The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-08-13

from the outside till you hear two
shots, then hump yourself forward and
hop on the express car"
Fine! Curly was to stand out there
in the moonlight and let anybody in
away at him. If they did not attend
10 the job Of Kidding him. his false
friends would do il while he was rum
ming forward to get aboard. Nothing
could have been simpler-if he had not
happened 10 have had inside informa-
ton of their intent.
He had to think quickly, for the
plans of him and his friends had been
deranged. They had reckOned on the eX-
press car being rifed on the spot. This
would have given Culllson time to
reach the scene OF action. Now they
would be too late. Unless Curly could
stop II, the hOldup would go through
according TO the program Of SOapy
and not of his enemies.
The decision Of Flandrau was in
Simultaneous. He slid down beside the
track into the long grass. Whipping
up one Of his guns, he fired. AS If in
answer to the first shot his revolver
cracked twice. simultaneously, be let
ont a cry of pain, %wriggled back for q
dozen yards through the grass, and
crossed the track i'm the darkness. AS
ne crouched down close to the wheels
of the sleeper some one came running
back on the other side.
whats up, Sam? You hit?" he could
hear Blackwell whisper.
No answer came. The paroled on
Wet was standing close to the car for
fear of being hit himself and he dared
not move.
"Sam," he called again; then, He's
sure got his"
That was all Curly wanted TO know.
Softly he padded forward, keeping as
low as he could till he reached the
empty sleepers. A brakeman vas just
uncoupling the express car when Curly
dived underneath and nestled close to
the trucks.
From where he lay he could almost
have reached out and touched Soapy
standing by the chr.
what about the kid?' Stone asked
blackwell as the latter came up.
They got him. Didn't you hear him
yelpT"
"Yes, but did they put him out of
business? See his body?"
Blackwell had no intention of going
back into the fire zone and making
sure. For his part he was satisfied. SO
he lied.
"Yep. BLEW the top OF his head off,
"Good," Soapy nodded. That's IL
receipt in full for Mr.. Luck Cullison."
Before many minutes the engine be-
gan to slow down. The wheels had
hardly stopped moving when Curly
crept out, plowed through the sand, up
the rubble Of n little hin, and into a
draw where a bunch OF scrub oaks Of
fered cover.
A voice from in front called to him.
Just then the moon appeared from be-
hind drifting clouds.
''Oh. it's you, Sam. Everything all
right?"
Fright as the wheat. We're blow
IHS open TIRE safe HVN' hfuifuidu an
swered.
Moving closer. he saw that his ques-
toner was the man in charge Of the
horses. Though he knew the voice, he
could not put a name to it's owner.
But this was not the point that first
occupied his mind. There were only
four horses for five riders. Curly knew
now that he had not been mistaken.
Soapy had expected n Of his allies
to stay on the field Of battle, had pre-
pared for 1t from the beginning. The
knowledge of this frOze any remorse
the young vaquero might have felt.
He pushed his revolver against the
teeth of the horse wrangler.
Don't move, you bandy-legged
maverick, or Til fill your hide full of
holes. And If you want to keep on
living paddock that mouth of yours"
In spite of his surprise the man
caught the point at once. He turned
over his weapons without a word.
Curly unwound a rope from n of
the saddles and dropped a loop round
the neck of his prisoner. The two men
mounted aud rode out of the draw, the
outlaw leading the other two horses.
AS soon as they reached tbs bluff
| above Flandrau outlined the next step
in the program.
"we'l stay here in the tornllla and
see what happens. my friend. Unless
| you've a fancy to get lead poisoning
keep STILL"
who in Mexico are your the cap
| tured man asked.
"It's your showdown. Skin or that
mask"
The man hesitated. His own re-
volver moved a few inches toward his
head. Hastily he took or the mask.
The moon shone on the face Of the
man called Dutch. Flandrau laughed.
Last time they had net Curly had a
rope around his neck. Now the situa-
tion was reversed.
An explosion below told them that
! the robbers had blown open the safe.
Presently Soapy's voice came family
to them.
Bring up the horses
He called again. and q third time,
800.