The spectator., 1920-03-19
Different with your boys. sir"

they?"
 "They were last night. anyhow" Curly answered, with a glimmer of a smile.
 Cullison looked quickly at Maloney and then at his daughter.
 "I'u listen to what you've been hid ing from me-" he told them.
 "Oh, the boys had notions. Miss Kate argued with them and they saw things different" the Bar Double NJ rider explained.
 But Cullison would not let it go at that. He made them tell him the whole story. When Curly and Maloney had finished he buried his daughters little hand in his big brown fist. His eyes were dancing with pride. but he gave her not word of spoken praise.
 Kate spoke to Curly. Father wants me to tell you that we don't blame you for shooting at him. We understand just how it was. Your friend got ex- cited and shot as soon as he saw he was surrounded We are both very sorry he was killed. Father could not stop the boys in time. Perhaps you re- member that he tried to get you to surrender"
 The rustler nodded. Yes. l heard him holer to me to put my gun down, but the others blazed away at me"
 And so you naturally defended yourself. Father wants it made clear l that he feels you could have done noth- | ing else"
 'AIuch obliged. I've been sorry ever since hit him, and not only on my l own account"
 "Then none of us need to hold hard feelings" The girl looked at her fa- | ther, who answered her appeal with a grim nod, and then she turned again 1 to the young rustler little timidly. "l wonder if you would mind if l asked you question:.
 You've earned the right to ask as l many as you like
 It's about We have been told you know the man they call Soapy Stone Is that true?'
 Flandrau's eyes took on stony look. It was as if something had sponged all | the boyishness from his face. Still try 1 ing to get him to give away his part ners in the rustlng. were they? Well, he would show them he could take his medicine without squealing
 Your boys were asking that ques- tion about Soapy last night. They had rope round my neck at the time Nothing unfriendly in the matter, of course Just a casual interest in my doingS"
 Culuson was looking at him with the steel eyes that bored into him like q gimlet. Now he spoke sharply.
 I've got an account running with Soapy Stone. Some day I'll settle it, likely. But that ain't the point now. Do you know his friends--the bunch he trails withf'
 WeariueSs still seemed to crouch in the cool eyes of Flandrau.
 And if l say yes. I'll bet your next question will be about the time and the place last saw them.'
 Kate picked up photograph from the table and handed it to the prisoner Were not interested in his friends except one of them, Did you ever see the boy that sat for that picture?'
 The print was snapshot of q boy about nineteen. a bright-faced hand ! some fellow, il little sulky around the mouth but with pair of straight hon. est eyes.
 Curly shook his head slowly. Yet he was vaguely reminded of some one he knew Glancing up, he found instant ly the clue to what had puzzled him. The young man in the picture was like Kate Cullison, like her father, too, for that matter.
 Hes your brother" The words were out before Flandrau could stop them.
 "Yes. You've never met him?"
 "No."
 Cullson had been watching the young man steadily. Never saw him with Soapy Stone?"
 "No."
 Never heard Stone speak of Sam Cullison?"
 No. Soapy doesn't talk much abou, who his friends are"
 The ex-sheriff nodded. i've met him.
 Of course he had met him. Curly knew the story of how in one drive he had made a gather of outlaws that had brought fame to him. Soapy had broken through the net, but the sheriff had followed him into the hills alone and run him to earth. What passed between the men nobody ever found out. Stone had repeatedly given 1t out that he could not be taken alive. But Cullison had brought him down to the valley bound and cowed. In due sea son the bandits had gone over ths road to Yuma. Soapy and the others had sworn to get their revenge some day. Now they were back in the hills