Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1920-01-30
PART /
4aaalHlaH
Curly.
Following a Crooked Trail.

Across Dry YnlieY aust ciuuu Hd'
been moving for hours. II rolled Int
saguache at the brisk heels Of buncl
OF horses Just about the time the town
was settling itself TO supper. From
out OF the heart Of Il caniered a rider
who swung bis pony as 90 q BALI dol
lar. and DETECTED the remuda TOWARD
Chunn's corral.
The rider was IN the hroad-rlmmed
felt hat. the gray shirt, the plain leath-
er chaps OF a vaquerO. Under other
conditions he might have been col
lege freshman for age, but the colnpe-
tent confidence Of manhood sat easily
on his broad shoulders. Curly Elan
drau had more than once looked Into
the chill eyes Of death
The leaders Of the herd dribbled Into
the corral through the open gate. and
the others crowded on their heels.
Three more riders followed Curly into
the Enclosure. One Of them, a red
haired young fellow Of about the same
age as Curly. swung stifly from the
saddle.
ME for square meal FIRST off" he
gave out promptly.
''Not TN we've finished this business,
Mac Wen put deal right through II
Warren's here" decided a third mem
Der OF the party. He was tough-look-
ing customer OF nearly fifty. bad Bill"
Cranston he was called. and the man
!. looked as IL he had earned his sobrl-
Duet.
: land what II he amt here7" snarled
Lutte Blackwell. "Are You aiming to
sit down and walt for hlm7"
wen cross that bridge when we
come to It," Bad Bill answered. "Curly.
want to ride up to the hotel and ask
IL MFR. Dave Warren is 'there7 Bring
him right down II he u.s."
The young man cantered up the
dusty street toward the hotel.
Thought you'd fixed 1t with this
Warren to be right on the spot SOS
we could unload on him prompt"
Blackwell grumbled at Cranston with
out looking toward the latter.
u didn't promise he'd be hanging
round your neck soon MS you hit town."
Cranston retorted coolly.
The owner of the corral sauntered
from the stable aud glanced over the
bunch Of horses milling around.
''Driye all the way from Bar Double
MI" asked the keeper. his eyes on the
brand stamped on The flank Of a pony
cirtIIug past,
"Yep."
Bad Bin turned away and began to
unsaddle.
Looks Ike you been hitting the road
at a right lively gait"
Mae cut in shoulder 10 my broncs
ehafed from the saddle Got anything
thatn heal itG"
You bet hive" The man hurried
into The stable and the red beaded cow
pgucher wtnked across the back OF his
horse % Bu.
The Keeper OF the stalde ana the
young man were stlH busy ductoring
the sore when Curly arrived with War
rcn. Tho buyer was round bodied
man with black gimlet eyes that saw
much be never told. The bargain he
drove was a hard one. but il did not
take long 90 come 70 terms ut about
oue-third the value OF the string he
was purchasing. Very likely he had
his suspicious. but he did not voice
them. No doubt they cut figure In
the price He let II be understood
that he was a supply agent for the
rebels 10 Mexico. Before the bills we're
warm Ia the pockets Of the sellers. his
yaqueros Mere mounted and We're
moving the rcmuda toward the border
Curly and Mae helped them get
started AS they rode back TO the cor
raj a young man came out from the
stable. flandrau forgot that there
we're rraSous Why he wanted Just now
TO be stranger IN the land with his
lden,ity NOT advertised. lie let out u
shout
~uh yon Stats Davis"
"IIelo. curlyi How are things
q oomn ?"
pine when did you blow In to
Amt you or your run
s0mef"
They bad ridden the range together
and had frolicked around On dozen
hoyisA larks To put it mildly the
meeting was likely TO prove embarrasS.
Ing.
Came down to see about getting
come rows for the old man frotn the
outfit" Davis explained
TYou riding for the Bar Double M"
There was q momeRtary silence.
1Urly's yigllaDt eyes met those Of his
I'D side partner. What aid Stats
know? Were bis suspicious already
active7
mo, I'm riding FOR the Map OF
rexas," Flandrau answered evenly.
"C0me on, Curly. Let's 20 feed our