The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1920-02-12

was Soapy Stone. Little beads of
perspiration stood out all over his fore
head. A glance showed the reason.
One OF his hands was caught in bear
trap fastened to a cottonwood. Its
jaws held him so that he could not
move.
The young man swung from the
back of Keno. He found the limb Of
cottonwood about as thick as his
forearm below the elbow. This he set
close to the trap.
"Soon as ! get the lip open shove
her in," he told Stone.
The rescuer slipped the toes ef his
boots over the lower lip and 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. By
great good fortune the steel had
caught on the leather gauntlet he was
wearing. Otherwise 1t must have
mangled the arm to a pulp.
Even now he was suffering q good
deal.
you'll have to let a doc look at It."
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 80. On the fnce Of the wounded
man gathered the moisture caused by
intense paid.
n.I Co., tlrD To-
synpathized.
"Reckon 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 it2"
"Ran silver in my finger. Miss
Laura. Too bad to trouble you,"
Soapy answered with a sneer on his
thin lips.
A rider for the Bar 90 had just rid
den up and Laura sent him Mt once
for the doctor. She led the way into
the house and swiftly gathered band
| ages, 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 bit OF 1t. Great pleasure to
have you for a nurse. I'm certainly in
luck" Curly did not understand the
bitterness in the Sardonic face and he
resented it.
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 cat
does n mouse. Moreover, the girl was
afraid of him. He could tell that by
the tirnid startled way she had of an
swerng. Now, why need she fear the
man? 1t would be as much as his life
was worth to lift hand to hurt her.
After the doctor had come and had
attended to the crushed wrist Curly
stepped out to the porch to find Laura.
"Tm right sorry for what l said.
Miss Laura. Once in a while fel.
low makes n mistake. IL he's as big 4
chump as am It's liable to happen Y
little Oftener. But I'm not really one
Of those smart guys"
Ont came her gloved hand In the
firnlest OF grips.
81 know that now. You didn't think.
And made a mistake. thought you
were taking advantage because l had
been friendly. I'm glad you spoke
about 1t. Wen forget 1t. There's
solnc; hing I want you to do for me-"
81 expect maybe I'll do IT,"
ITS about that boy he has up
there" She gave hopeless little ges-
turc toward the hills.
"Sam CulliSon2"
eyes"
"What about himT
"lI"'s bent on running him. always
hes been ever since he got hold on
him. can't tell you how know 1t.
but In cure And now he's more
set on IT than ever"
"Les lous. Is her
"Yes. II he can drag Sam down
and get him into trouble he'll pay of
two erudges 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 Cullison? Can't
he make fight for himselfi'
"Oh. you know how boys are. Sam
Is completely under this mans inilu-
ence." Her voice broke little. "And
| can't help him. I'm only girl. He
won't listen TO me. What Sam needs
is a man friend. one Just as strong and
determined as SOapy but one who Is
good and the right sort OF an infiu-
encc"
care you picking me for that re-
spOnSibe friend who Is to be such q
powerful influence for good?" Curly
asked with smile.
"Ycs-yes, am" She looked up at
him confidently.
Curly met her on the ground OF her
own seriousness. "Ill tell you some
thing. Miss Laara. Maybe you'll be
glad To knew that the reason I'm go
ing to the horse ranch Is to help Sam
CullisOn If can"
He went on to tell her the whole
story Of what the CulllsOns had done