The Little River news., 1920-06-19

hunting who, l should say. Ever meet Bucky O'Connor, Blackwell? No, 1 reckon not He's since your time. A crackerjack, too! Wonder if Bucky ain't after some friends of minef"
 'Shut up," growled the other.
 "Sure you'll shut up-when Bucky lands on you,'' retorted Luck cheerful ly. Then, with sudden whoop: Hello, here's a personal to your ad- dress. Listen. The friends of t4. C. serve notice that what occurred at he Jack of Hearts is known. Any vi0i@Eet hereafter done to him will be paid for to the limit. No guilty man will es- cape So the boys are getting busy. I figured they would be-
 The former convict leaned forward angrily. "Lemme see that paper"
 His guest handed it over, an index finger pointing out the item. Large as life, Blackwell. No, sir. You ce'- tainly didn't ride herd proper on that opportunity"
 "Don't be too sure it's gone, Mir. Sheriff.
 "Theyve got you dead to rights. Read that personal again. Learn It by heart. The friends of L. c. give warning You better believe they're rounding up your outfit. They know I'm alive. They know all about the Jack of Hearts. Pretty soon they'll know where you've got me hidden"
 "You'd better pray they won't. For if they find the nest it will be empty. 70 hor .,-f,, hphip1 " Luck turned. The cabin was built on a ledge far up on the mountain side. From the back wall sloped for a hundred feet an almost perpendic- ular slide of rock.
 'There's prospect hole down there. Blackwell explained saYagely. "You'd go down the Devils Slide what's left of you, mean-deep into that prospect hole. The tinfherinsS are routed and the whole top of the working ready to cave in. When your body hits it there will be an avalanche with Mir. Former-SheHH CHllSen at the bottom of it. You'll be buried without any funeral expenses, and reckon your friends Wlll never know where to put the headStone.a
 The thing was devilishly simple and feasible. Luck, still looking out of the window, felt the blood run cold down his spine, for he knew this fel- low would never stick at murder if he felt it would be safe
 "So you see I'm right; you'd better pray your friends won't find you They can't reach here without being heard. If they get to hunting these hills you sure want to hope they'll stay cold, for just as soon as they get warm it will be the signal for you 10 shoot the chutes."
 Luck met his triumphant savagery with an impassive face. "Interesting if true. And where will you be when my friends arrive? l reckon it won't be a pleasant meeting for MT. Black we'll"
 "IH be headed for Mexico. l tell you because you ain't liable to go around spreading the news. There's a horse saddled in the dip back of the hill cre.;t Get it?'
 From far below there came through the open window the faint click of Il horses hoofs ringing against the stones in the dry bed of a river wash Swiftly Blackwell moved to the door, taking down a rifle from its rack as he did so. Cullison rose nOiselessly in his chair If it came to the worst he meant to shout aloud his presence and close with this fellow. Hampered as he was by the table, the man would get him without question. But if he could only sink his fingers into that hairy throat while there was still life in him he could promise that the Mex jean trip would never take place.
 Blackwell, from his place by the door. could keep an eye both on his prisoner and on a point of the trail far below where hOlsemen must pass to reach the cabin.
 A rider came into sight and entered the mouth of the canyon. He was waving white handkerchief. The man in the doorway answered the sig nal.
 "Not your friends this time, Mir. Sheriff." Blackwell jeered.
 T get q stay of execution, do IT" The cool drawing voice of the cattle man showed nothing of the tense feel ing within.
 He resumed his seat and the reading Of the newspaper. Presently, to the man that came over the threshold he spoke with casual nod.
 Morning, Cass."
 Fendrick mumbled surly answer The manner of ironical comradeship his captive chose to employ was more than an annoyance. To serve his ends 1t was necessary to put the fear of death into this mans heart, which was a thing he had found impossible to do. The log'c of circumstances was driv-