Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-01-09

er MS. bad. Always been tough
character. Friend Of Bad Bill Cranstou
and Soapy Stone"
Il don't know anything against the
kid, barring that he's been little
Wild" Maloney testified. "And | reckon,
we amt any Of us prize Sunday school
winners for that matter"
AS Buck turned to leave the bunk
house the boy touched him on the arm.
How about Culison?" he asked
very low.
But Buck would not have II thai
way. "What about him7" he demand
ed out loud, his voice grating like
steel when II grinds.
as he-how is he doing?"
"What's eatin' your Amt he dying
fast enough to suit you"
Flandrau shrank from the cruel
words, as schoolboy does from his
teacher when he jumps at him with
cane.
1t was then that Maloney made a
friend of the young man for life. He
let hand drop carelessly on Curly's
shoulder and looked Mt him with q
1 friendly smile in his eyes, just as II
he knew that this was no wolf but
poor dog up against IL hard.
doc thinks he'll make II all right"
But there were times when Curly
wondered whether It would make any
difference to him whether Cullison got
well or not. Something immediate was
In the air. Public opinion was sitting
down to a decision. Most Of these men
were up to the average for the milk
OF human kindness. They were the
squarest citizens In Arizona. But Elan
drau knew they would snuff out his
life just the same II they decided 1t
was best. Afterward they might re-
greet It, but that would not help him.
Darkness came, and the lamps were
lit. Again Curly ate and smoked and
chatted little with his captors. But
as he sat there hour after hour, feel
ing death creep closer every minute,
cold shivers ran up and down his spine.
They began to question him, at first
casually and carelessly, so 1t seemed
to Curly. But presently he dlscerned
a drift in the talk. They were trying
to find out who had been his partners
In the rustling.
"And I reckon Soapy and Bad Bill
left you lads at Saguache to hold the
sack" Buck suggested sympathetlcally.
Curly grew wary. He did not intend
to betray his accomplces. Wrong
guess. Soapy and Bad Bill weren't In
this deal" he answered easily.
The foreman OF the Bar Double NJ
interrupted impatiently, tired of trying
to pump out the information by
finesse. you've got to speak, Elan.
drau. You've got to tell us who was
engineering this theft. Understand"
The young rustler looked at the
grim frowning face and his heart sank.
"Out with It," ordered Buck.
"Oh, l expect I'll keep that under
my hat" Curly told them lightly.
They were crowded about him In q
half circle, nearly a score Of hard
leather-faced plainsmen. Some OF
them were riders of the Circle G out,
fit. Others had ridden over from
neighboring ranches. All of them
plainly meant business.
Think again, Curly" advised Swee-
ney quietly. "The boys amt trlfiing
about this thing. They mean to find
out who was in the rustlng of the Bar
Double NJ stock"
"Not through me, they won't"
Through you. And right now"
dozen times during the evening
Curly had crushed down the desire to
beg for mercy, to cry out desperately
for them to let him Off, He had kept
telling himself not to show yellow,
that it would not last long. Now the
fear OF breaking down sloughed from
his soul. He rose from the bed and
looked round at the brown faces cir
cled about him I'm the shine Of the
lamps.
"Tll not tell you thing-not a
thing"
He stood there chalk-faced, his lips
so dry that he had to keep moistening
them with the tip Of his tongue.
Dutch had new rope In his hand
with loop at one end He tossed It
over the boys head and drew It taut.
Two or three Of the faces in the circle
were almost as bloodless as that OF
the prisoner, but they were set TO see
the thing out.
"Will you tell now2 Bonfils asked.
Curly met him eye to eye. mo"
"COme along, then"
One Of the men caught his arm at
the place where he had been wounded.
Tho rustIar hinchad
Careful, Buck. Don't you see you're
hurting his bad arm?" Sweeney said
sharply.
II didn't aim to hurt him." Buck de-
Tended himself.
Curly's senses had never been more
alert. He noticed that Buck had on a
red necktie that had got loose from his
shirt and climbed up his neck. 1t had
black polka dots and was badly frayed.
Sweeney was chewing tobacco. He
would have that chew in his mouth
after they had finished what they were
going to do.
"Ain't he the gamest ever?" some