The diamond drill., 1920-02-07


ther. who answered her appeal with q
grim nod. and then she turned agair
10 the young rustler little timidly. u
wonder II you would mind IL l asked
you question"
you've earned the right to ask as
many as you like"
"It's about We have been told
you know the man they call Soapy
Stone. Is that truef"
Flandrau's eyes took on a stony look
II was as II something had sponged all
the boyishness from his face. Still try
Ing to get him to give away his part
ners In the rustling. were they7 Well,
he would show them he could take his
medicine without squealing.
.Your boys were asking that ques-
ton about Soapy last night. They had
rope round my neck at the time.
Nothing unfriendly In the matter. OF
course. Just casual interest In my
doIngs."
Cullison was looking at him with
the steel eyes that bored into him like
a gimlet Now he spoke sharply.
1--WE got an account running with
Soapy Stone. Some day I'll settle II.
likely. But that ain't the point now.
DO you know his friends-the bunch
he trails with?"
WEAKNESS still seemed to crouch In
the cool eyes OF Flandrau.
"And II / say yes. I'll bet your NEXT
question will be about the time and
the place last saw them"
Kate picked up n photograph from
the table and handed IL TO the prisoner.
We're not Interested In his friends
except one OF them. Did you ever see
the boy that sat for that pIcture?"
The print was a snapshot OF boy
about nineteen. a brlght-faced hand
some fellow. little sulky around the
mouth but with a 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 Culllson. like her father. too. for
that matter.
Hes your brother" The words
were out before Flandrau could stop
them.
"Yes. You've never met hlm7"
"No."
Culllson had been watching the
young man steadily. "Never saw him
with Coonv Stona9"
"No."
Never heard Stone speak of Sam
CullIsonf
mo. Soapy doesn't talk much about
who his friends are"
The ex-sheriff nodded. "rve 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 10 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 II out
that he could not be taken alive. But
Cullison had brought him down 10 the
valley bound and cowed. In due sea-
son the bandits had gone oyer the,
road 10 Yuma. Soapy and the others
had sworn TO get their~revenge some
day. Now they were back In the hills
at their old tricks Was II possible
that Cullison's son was with them,
caught in trap during some drunken
frollc just as Curly had been? In what
way could Stone pay more fully the
debt OF hate he owed the former
sheriff than by making his son VIII
lain7
The little doctor came briskly into
the room.
Everybody out but the nurse.
You've had company enough for one
day, Luck" he announced cheerily.
Kate followed Maloney and his pris-
oner TO the porch.
About the letters OF your friend
that was shot" she said TO Curly.
Doctor Brown was telling me what
you said. TIL see they reach Miss Ar
derson. DO you know in what res
taurant she works?"
mo. Mac didn't tell me-" The boy
gulped TO swallow an unexpected lump
In his throat. "They was expecting 10
get married soon"
It'll write to her" Kate promised.
her eyes misty.
"rd be obliged. miss. Mac was a
good boy. Anyone will tell you that
And he was awful fond OF her. He |
talked about her that last night before |
the camp FIRE. Fad companions got |
him going wrong but he sure would |
have settled down into a good man. |
That's straight goods. too. You write
II strong"
i've changed my mind. I'll not
write but go to see her."
Curly could only look his thanks.
Words seemed strangely inadequate.
But Kate understood the boys un-
spoken wish and nodded her head re-