The diamond drill., 1920-02-14

uooto ofeF the iOWer I'D ana caught
the upper one with both hands. Slow
ly the mouth OF the trap opened.
Stone slipped In the wooden wedge
and withdrew his crushed wrist.s BY
! great good fortune the steel had
caught on the leather gauntlet he was
wearing. Otherwise IL must have
mangled the arm TO a pulp.
Even now he was suffering good
| deal.
you'll have to let doc look at t."
Curly suggested.
Stone agreed. Reckon better
strike for the Bar 90"
His horse had disappeared. but
| Curly helped him to the back OF Keno.
Together they took the trail for the
Bar 90. On the face OF the wounded
man gathered the moisture caused by
intense paid.
lizard shedding. looks like" Curly
sympathized.
Reckon l can stand the grief."
Stone grunted.
Nor did he speak again until they
reached the ranch and Laura London
looked at him from a frightened face.
"What is it7"
Ran silver I'm my finger, Miss
Laura. Too bad TO trouble you."
Soapy answered with n sneer on his
thin lips.
A rider for the Bar 90 had Just rid
den up and Laura sent him at once
for the doctor. She led the way into
the house and swiftly gathered band
ages. a sponge and basin OF water.
Together she and Curly bathed and
wrapped the wound.
Laura was as gentle as she could be.
II know I'm hurting you." she said.
her fingers trembling.
"Not a bit OF Il. Great pleasure 20
have you Tor nurse. I'm certainly In
luck" Curly did not understand the
bitterness In the sardonic face and he
resented II.
That something was wrong between
them Curly could see. Soapy was very
polite In spite of his bitterness. but
his hard eyes watched her as a cat
does a mouse. Moreover, the girl was
the timid startled way she had of an
swerlng. Now. why need she fear the
man7 IL would be as much as his life
was worth TO lift a hand 10 hurt her.
After the doctor had come and had
attended 10 the crushed wrist Curly
stepped out to the porch to lind Laura.
I'm right sorry for what | said.
Miss Laura. once In a while fel-
low makes a mistake. IL he's as big
chump as | am it's liable to happen a
little oftener. But I'm not really one
OF those smart guys"
out came her gIoved hand in the
firmest OF grips.
II know that now. You didn't think.
And made a mistake. | thought you
were taking advantage because had
been friendly. I'm glad you spoke
about It. Wen forget II. There's
something want you to do for me-"
II expect maybe I'll do It."
"It's about that boy be has up
there" She gave a hopeless little ges-
ture toward the hills.
"Sam Culllson?"
ayes"
"What about himl"
"He's bent on running him. always
has been ever since he got hold on
him. can't tell you how know II.
but I'm sure And now he's more
set on II than ever"
Jealous is hef"
"Yes. n he can drag Sam down
and get him into trouble he'll pay Off
two grudges at once. And he will too.
You'll see. He's willy as an Indian.
For that matter there Is Apache blood
In him, folks say"
what about young CullIsonl Can't
he make fight for himself?"
"Oh. you know how boys are. Sam
Is completely under this mans infiu-
ence." Her voice broke little. "And
can't help him. I'm only a girl. He
won't listen TO me. What Sam needs
is man friend, one just as strong and
determined as Soapy but one who is
good and the right sort OF an infiu-
ence."
"Are you picking me for that re-
sponsble friend who is 10 be such a
powerful influence for good7" Curly
asked with smile.
"Yes-yes. am" She looked up at
him confidently.
Curly met her on the ground OF her
own seriousness. "'ll tell you some
thing. Miss Laura. Maybe you'll be |
glad to know that the reason I'm go |
Ing 10 the horse ranch is TO help Sam |
Cullison n can"
He went on 10 tell her the whole
story OF what the Cullisons had done
for him. In oil that he said there was
not one word 10 suggest such a thing. |
but Laura Londons mind jumped the
gaps 10 knowledge OF the truth that
Curly himself did not have. The young
man was In love with Kate Culllson.
She was sure OF It.
When Curly walked back into the !