Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1920-04-01
SYNOPSIS.
Part |.

Mac, both practically mere boys, become
pisposins Of the stolen sttisa' Stock in at the town
Of Saguache, Ariz.. the band separates,
Curly and his partner staying in town.
They eyyu are awakened and told q q posse 10
their .pursuers. Overtaken x day, Mao
Is killed by the posse n Curly made
captive. after he has shot one and him
Luck Cullison.
cs CHATTER a.td 11;Mcull is 3xnc friends r,94'x Ill
an example to cattle thieves. With the
rope around his neck he is saved by the
Intervention Of Kate cullison. Luck's
CHAPTER Hills wound dressed.
Curly is sent for by .Cullison. He ques-
lions the boy concerning a notorious out
aew. soapy Stone. real leader Of the rus
Flandrau learns that soapy stone is cG1.
1ison's bitter enemy and exercises . bale
zHl influence over the ex-sherif's son
Gusiiso %"S gees es1 bali lilo for oS'e Curly T1:n nl' iA'n'''
CHAPTER .1v.-Curly rescues .soapy
stone from q bear trap into which no has
10 young Sans rival for the hand Of Lau-
r. London; She gives Curly a note to
deliver TO Sam. and F1andreu and Stone
set out for the latter's ranch.
stA1CSAVu. AuoIUS ~ AAAuCASCO Allus
But why did she? You don't figure
that curly topknot of yours is disturb
ing her dreams any, do you?"
"Quit your joshing and tell me
why?"
II can't tell you for sure. But here's
my guess. Don't cost you a cent If you
amt satisfied with it. First off, there
was poor Mac shot by the Circle 9
boys. Course Mac was a horse thief,
but then he was a kid, too. That o.
r1ed the little girl some. She got to
thinking about Brother Sam and how
he might be in the same fix one Of
these days as you are now. He's on
her mind a good deal, Sam Is. Same
way with the old man too, I reckon,
though he don't say much. Well, she
decided Soapy Stone had led you
astray like he's doing with Sam. 1t
got to worrying her for fear her broth
er might need a friend some time. So
she handed over her worry to the old
man and made him dig up for you"
That's about it. Tell me what you
know Of SAM"
"Sam is all right, but he has got off
wrong foot first. He and the old man
got to kind of di%sagreeing, for the kid
was a wild colt. Come by it honestly
from the old man, too. Well, they had
a row n time when Sam got into
trouble. Luck told him he never want
ed to see him again. Sam lit out, and
next folks knew he was trailing with
Soapy's gang"
"Looks like some one ought to be
able to pry him loose from that BUNCH"
Curly mused aloud.
Maloney grinned across at him.
"You try it, son. You've always led a
good piOus life. He sure would listen
to you"
He had said it as a jest, but Curly
did not laugh. Why not? Why
shouldn't he hunt up Sam and let him
know how his folks were worrying
about him? He was footloose till Sep
tember and out Of a job. For he could
not go back to the Map Of Texas with
his hat in his hand and q %repentant
whine On his lips. Why not hike into
the hills and round up the boy?
Damn if I don't take a crack at it."
The man on the other side Of the
table stared at him.
Meaning that, are you?"
"Yep."
might be some lively if Soapy gets
wise to your Intentions" he said in a
casual sort Of way.
$" don't aim to declare them u
ioud."
That was all they said about it at
that time. The rest Of the evening
was devoted to pleasure.
Since their way was one for several
together next morning at daybreak.
Their ponies ambled along side by
side at the easy gait characteristic Of
the Southwest.
Your plainsman is q taciturn indi-
vidual. These two rode for an hour
without exchanging a syllable.
At Willow Wash their ways d.
verged. They parted with the casual
"So-long; see you later" Curly was
striking for the headwaters Of Dead
Cow creek, where Soapy Stone had a
horse ranch.
About two o'clock he reached a lit
tie park in the hills, in the middle Of
which, by a dry creek, lay a ranch.
The young man at first thought the
place was deserted for the day, but
when he called a girl appeared at the
door. She was II young person OF soft
curves and engaging dimples. Be-
meath the brown cheeks of Arizona
was II pink TINT came and went very
attrnctivcly,
Curly took off his dusty gray hat,
"Ruenos tnrdes. senorlta! III bet I'm
100 late to draw any dinner"
'Buen0s, SENIOR she answered
promptly, "lll bet you'd lose your
money. You can wash oven there by
the. pump, There's u towel on the