The Lamar register., 1920-02-04

Uttl uStN " hO III Aiit 'ih -thu
Davis heard 1t without u word, taking
the tale In quietly with grim look
settling on his face.
so he aims TO play traitor to
young Cullison."
He means to shut Sans mouth for
good and all. That Is what he has
been playing for from the start. to get
even with Luck. He and his gang will
get away with the haul and they will
leave Sam dead on the scene Of the
holdup. There will be some shooting.
and 1t will be figured the boy was hit
by one OF the train crew. Nothing
could be easier. He aims TO put me on
the stand and prove by me that Sam
and he had u quarrel and parted COM
pany mighty sore at each other hardly
week before the holdup. He'll have
an alibi, too, to show he couldn't have
been in It. See how slick his scheme
is? At one flip of the cards he kills
the kid and damns his reputation. He
scores Cullison and he snuffs out Sam,
who has had the luck to win the girl
Soapy fancies. The boy gets his and
the girl is shown she can't love another
man than Stone"
You've got 1t about right" Stats ad-
mitted How about warning Luckr'
THE point Is, would he be willing to
wait and let Soapy play his hand out
till We calledf
"You would have to guarantee his
boy would be safe meanwhile"
Two OF US would have to watch him
day and night without Sam knowing
it."
Count me In"
There Is where we hit heavy travel.
ing, Stats. For we don't know when
the thing is going to be pulled Of"
"we'll have to be ready. That's ALL"
Happen to know whether Dick Ma
loney Is here for the shown
Saw him this mo'ning. Luck is
here too, him and his girl"
Good. We've got to have talk
with them, and 1t has to be on the
q.t. You go back to town and ind
Dick. Tell him to meet us at the Del
Mar. where Luck always puts up. Find
out the number Of Cullison's room and
make an appointment. I'll be on Ell
Molino street all mo'ning on and on
When you find out pass me without
stopping. but tell me when we are to
meet and Just where"
Curly gave Stats a quarter Of an
hour before sauntering back to town.
As he was passing the Silver Dollar
saloon n voice called him. Stone and
Blackwell were standing in the door.
Flandrau stopped.
Soapy's deep-set eyes blazed at him.
"You didn't tell me It was Luck Cul-
lison went ball for you. Curly. SO you
and him are thick. are your
I've met him once. II that's being
thick. That time shot him up."
Funny. And then he went bail for
your
"Yes."
Now. I wonder why"
The eyes of the man had narrowed
to red siits. His head had shot for
ward on his shoulders as that OF a
snake does. Curly would have given
good deal just then for the revolver
lying on the bed OF his room. For II
was plain trouble was In sight. The
desperate had been drinking heavily
and was ready to do murder.
'Tha.s easy to explain. Soapy. 1
shot him because I was driven to II.
He's too much OF a man to bear q
grudge for what I couldn't help"
You're a liar. He did II because
you promised to sneak up to my ranch
and spy on us. That's why he did It."
With the last word his gun jumped
Into sight. That he was lashing him
self into a-fury was plain. Presently
his rage would end In tragedy.
Given a chance. Curly would have
run for II. But Soapy was a dead shot.
or sudden the anger In the boy
boiled up over the fear. In two Jumps
lie covered the ground and Jammed his
fnce close to the cold rim OF the blue
steel barrel.
I'm not heeled. Shoot and be
damned, you coward. And with my
last breath I'll tell you that you're
liar"
Flandrau had called his bluff. though
he had not meant II as one. A dozen
men were In sight and were watching
They had heard the young man tell
Stone he was not armed. Public opin-
ion would hold him to account IL he
shot Curly down in cold blood. He
hung there undecided, breathing fast,