Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1920-01-30


and Soapy Stone"
II don't know anything against tba
kid barring that he's been a ljtno
wild" Maloney testified. "And reckon
we amt any of us prize Sunday school
winners for that matter"
! AS Buck turned to leave the bunk.
| house the boy touched him on the arm
How about Cullison?" he asked
very low.
But Buck would not have it that
way. what about him?" he demand.
ed out loud. his voice grating like
steel when 1t grinds.
as he-how is he doing?"
whats eatin' you? Amt he dying
fast enough to suit you?"
Flandrau shrank from the cruel
words, as a schoolboy does from his
teacher when he jumps at him with
cane.
1t was then that MalOney made a,
friend of the young man for life. He
let a hand drop carelessly on CurlysI
shoulder and looked at him with
friendly smile in his eyes, just as if
he knew that this was no wolf but
poor dog up against it hard.
DOC thinks he'll make it all right"
But there were times when Curly
wondered whether it would make any
difference to him whether Cullison got
well or not. Something immediate was
in the air. Public opinion was sitting
down to a decision. Most of these men
were up to the average for the milk
of human kindness. They were the
squarest citizens in Arizona. But Elan
drau knew they would snuff out his
life just the same if they decided it
was best Afterward they might re-
greet it, but that would not help him.
Darkness came, and the lamps were
lit. Again Curly ate and smoked and
chatted a little with his captors. BIZ
as he sat there hour after hour, fee
ing death creep closer every minute
cold shivers ran up and down his spine
They began to question him, at first
casually and carelessly, so it seemed
to Curly. But presently he discerned
a drift in the talk. They were trying
to find out who had been his partners
in the rustling.
"And l reckon Soapy and Bad Bill
left you lads at Saguache to hold the
sack" Buck suggested sympathetically
Curly grew wary. He did not intend
to betray his accomplices. Wrong
guess. Soapy and Bad Bill weren't in
fbic daa1 ba anstNarQd aaS ilV
The foreman of the Bar Double M
impatiently tired of trying
to pump out the information by
finesse. you've got TO speak, Elan
drau. You've got to tell us who was
engineering this theft. Understand?
The young rustler looked at the
grim frowning face and his heart sank
"Out with it," ordered Buck.
''Oh, expect III keep that under
my hat" Curly told them lightly.
They were crowded about him in
half circle, nearly score Of hard
leather-faced plainsmen. Some or
them were riders of the Circle G out
fit. Others had ridden over from
ranches. All of them
plainly meant business.
Think again, Curly" advised Swee-
ney quietly 1.-The boys amt trifing
about this thing. They mean to find
out who was in the rustling of the Bar
Double NJ stock"
Not through me, they won't"
Through you. And right now
A dozen times during the evening
Curly had crushed down the desire to
reg for mercy, to cry out desperately
or them to let him off. He had kept
cling himself not to show yellow,
hat it would not last long. Now the
ear of breaking down sloughed from
lis soul. He rose from the bed and
ooked round at the brown faces cir
led about him in the shine of the
amps.
I'll not tell you thing-not
hing
oIe steOd there chaIR faced, his lips
30 dry that he had to keep moistening
hem with the tip of his tongue.
Dutch had new rope in his hand
With loop at one end. He tossed ID
,ver the boys head and drew it taut
Two or three of the faces in the circle
we're almost as bloodless as that OF
he prisoner, but they were set to see
he thing out.
"Will you tell now?" Bonfils asked
Curly met him eye to eye. No"
Come along, then"
One of the men caught his arm a
he place where lie had been wounded
he rustler fiinched.
Careful, Buck. Don't you see you're
urting his bad arm?p Sweeney said
harply.
81 didn't aim to hurt him." Buck de
ended himself.
Curly's senses had never been more
lert He noticed that Buck had on q
ed necktie that had got loose from his
hirt and climbed up his neck. 1t hal
lack polka dots and was badly frayed
weeney was chewing tobacco. He