The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1920-11-04

tsiend here down at the Legal Ten
der"
"Have we got q ch:s""r 10 make our
getaway?' Mac asked
Davis nodded. ''Sllda out through
the Kitchen cut into the alley. and
the door and I'll hold them here long
as can
"Good boy. Stats. If there's a neck
tie party you'll get the first bid"
Curly grinned.
Stats looked at him. cold and steady.
Palmer than words he was telling his
former friend that he would not Joke
with a horse thief. For the sake Of old
times he would save him II he could.
but he would call any bluffs about the
whole thing being lark.
Curly's eyes fell away. It came to
him for the first time that he was no
longer an honest man. Up till this
escapade he had been only wild, but
now he had crossed the line that sep
arates decent folks from outlaws.
Not another word was said while
they hurried into their clothes. But
as Curly passed out OF the door he
called back husky. wont forget
what you done for us. Stats"
Again their eyes met. Davis did
not speak. but the chill look on his
face told Flandrau that he had lost
friend.
The two young men ran down the
back stairs. passed through the kitch-
en- where Chinese cook was getting
breakfast. and out into the bright sun
light.
wont do to be in any hurry. The
play is we're gentlemen of leisure, just
out for an amble to get the mo'ning
cir" Curly cautioned.
While they fed. watered ana sad
Led they snapped gossip with the
wrangler. 1t would not do to leave
the boy with story of two riders in
such q hurry to hit the trail that they
could not wait to feed their bronchos.
So they stuck 1t out while the animals
ate. At that, they shaved 1t fine. for
as they rode away two men were
coming down the street.
"Kite Bonfils." Curly called to his
partner.
No explanation was needed. Bon
fills was the foreman of the Bar
Double NJ. He let out q shout as he
caught sight of them and began to
run forward. simultaneously his gun
seemed to jump from its holster.
Macs quirt sang and his pony
leaped to canter In two strides. A
bullet tipped between them. Another
struck the dust at their heels. Faint
ly there came to the fugitives the
sound of the foreman's impotent
curses. They had escaped for the
time.
Presently they passed the last barb
wire fence and open country lay be-
fore them. It did not greatly matter
which direction they followed, SO long
as they headed into the desert
Neither OF them had ever been In
serious trouble before and both re-
GREETED the folly that had turned their
drunken spree into a crime. They
were stretched in front Of the fire that
evening trying to make smoke serve
instead of supper. Mac broke gloomy
silence to grunt out jerkily q situa.
ton he could no longer keep to him.
self.
"Here's where l get my walking pa
pers, reckon. No rustlers need ap
ply
Curly shot a slant glance at him
"Meaning-the girl?"
The red-headed puncher took from
his coat pocket photograph ant
showed It to his friend. The sweet
clean face of wholesome girl smiled
| at Curly.
"She's ce'tainly right nice yount
lady. I'll bet she stands by you oil
right. Where's she live at?"
"Waits in a restaurant at TOMB
stone. We was going to be married
soon as we had saved five hundred dol
lars" Mac swallowed hard. "And
/ had to figure out this short cut to tn
money whilst / was drunk. As II She.
look at money made that way"
/ Curly tried to cheer him up. but di'
not make much of job at it. The in
disputable facts we're that Mac wa
an outlaw and horse thief
The redheaded boy rolled anothe
cigarette despondently. "Shol Nv
cooked my goose. She'll not look at m
-even II they don't send me to tn
pen. And she's the best ever. He
names Myra Anderson"
| They slept under live oak with tn
soundness Of healthy youth. For tn
time they forgot their troubles. Neithe
of them knew that as the hours slippe
away red tragedy was galloping close
to them.
The sun was shining In his fac
when Curly wakened. He sat up an
rubbed his eyes. Mac was nowhere |
sight. Probably he had gone to set tn
horses.
A sound broke the stiffness Of tn
desert. Elandrau leaped to his fee
and Mt the same instant Mac cam
running over the brow of the hill
smoking revolver was in his hand.
| E.o,,, hohind tho hill n plln ct.acEp