The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1920-03-11
CROOKED TRAILS
AND STRAIGHT

CkUUkEU lkAlLS
AND STRAIGHT
Continued from preceding pagc)
pache where he will be locked UP
pending disposition of his case.
Kelly succeeded ln surprising him
while he was eating dinner at a
Mexican road-house just this side
of the border.
"Do you make it out?" Maloney
asked, looking over their shoulders.
Curly took Il pencil and an envelope
from his pocket. On the latter he jOt-
ted down some words and handed the
paper to his friend. This was what
Maloney read:
luck ..........
=. prisoner jack. of He. ......a
80. n. .t......s now ....,......
Saguache ........ locked up pending
a disposition of his case. sue
ceeded In surprising him ............
............ .............
................
"Read that right ahead"
Dick did not quite get the idea, but
Kate. tense with excitement. took the
envelope and read aloud:
"Luck-prisoner- Of Hearts
now aguache-locked up pending
a disposition Of his case-succeeded
In surprising him." She looked up with
shining eyes. Hes alive somewhere.
Well save him now."
Curly spoke to her In low voice.
"YOu have q talk with Mrs. Wylie
alone. Well pull our freights. She'll
tell you what she knows" He smiled
In his gentle, winning way. "Shes sure
had Il tough time OF 1t II ever a WON
IN had. l reckon little kindness is
what she needs. Let her see we're her
friends and will stand by her. that we
won't let her come to harm because
she talks"
1t was an hour before Kate Joined
them, and her eyes, though they were
very bright, told tales of tears that had
been shed.
"That poor woman! She has told
me everything. Father has been down
iE that cellar for days under a guard.
They took him away tonight. She
doesn't know where. 1t was she sent
the warnings TO Sheriff Bolt. She
wanted him To raid the place. but she
dared not 20 10 him."
because OF Blackwell?"
"Yes. lie came straight to her as
soon as he was freed from the peniten-
tiary. He had her completely terror
lied. She gave him money, and he
came for mOre-and more"
Curly nodded. lie said nothing, but
his strong jaws clamped.
"He was there that day" the girl
continued. "She pluckcd up courage
to refuse him what little she had left
because She needed it for the rent He
got hold of her arm and twisted il.
Father heard her CRY and came in.
Blackwell was behind the door as 1t
opened. He struck with Il loaded cane
and father fell unconscious. He raised
1t to strike again, but she clung To his
arm and called for help. Before he
could shake her off another man came
In. He wrcnchcd the club away"
'Fcndrick:' brcathcd Curry.
"She doesn't know. But the first
thing he did was TO lock The outer door
and take the key. They carried father
down into the cellar. Before he came
to himself his hands were tied behind
his back"
"And them"
'They watched him day and night.
Fendrick himself did not go near the
place-if 1t was Fcndrick. Blackwell
swOre to Kill Mrs. Wyle If she told
They held him there till tonight. She
thinks they were trying to get father
to sign some paper"
''The REIMBURSEMENT, OF course.
That means the other man was Fen
drick."
Kate nodded. "Yes"
Curly rose. The muscles stood out
In his jaw hard as steel ropes.
"We'll rake the RincOns with fine
tooth comb. Don't you worry. I've al
ready wired for Bucky O'Connor to
come and help. Well get your father
cut Of the hands OF those hell hounds.
Won't we, Dick"
The girls eyes admired him, q lean,
hard-bitten Westerner. with eyes as
unblinlriCg as an Arizona sun and with
muscles like wire springs. His face
still held Its boyishness. but It had
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