Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-07
NOT A DRUM WAS HEARD

! Their horses plodded on. and the
dust cloud rose and lowered in the air
behind them. For space neither man
spoke at all. Then Loupel bitterly
! own sake. Jack. If it was me, I'd
hop out. Id take chance. But
sure" Jack Mills mildly agreed.
Sure"
Damn it. Jack, Jeanie's proud of
me. She's proud of me-"
Yeah
81 can't bear to think of her know
ing. 1t would just about bust her
Mills drawIed: Your sentiments
does you credit. Bud"
There was a cold and scornful anger
in his tone that kept the other Tor
the moment silent. They rode on, slde
by side, and Loupel, covertly watch
ing the younger man. waited Tor MIN
10 speak. Mills finished his cigarette.
eyes straight before him. face I'M
changing. Then he ficked the butt
away and turned in his saddle and
looked at his pardner.
Whats Rand say?" he asked.
Hes been away. Due back tomor-
row afternoon. He'll spot it in a
minute
Mills whistled for a moment. be-
tween his teeth. gallant little tune:
| then he nodded. as though in decis-
ion. and he asked: "All right. Bud.
What's your ideao"
While they rode on at the trot to-
ward the low hills south Of the town
Bud Loupel outlined his idea; and
when they turned back again at sun
set Jack had agreed to do what the
other asked Of him.
* \ X
AT 10 o'clock next morning the
town lay still and shimmering in
the blistering sun of a summer day.
There were one or two men IN
Brady's. and here and there along
Main street other figures 1ounGed IN
the shade. Jack Mills rode in from
the south on Il strange horse. wear
ing new overalls and an indistin-
gui sha bile hat. There was red ban
danna loosely knotted about his neck
He encountered no one within recog-
nizing distance. In front Of the bank
he dropped off. hitched the horse
lifted the handkerchief so that II
hid his mouth and nose. and stepped
| into the building. Two or three peo-
| pie at some distance saw him go in
and idly wondered who the stranger
was.
J He had hoped to find Loupel alone IN
the bank, but Jim Paine was there.
Paine had just cashed a check and
|
| talking to Bud. When Bud saw the
! masked man he turned pale. and Jim
| marked the change in his counte-
| nance and whirled around. But Jack
gun was leveled. so Bud and Jim
Paine reached for the ceiling.
| Mills. with some attempt to dis
! guise his voice. said harshly to Bud
Paper money. All Of it. Quick.
Loupel. hands still In the air,
l.x 70
that way and saw that the safe door
was Open He changed his mind.
| wait" he commanded. With ges-
ture he babe Paine face the wall
Then he leaped the counter. motioned
Loupel aside, and himself approached
| the safe. Paine. watching sidewise
saw the masked man drag out half
| dozen packets of bills and stun them
into the front of his shirt. Mills did
| this with his left hand; his right held
the gun, and his eyes covered Paine
and Loupel almost constantly Lou
| pei. backed into "a corner, watched IL
| silence.
! When Mills had taken what he came
for. he rose and turned toward the
! counter again. At that instant CUR
roared behind him. and something
tugged at his shirt, under the lief,
! arm. He whirled, saw Rand standing
in the back door of the bank DulloinS
Rands gun was going. Jack famed his
hammer twice and the banker fell.
Paine had not moved. Mills swung
half crouching. toward Loupel. Lou
pei had double-crossed him. That wa:
the thought that frightened his finger
on the trigger. But-Jeanie! Tina
! was the thought which made his trig
ger finger relax. He slid across the
| counter. made the door in one jump
| Five seconds after his shot, his horse
| was galloping out of town. And a:
he passed the last house a rifle spoke
somewhere behind him.
| x X
| LALF a mile from town he looked
back and saw three or -four
horsemen just emerging from Mair
| street. On their heels others appear
ed He laughed a grim little laugh
| and slid forward in his stirrups tC
, help his horse to greater speed. But
when he reached the hills. some hall
dozen miles south of town. they were
close behind him. and their rifles were
reaching out for him. He knew a GER
tain cave. Il narrow. shallow cover
Poor refuge. but better than none.
In this cave they brought him &c