The Bossier banner., 1920-12-30


few months before She saw In him
an iron will, shrewdness. courage and
resource. Out Of ten thousand men
there We're none whose voice drummed |
on her heartstrings as did that of this
youth.
Two men sat In a log cabin on oppo-
site sides Of a cheap table. One OF them
was immersed In newspaper. His
body was relaxed. his mind apparently
at ease. The other watched him
malevolently. HiS fingers caressed the
handle OF revolver that protruded
from the holster at his side. He would
have liked nothing better than to have
drawn 1t and sent q bullet crashing
into the unperturbed brain Of his pris-
Oner.
There were reasons of policy why
1t were better to curb this fascinating
desire, but sometimes the impulse to
kill surged up almost uncontroilably.
On these occasions Luck Cullison was
usually "deviling" him, the only diver
sion that had been open to the ranch
man for some days past.
From time to time as Luck read he
commented genially on the news.
Blackwell merely scowled. Given his
way, Cullison would not be here to
read the Sentinel. But the brains Of
the conspiracy had ruled otherwise
and insisted, too, upon decent treat
ment With one ankle securely tied to
leg Of the table there was no danger
in freeing the hands Of the cattleman,
but his hosts saw that never for an in
slant were hands and feet at liberty TO-
gether. For this man was not the one
with whom to. take chances.
Cullison read on:
Lieutenant O'Connor OF the Ari-
zona rangers left town today for a
short trip into the hills. where he ex-
poets to spend a few days hunting
Hunting what, do you reckon? Or
hunting who. should say. Ever meet
Bucky O'Connor. Blackwell? No. !
reckon not. He's since your time. A
crackerjack, too! Wonder If Bucky
amt after some friends Of mine7"
.Shut up" growled the other.
"Sure you'll shut up-when Bucky
landsson you" retorted Luck cheerful
". Then, with a sudden whoop
"Helio, here's a! personal to- your ad'
dress. Listen. The friends Of L. G
serve notica mat what occurred at the
/ Jack s. Eearts is known. Any violence
i hereafter done to him will be paid fol
4 to the limit. No guilty man will es
cape So the boys are getting busy
4 / figured they would be"
The former convict leaned forwarf
:. angrily. "Lemme see that paper"
| His guest handed it over, an indes
finger pointing out the item. "Larg'
as life, Blackwell. No, sir. You ce'
tainly didn't ride herd proper on tina
opportunity"
.Don't be too sure it's gone. MI
J Sheriff."
"They've got you dead to rights
Read that personal again. Learn
by heart. The friends OF L. =. CIV
warming You better believe they'r
rounding up your outfit. They kno'
I'm alive. They know all about tn
, Jack of Hearts. Pretty soon they
/ know where you've got me hidden"
II "You'd better pray they won't. Fo
) II they find the nest 1t will be empt!
Look out Of that window behind you
) Luck turned. The cabin was bui
r on a ledge far up on the. mountain
E side, From the back wall sloped II
E a hundred feet an almost perpendi
ular slide Of rock.
"There's a prospect hole dow
e there" Blackwell explained savagel
you'd go down the Devils Slide
what's left of you, mean-deep m,
that prospect hole. The timberin;
a are rotted and the whole top Of IL
working ready to cayein. When yo'
e body hits it there will be an avalancl
t with Mr.. Former Sheriff Cullison
e fhe bottom Of it. You'll be burit
e without any funeral expenses, and
reckon your friends will never kno
where to put the headstone."
> The thing was devilishly simple al
/ feasible. Luck, still looking out
: the window, felt the blood run co
e down his spine, for he knew this Z
low would never stick at murder
It he felt it would be safe.
$50 you see I'm right; you'd bett
q pray your friends won't find yo
e They can't reach here without bel
Il heard. If they get to hunting the
le hills you sure want to hope they
I. stay cold, for just as soon as they
D. warm it will be the signal for you
Il shoot the chutes."
e Luck met his triumphant savage
- with an impassive face. "1nteresti
- II true. And where will you be VII
ie my friends arrive? I reckon 1t wo
~ be a pleasant meeting for Mr.. Blat
WELL"
:. .Tll be headed for Mexico. !
=. ~ you because you amt liable to
:. around spreading the news. Ther
- horse saddied in the dip back Of
"a hill crest. Get it?''
From far below there came throu
the open window the faint click OF