The Jasper news., 1920-04-01
CHAPTER ~.

Curly was awakened by the sound
of the cook beating the call to break
fast on a triangle. Buck was standing
beside the bed.
How're they coming this glad
mo'ning, sonT he inquired with q
grin.
"FIne and dandy" grinned bach
Flandrau. "Hew is Cullison2"
Good as the wheat, doc says. Mighty
lucky for Mr.. @. Flandrau that he is.
Say, I'm to be yore valley and help
you into them clothes Git a wiggle
on you"
Buck escorted his prisoner over to
the ranch messhouse. The others had
finished breakfast but Maloney was
still eating. His mouth was full of
hot cakes, but he nodded across at
Curly In a casual friendly way.
"HOw's the villain In the play this
mo'ning?" he inquired.
Twenty-one usually looks on the
cheerful side Of life. Curly had for
gotten for the moment about what
had happened to his friend Mac. He
did not remember that he was In the
shadow Of a penitentiary sentence.
The sun was shining out of a deep
blue sky. The vlgor Of youth flowed
through his veins. He was hungry and
good breakfast was before him, For
the present these were enough.
Me, I'm feeling a heap better than
| was last night" he admitted.
Game pretty near losing you out of
the cast, didn't we2
might a-turned out that way II the
stage manager had not remembered
the right cue In time"
The heart of the prisoner went out
to this man who was reaching hand
to him In his trouble. He had always
known that Maloney was true and
steady as a snubblng post, but he had
not looked for any kindness from him.
"Klte just got telephone message
from Saguache," the Bar Double n
man went on easily. your friends
that bought the rustled stock didn't
get away with the goods. Seems they
stumbled into bunch Of rurales unex-
pected and had to pull their freight
sudden"
snake their getaway" Curly In
quired as Indifferently as he could.
But in spite of himself a note of eager
ness crept into his voice. For II the
men had escaped that would be two
less witnesses against him.
"Yep."
"Too bad. If they hadn't / could
have proved by them / was not one of
the men who sold them the stock"
Flandrau replied.
Like h you could" Buck snorted,
then grinned at his prisoner In q
shame-faced way: you're a good one,
son."
Jake stuck his head In at the door.
Buck. you're needed to help with
them two-year-olds. The old man wants
to have a talk with the rustler. Doc
says he may. Maloney, will you take
him up to the-houser
| MalOney had once ridden for the
Circle Q and was friendly with all the
men on the place. He nodded. Sure
A Mexican woman let them into the
chamber where the wounded man lay
Kate was bending over the bed re
arranging the pillows. but she looked
up quickly when the two men entered
Her eyes were still gentle with the
love that had been shining down from
them upon her father.
Cullison spoke. "Sit down, Dick.
And to his prisoner: "You too"
Flandrau saw close at hand for thu
first time the man who had been Ari
zonas most famous fighting sheriff
Luck CullIson was well-built and O.
medium height, of dark complexion
clean shaven, wiry and muscular. Al
ready past fifty, he looked not a da!
more than forty. One glance wa
enough to tell Curly the kind of maj
this was. The power Of him found ex
preston in the, graz steel-chllled eye
that bored into the young outlaw.
"You have begun early, young fel
low" he said quietly. But never min,
that / don't ask you to convict your
self. l sent for you to tell you dom
blame you for this" He touched tn
wound in his side.
different with your boys, sir"
$50 the boys are a little excited. ar
they2"
"They were last night, anyhow,
Curly answered. with a glimmer Of
smile. -