The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1920-04-15
CHAPTER WIN.
Touch Of the Third Decree.

stones horse ranch when they came
focp TO face. Before the bad man had
his revolver out, he found himself
looking down the barrel of the rang
or,s leveled rifle.
81 wouldn't" Bucky murnured gen.
tally.
what you want me for?" Blackwell
demanded sulkily.
For the ". & S. robbery"
I'm not the man you want. My
names Johnson"
TN put up with you till find the
man | do want, Mr.. Johnson" Bucky
told him cheerfully. CLIMB down
from that horse. No, l wouldn't try
that Keep your hands up"
Buck took his prisoner straight to
the rangers Office and telephont-d to
CuliSOn.
The lieutenant did not know any
thing about book psychology, but he
had observed that hunger and weari-
ness try out the stuff that is in man.
Under the sag of them many a will
Snaps that would have held fast if sus-
tanned by good dinner and a sound
nights sleep. This is why so many
chad men," gun fighters with a reputa-
tion for gameness, wilt on occasion
like whipped ours. In the old days this
came to nearly every terror of the
border. Some day when he had
humping toothache, or when his nerves
we're frayed from a debauch, silent
stranger walked into his presence,
looked long and steadily into his eyes
and ended forever his reign of lawless-
ness, Sometimes the twO-gun man
was planted" sometimes he subsidized
into innocuous peace he1ceforth.
The ranger had a shrewd instinct
that the hour had come to batter down
this fellows logged resistance. There
fore he sent for Cullison, the man
whom the convict most feared.
The very look of the cattleman, with
that grim, hard, capable aspect, shook
Blackwelrs nerve.
$50 you've got him, Bucky?"
Luck looked the man over as he sat
handcuffed beside the table and read
in his face both terror and sly,
logged cunning. Once before the fell
low had been put through the third de-
gree. Something of the sort he fear
fully expected now. Villainy is usually
not consistent. This hulking bully
should have been hardy ruft1an. In
stead, he shrank like a schoolgirl from
the thought of physical pain.
Stand up" ordered Cullison, quiet
ly.
Blackwell got to his feet at once.
Don't hit me-" he whined.
nn6QR
the punishment his imagination called
up and he understood human nature
too well to end the suspense by max
ing real the vision. For tlen the
worst would be past, since the actual
is never equal to what is expected.
"Well?" Luck watched him with the
look of tempered steel in his hard
eyes
'I-I-Mr Cullison, / want to eX-
plain. Every man is liable to make
mistake-go off half cooked. l didn't
do right That's a fac. l can explain
all that, but I'm sick nOw-awful
sick"
Cullison laughed harshly. you'll be
sicker soon.'
You promised you wouldn't do any
thing if we turned you loose" the man
plucked up courage to remind him.
Il promised the law wouldn't do any
thing. You'll understand the distinc-
ton presently"
/ Mr.. Cullison, please admit
done wrong. 1 hadn't ought to have
gone in with Cass Fendrick. He
wanted me to kill you, but 1 wouldn't"
hol lot fok no 10
ter Of the stage. He had observed
growing distress mount and ride the
victim. Now he stepped in to save
the man with an alternative at which
Blackwell might be expected not to
snatch eagerly perhaps, but at least
to be driven toward.
This man is my prisoner, Mr.. Gull
lison. From what l can make out you
ought to strip his hide off and hang it
out to dry. But I've got first call on
him. If he comes through with the
truth about the w. & S. robbery I've
got to protect him"
Luck understood the ranger. They
were both working toward the same
end. The immediate punishment or
this criminal was not the important is
sue. 1t was merely club with which
TO beat him into submission, and at
That moral rather than physical
one. But the owner of the Circle q
knew better than to yield to Bucky too
easily. He fought the point out with
MN at length, and finally yielded re-
Iuctantly, in such a way as to aggra-
Vate rather than relieve the anxiety of
the convict.
"All right You take him first" he
nnally conceded harshly.
Bucky kept up the comedy. I'll
take him, Mr.. CuIlison. But if he tells
me the truth-and if find out it's the
whole truth-there'll be nothing doing
On your part. He's my prisoner. On