The Dolores star., 1920-04-02

river. Yer see. this yer's all camp
thar amt no fit place whar we Kin
hide the gurl. an make her keep her
mouth shet Them blamed soldiers
are a-moosin' bout everywhar. an II
she onct got talkin' our goose wud be
cooked Furst thing We got ter do
is git her outer this camp
"Ternight. yer sed?"
Bout midnight: yerll go-heyT
81 reckon: yer got the money!
With his eyes fastened on the two
men eating he counted out some gold
pieces on the bar and showed them
over to me. keeping them under cover
OF his hand.
"Thar's half O. It, an the rest Is
yers when ye bring back the nosses.'
How many hosses? Who's s-gcin p
Three O. yer. Kirby's fer sendin'
the mulatter gurl long. She's free
Niger an might lei her tongue wag.
Now listen. Moffett: I'm a-goin out
putty soon ter git things ready, an I'll
leave Sal yere ter tend bnr. Now git
this: thar's right smart trail back
o. the cabin. leadin' straight down ter
the crick. with spring bout half way.
Thar ain't no guard down thar. an
We can't miss 1t. even en- the dark.
The hOsses will be thar et midnight
waitn' fer yer. All We got ter do is
just put them two gurls on an ride
away. Yer don't never need Ter speak
ter 'em. Yer understand? All right,
tbpn have onuther drink"
shook my head.
But how'm | goin' ter git ter this
place-whatever It's called?'
THAR amt no trouble bout thet: all
yer got Ter do Is ride straight south
till yer cum ter the crick, an yer thar
It's Jenkins crossing yer after"
al reckon thar ain't cny Indians, er
nuthin'?"
I'll. no; they're all t'other direc-
tion; nuthin' worse'n wolves. Say.
though. yer might have trouble with
them gurls-got a gum
NO"
He reached back into small drawer
ugly looking weapon. tried the hammer
movement with his thumb, and handed
II over TO me with a grin.
Some cannon. an | want it back.
Don't fail at midnight"
AN thar amt nuthin' fer me ter
do till them"
mot thing; take a nap. II yer
wantr. Sal kin wake We up. reckon
! won't be back till after yer OF"
| sat down in a chair and leaned
back against the wall. fitting my hat
down over my eyes and pretending to
fall asleep. Through half-closed lids
| managed to see all that transpired in
the room, and my mind was busy with
the approaching crisis
Rale busted himself for some min
utes before putting on his hat. count
ing over some money, and filling his
bottles from reserve stock under
meath the shelf Tim slept peacefully
on, but had slightly changed his pos
ture. so that his face was now upturned
to the light. The sight of his familiar
features gave me an inspiration. He
was. undoubtedly. an honest fellow,
AMI had quarreed with Kirby over
this very matter, refusing to have any
hand in II. He had supposed up to
that time that he was doing no more
than his duty under the law. II
could arouse him from drunken stupor
he might even be willing to work with
me IN the attempt to rescue Eloise.
Rale disappeared through the rear
door, after exchanging few words
with the woman, and did not return. |
waited mOtiOnleSS for some time. fear
ful lest he might come back. Suddenly
the front door opened noiselessly and
Kirby entered. advancing straight to-
ward the bar. Sal served him, answer.
Ing his questions. which were spoken
so low | could not catch the words.
His eyes swept the room. but the hat
concealed my face, and he only recog-
nized Tim. He paused long enough
20 bend above the upturned features of
the unconscious deputy, not unpleased,
evidently, to discover him IN that con-
dition.
''fhe d. old fool" he muttered
perhaps not aware that he spoke
aloud. "Rale has got him fixed. all
right"