Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1920-03-11
"Who?" fired Curly back at him.

1.-THE Bar Double M boys. They
just reached town."
"Put up that gun. Mac, and move
into your clothes Immediately" Or
dered Curly. Then to Davis: Go on.
Unload the rest. What do they known"
"They inquired for you and your
frirnd here down at the Legal Ten.
DER"
Have we got a chance to make our
getaway?" Mac asked.
Davis nodded. "Slide out through
the kitchen, cut into the alley, and
across lots to the corral. Well lock
the door and I'll hold them here long
as | cam"
Good boy, Stats. If there's a neck
tie party you'll get the first Did,"
Curly grinned.
Stats looked at him, cold and steady.
Palmer than words he was telling his
former friend that he would not Joke
with a horse thief. For the sake of old
times he would save him If he could.
but he would call any bluffs about the
whole thing being a lark.
Curly's eyes fell away. 1t came to
him for the first time that he was no
longer an honest man. Up till this
escapade he had been only wild, but
now he had crossed the line that sep
arates decent folks from outlaws.
Not another word was said while
they hurried into their clothes. But
as Curly passed out Of the door he
called back huskiiy. won't forget
what you done for us, Stats"
Again their eyes met. Davis did
not speak. but the chill look on his
face told Flandrau that he had lost a
friend.
The two young men ran down the
back stairs. passed through the kitch-
en- where a Chinese cook was getting
breakfast, and out into the bright sun
light.
wont do to be in any hurry. The
play is we're gentlemen of leisure, just
out for an amble to get the mo'ning
air." Curly cautioned.
While they fed, watered and sad
died they snapped gossip with the
wrangler. 1t would not do to leave
the boy with a story Of two riders in
such a hurry to hit the trail that they
could not wait to feed their b%ronchos.
So they stuck 1t out while the animals
ate. At that, they shaved it fine. for
as they rode away two men were
| coming down the street.
"Kite Bondls," Curly called to his
partner.
No explanation was needed. Bon-
fills was the foreman of the Bar
Double M. He let out a shout as he
caught sight of them and began to
run forward. simultaneously his gun
seemed to jump from its holster.
Macs quirt sang and his pony
leaped to a canter In two strides. A
bullet tipped between them. Another
struck the dust at their heels. Faint
ly there came to the fugitives the
sound of the foreman's impotent
curses. They had escaped for the
| time.
Presently they passed the last barb
wire fence and open country lay be-
fore them. 1t did MOI greatly matter
which direction they followed, SO long
as they headed into the desert.
Neither Of them had eve been in
serious trouble before and both re-
GREETED the folly hat had turned their
drunken spree into a crime. They
were stretched in front Of the fire that
evening trying to make a smoke serve
instead of supper. Mac broke a gloomy
silence to grunt out jerkily a situa-
ton he could no longer keep to him
self.
Here's where l get my walking pa
pers, l reckon. No rustlers need ap-
ply"
Curly shot a slant glance at him.
"Meaning-the girl?"
his coat pocket a photograph and
showed it to his friend. The sweet
clean face OF a wholesome girl smiled
at Curly.
"She's ce'tainly a right nice young
lady. I'll bet she stands by you all
right. Where's she live att"
"Waits in a restaurant at Tomb
stone. We was going to be married
soon as we had saved five hundred dol
lars" Mac swallowed hard. "And l
had to figure out this short cut to the
money whilst I vas drunk. AS if she'd
look at money made that way"
Curly tried to cheer him UP, but did
not make much of a job at it. The i'm
disputable facts were that Mac was
an outlaw and a horse thief.
The redheaded boy rolled another
cigarette despondently. "Sho! I've
cooked my goose. She'll not look at me
even if they don't send me to he
pen. And she's the best ever. Her
names Myra Anderson"
They slept under a live a with the
soundness Of healthy youth. For the
time they forgot their troubles. Neither
Of them knew that as the hours slipped
away red tragedy was galloping closer
TO them.