Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-05-27

u ia " uV q -AkNIIS.
with him."
,Fendrick, tense as a coiled spring,
watched him warily. "Can't be any
too soon, to suit me"
Clear cut as q pair Of scissors
through paper Bucky snapped out his
warning. Nothing stirring, gentle
| men. I'll shoot the first man that
makes a move"
"Are you in this Bucky?" asked Gull
lison evenly.
you're right 1 am. He's my pris-
oner."
"What for"
"For robbing the w. Il S"
Luck's face lit. "Have you evidence
enough to cinch him?"
mot enough yet. But I'll take no
chances ON his getting away"
The cattleman's countenance reflect
ed his thoughts as his decision hung in
the balance. He longcd to pay his
debt On the spot. But or the other
hand lie had been a sheriff himself.
As an outsider he had no right to in
terfere between an officer and his cap
tive. Besides, if there was a chance
to seEG Fendrick over the road that
would be better than killing. 1t would
clear up his own reputation, to some
extent under a cloud.
Cali right, Bucky. If the law wants
him I'll step aside for the time"
The sheepman laughed in his ironic
fashion. His amusement Knocked
them both. "Most as good as a play
of the movies, amt it? But we'd ought
all to have our guns out to make it
realistic"
Bucky O'Connor and his prisoner
swung down the street side by side
and turned in at the headquarters Of
the rangers. The officer switched on
the light, shut the door, and indicated
q chair.
Relaxed in his chair, Fendrick spoke
with rather elaborate Incidence.
"Whats your evidence, Bucky?
What have you got that ties me to the
w. Il S. robhery|
"Why, that hat play, Cass. You let
on you had shot Cullison's hat off his
head while he was making his get
away. Come to find out you had his
hat in your possession all the time"
Does that prove I did it myselfw
Looks funny you happened to be
right there while the robbery was TAX
ing place and that you had Luck's
hat with you"
The sleepy tiger look lay warily in
the sheepman's eyes. "That's what
the dictionaries call coincidence,
Bucky."
give a notion it will take some ex-
planning"
"Confidentially?"
"C~onidentially what?"
"The explanation. You won't use it
against me?"
"Not if you weren't in the hold.
up"
Il wasn't. This is the way it hap
pened: You know Cullison was go
ing to prove up on that Del Orc claim
on Thursday. He had me beat.
\ couldn't see any way out but to ca
: crow and offer a compromise. 1t wa
up to me to hunt Luck up and SET
: what he would do. His hat gave me
( an excuse to call. So I started GU
and came round the corner of Sar
} Mateo street just in time to see the
robber pull out. Honest, the fellow
did shape up a little like Luck. Right
} then l got the darned fool notion Of
mixing him up in it. l threw his hal
: down and shot a hole in it, then I'm
. locked the door Of the express office
carrying the hat in my hand. That's
l all there was to it."
"Pretty low-down trick, wasn't it, te
play on an innocent man."
5 "He was figuring to do me up.
{ don't say it was exactly On the square
but l was sore at him clear through
I wanted to get him into trouble"
| Bucky reflected, looking at the Ions
ash on his cigar. 1.-THE man that made
? the raid of the w. & S. shaped up like
Luck, you say?"
: Gin a general way"
The range looked quietly at Fen
? drick. "Who was the man, Cass?"
: 81 thought l told you"
"You did. But you lied. 1t was {
moonlight night. And there's an arr
light at that corner. BY your owl
story. the fellow took his mask off a.
he swung to his horse. You saw his
I face just as distinctly as l see yours
f. now"
? mo. l reckon not" Fendricl
: grinned.
Meaning you won't tell?"
) That's not how 1 put it, Bucky
You're the one that says l recognized
him. Come to think Of it, I'm not sure
the fellow didn't ear his mask till he
was out of sight"
Il am. The mask was found JUS
outside the Office where the mar
dropped it before he got into the sad:
die"
"Sow
"That's not all. Curly and I found
something else, too-the old shirt from
which the cloth was cut. And / nave