The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-04-08

~T:tWB''W
"'Thar's a Hundred Dollars in This
ing his lips on his sleeve. "What ye
say, Moffett? Thar's a hundred dol
lars in this job"
"Whar is the gurl7"
"Oh, I reckon she amt fur away;
we kin find her all right. I got ter
know bout yer furst. Are yer gamer"
"rm game 'nougii, Jack" assuming
a familiarity I thought he would ap'
preciate. "Only I don't want'r jump
inter this yere thing without KNOWN
nuthin' bout it. What is it yer got
lined up fer me ter do?"
He helped himself to yet another
liberal drink, and I was glad to note
that the fiery liquor was already be-
ginning to have it's effect, increasing
his recklessness Of speech.
"All right, Dan; have another one
on memo? War HI; I s'pose ]
might as wal tell ye furst as last.
Thar amt nuthin' fer eny O. us ter
git skeered about. We got it all
planned. We don't want this affair
talked about none, do we? I reckon
not. So we planned it out this way:
Thar's a frien' O. mine got a shack
down on Bear creek, bout twenty mile
below yere. He sells red-eye ter barge
an k~eel-boatmen, what tie up thar
a good teller. What we aim ter do
is run the surl down hal ternight, un-
bekno'nst ter anybody. I reckon yer
kin ride a hoss?
eyes; so thet's my job?'
"Thet's the whole O. it. Yer just
got ter stay thar with her till Kirby
kin git away, without nobody think
in enythiEg bout it. It's d-n easy
money, ter my potion"
I thought swiftly. There were sew
eral questions I wanted to ask but
dare not, 1t was better to trust to
luck, for I must lull, not arouse sus
picion. Thus far the affair had played
lilly ~ IL IN Il l. NcuiN
mairftain my part to the end there.
ought to be. no reason why the girl
should not be saved uninjured.
"Why, if thet's all I got ter do fer
a hundred dollars" I said gayly, "I'1n
yer man, Jack. An how soor will
Kirby be comm down ter this yer
place ON Bear crick?"'
"In a day er two, + reckon. Soon's
thar's sum boat headi,' down the
river. Yer see, this yer's all camp;
thar amt no fit place whar we kin
hide the CURL, an make her keep her
mouth shet. Them blamed soldiers
are a-moosin' bout everywhar, an if
she onct got talkin' u goose wud be
cooked. Furst thing we got ter do
is git her outer this camp" 20
"Ternight, yer sed" -a,
"'Bout midnight; yer1l go-hey"
n 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,
owe to me, keeping them under cover
Of his hand. ~
t'Thar's half o. it, an the rest is
yers when We bring back the hosses."
"How many bosses? Who's a-goin'"
"Three o. yer. Kirby's fer sendin'
the mulatter CURL long. She's a free
niger an might let her tongue wag.
Now listen, Moffett: I'm a-goi,' out
putty soon ter git things ready, an I'll
leave Sal we're ter tend bar. Now git
this: thar's a right smart trail back
o. the cabin, laadin' straight down ter
the crick, with a spring bout half way.
Thar amt no guard down thar, an
ye can't miss. it, ever en- the dark.
The. bosses will be thar ct midnight
waitin' 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,
then; have anuther drink" =
/ shook my head. i
"But how'm l goin' ter git ter this
place-whatever it's called?" ri
''Thar amt no trouble bout tibet; all
yer got ter do is ride straight south
till yer cusn ter the crick, an yer thar.
It's Jenkins crossing yer after"
II reckon thar amt eny Indians, er
nuthin'?"
fl, no: they're all t'other direc.
ton; nuthin' Worse'n wolves. Say.
though. yer might have trouble with
them gurls-got a gunY'
NO." s@
He reached back into a small drawer
under the shelf and brought out ar
sgly looking weapon, tried the hammer
movement with his thumb, and handed
It over to me With q grin.
.Sorne cannon, an / want IT back.
Don't fail At midnight.