer leavin' him there tlii We cd git the coroner, but pa says no. We'd carry him down to our porch an lay him there, sos he'd be out O danger. jumps on Polly an lights out fer here, Mir. Jones, to telephone up to Saint Liz fer the sheriff an the coroner, not givin' dang what l run mto on the way. Polly shied some tnln' terrible jest afore we got to the pike an l come derned near bein' throwed. An right there side the road was this feller, all in a heap. Thinks you poor cuss, you must "a tried to stop that feller on hossback an he plunked you. That accounted fer the second shot. The thing that worries all ol us is did the same man do the Shootin', or was there two of lem, one Waitln down the cross-roads?'
 Must have been two" said Jones, ..houghtfully. 'The same man couldn't nave got down there ahead of him, oiats sure. Did anybody go up to oreen Fancy to make inquiries" Iwasn't necessary. MT. Curtis neard the shootin' an jest before we 'eit he sent man out to see what it @as all about. The old skeezicks that's reen drivin' his car lately come down nalI-dress' d. He said nothin' out of Fancy"
 US most mysterious" said Barnes, sianclng round the circle of awed laces There must have been some vle lylng in wait for these men, and "i,n q very definite purpose in mind"
 strikes me-" said Jones, .'that these s"o 2aen were up to some kind of dirty "0'A themselves, else why did they r, s they were goin' to Spanish Falls? 4ney were queer actin men, I'll have 10 say ihat.'
 us eyes met Barnes and there was
 lueer light in them.
 oh iou don't happen to know anything ou. tnis, do you. Mir. I,arnes?" he de handed, suddenly.