The Jasper news., 1920-04-22

NhACAAAs ~ tuuL
"Not TIL the call romeD for citizens
to get together and run them out Of
the country. Or to put them behind
bars. Or to string them to a cotton
wood. Then I'll be on the job"
He stood there quiet and-easy, the
look in his steady eyes piercing Curly's
ironic smile as a summer sun does
mackerel clouds in a clear sky. Not
many men would have had the courage
to send that message to Soapy and his
outfit. For Stone was not only man
killer, but a mean one. at that
Curly sloughed his foollshness and
came to the point. you're on, Stats.
I'm making that call to you now.".
Surprise, doubt, wonder, relief filled
In turn the face Of the other man.
"I'm listening, Curly"
His friend told him the whole story
from the beginning, just as he had
been used to do In the old days. And
Davis heard It without word, taking
the tale In quietly with grim look
settling on his face.
$50 he aims to. play traitor to
young Cullison."
"He means to shut Sans mouth for
good and all. That is what he has
been playing for from the start, to get
even with Luck. He and his gang will
get away with the haul and they will
leave Sam dead on the scene of the
holdup. There will be some shooting,
and 1t will be figured the boy was hit
by one Of the train crew. Nothing
could be easier. He aims to put me on
the stand and prove by me that Sam
and he had a quarrel and parted COM
pany mighty sore at each other hardly
week before the holdup. He'll have
an alibi, too, to show he couldn't have
been In 1t. See how slick his scheme
Isl At one flip of the cards he kills
the kid and damns his reputation. He
scores Culllson and he snuffs out Sam,
who has had the luck to win the girl
Soapy fancies. The boy gets his and
the girl is shown she can't love another
man than Stone"
you've got 1t about right" Stats ad-
mitted. How about warning Luck1"
"The point is, would he be willing to
wait and let soapy play his hand out
| till we calledT
"You would have to guarantee his
boy would be safe meanwhile"
1.-TWO Of us would have to watch him
day and night without Sam knowing
It."
''Count me In"
"There is where we hit heavy travel
the thing is going to be pulled off,"
"Well have to be ready. That's all.
Happen TO know whether Dick Ma
loney Is here for the showT
"Saw him this mO'ning. Luck Is
here too. him and his girl"
Good. We've got to have talk
with them, and II has to be on the
Qt. You go back to town and lnd
Dick. Tell him to meet us at the De
Mar, where Luck always puts up. Find
out the number of Culllson's room and
make an appointment. I'll be on ~
Molino street all mo'ning Off and on
When you find out pass me without
stopping, but tell me when we are tC
meet and just where"
Curly gave Stats a quarter Of al
! hour before sauntering back to town
AS he was passing the Silver Dollal
saloon a voice called him. Stone ant
Blackwell were standing In the door
Flandrau stopped.
Soapy's deep-set eyes blazed at him
"YOu didn't tell nue. 1t was Luck Cul
lison went bail for you. Curly. So yo'
and him are thick, are your
"Tve met him once, II that's beini
thick. That time shot him up"
Funny. And then he went bail TO
your"
"Yes."
"Now, l wonder why"
The eyes of the man had narrower
to red slits. His head had shot for
ward on his shoulders as that Of
snake does. Curly would have given
good deal just then for the revolye
lying on the bed Of his room. For
was plain trouble was In sight. Tn
desperate had been drinking heayil
and was ready to do murder.
"Thats easy to explain, Soapy.
shot him because was driven to 4
He's too much Of a man to bear
grudge for what couldn't help"
you're a liar. He did 1t becaus
you promised to sneak up to my ranc
and spy on us. That's why he did It."
With the last word his gun jumpe
into sight. That he was lashing hin
self into a fury was plain. Present.
his rage would end In tragedy.
, Gtven a chanca Curly would hay