Connecticut western news., 1920-04-01

ought to strip his hide off and hang 1t
 out to dry. But I've got first call on
 him. If he comes through with the
 truth about the w. X s. robbery I've
 got to protect him."
 Luck understood the ranger. They
 were both working toward the same
 end. The immediate punishment of
 this criminal was not the important is- sue. It was merely club with which
 to beat him into submission, and at
 that moral rather than physical
 one. But the owner of the Circle c
 knew better than to yield to Bucky too
 easily. He fought the point out with him at length, and finally yielded re- 1 luctantly, in such a way as to aggra- , vate rather than relieve the anxiety of
 the convict.
 "All right. You take him f1rst," he finally conceded harshly. Bucky kept up the comedy. "T'n take him, Mir. Cullison. But if he tells me the truth-and if find out It's the whole truth-there'l be nothing doing on your part. He's my prisoner. Un- derstand that"
 Metaphorically Blackwell licked the hand of his protector. T aim to do what's right, Captain O'Connor. What ever's right. You ask me any ques- tions."
 'T want to know all about the W. & S. robbery, everything, from start to finish"
 Honest, I wish I could tell you. But l don't know a thing about 1t. Cross my heart, I don't"
 "No use, Blackwell. If I'm going to stand by you against Mir. Culllson, you'll have to tell the truth. Why, man, I've even got the mask you wore and the cloth you cut 1t from"
 "I reckon 1t must a-been some one else, major. Wisht could help you. but I can't"
 Bucky rose. All right. If you can't help me, I can't help you. Mir. Cut lison, reckon I'll run out and have some supper. Do you mind staying here with this man till get back?"
 No. That's all right, Bucky. Don't hurry. I'll keep him entertained" Perhaps it was not by chance that his eye wandered to a blacksnake whip hanging on the wall.
 O'Connor sauntered to the door. The frightened gaze of the prisoner c:ung to him as if for safety.
 "Major-Colonel-y ain't a-going," he pleaded.
 "Only for an hour or two. I'll be back. I wouldn't think of saying good by-not till we reach Yuma"
 With that the door closed behind him. Blackwell cried out, hurriedly, eagerly: Mister lO'Connor! Tn tell you everything-every last thing. Mir. Cullison-hes aiming to kill me soon as you've gone"
 i've got no time to fool away. Blackwell. Pm hungry. If you mean business get to it. But remember that whatever you say will be used against you"
 "I'll tell you any dog goned thing you want to know. You've got me beat. rn plumb wore out-sick. A man can't stand everything"
 Sit down. There's good dinner waiting for you at Clune's when you get through"
 His story was that he had found on the street letter that had inadver- | tently been dropped. It was to Jordan | of the Cattleman's National bank and | it notified him that $2O,OOO was to be ] shipped to him by the w. X s. Express | on the night of the robbery. | Blackwell resolved to have n try for t. He hung around the office until the and the guard arrived from the train. made his raid upon them. locked the door, and threw away his mask. He dived with the satchel into he nearest alley, aud came face to ace with the stranger whom he later C" md to LP i'c"i,r'c';.
 t'eht'!"k. ,,hu lad !pnIh '3' ,'''"''' ES of the mGa .ur.2d ,n tit' C. ',t,.,- office, stopped the robber, but Black we'll broke away and ran down the llley. The sheepman followed and aught him. After another scuftle the onvict again hammered himself free. ut left behind the hand satchel con. aiming the spells. Fendrick (so he ater explained to BlackwelD tied q ord to the handle of the bag and ropped it down the chute of laun- Try in such a way that 1t could later e drawn up. Then he hurried back 0 the express office and released the rtsoners. After the excitement had he had returned for the honey and hid it. The original robber i'd not know where Blackwell's second meeting with the heepman had been almost as startling S the first. Cass had ru1 into the ack of Hearts In time to save the life f his enemy. The two men recognized ach other and entered into a compact } abduct Cullison, for his share in hich the older man was paid one lousand dollars. Both men asked the same question as Don as he had finished.