Connecticut western news., 1920-04-22

| "Now ride back out and cut along the edge of the hill. You've got time to make 1t all right before they close in if you travel fast. Stop once-just once-and I'll drop you in your tracks. Now git!"
 She saw his object in a flash. Wear ing his gray felt hat and his coat, the pursuers would mistake her for him. They would follow her-perhaps shoot her down. Anyhow, it would be di- version to draw them from him. Meanwhile he would climb the cliff and slip away unnoticed.
 The danger of what she had to do stood out quite clearly, but as a r chance to get away from him she wei comed 1t gladly. From the lip of the | gulch she swung abruptly to the right. Her horse stumbled and went down just as bullet flew over her head. Be- fore she was free of the stirrups strong | hands pinned her shoulders to the ground. She heard a glad startled cry. The rough hands became imme- diately gentle. Then things grew black. The last she remembered was that the mountains were dancing up and down in an odd fashion.
 Her eyes opened to see Curly. She was in his arms and his face was broken with emotions of love and ten derneSS.
 You're not hurt?' he implored.
 "No."
 He didn't-mistreat you" His voice was trembling as he whispered 1t.
 "No-no."
 And at that she broke down. A deep sob shook her body-and another. She buried her head on his shoulder and wept.
 
 Without losing an instant the con- vict set himself at the climb. His haste, the swift glances shot behind him, the appalling dread that made his nerves ragged, delayed his speed by dissipating the singleness of his ener- gy. His face and hands were torn with catclaw. his knees bruised by slip against a sharp jut of quartz.
 When he reached the top he was panting and shaken. Before he had moved a dozen steps man came out of the brush scarce seventy-f1ve yards away and called to him to surrender. He flung his rife to place and fired twice.
 The man staggered and steadied himself. A shell had damned and Blackwell could not throw 1t out. He turned to run as the other fired. But he was too late. He stumbled, tripped and went down full length.
 The man that had shot him waited for him to rise. The convict did not move. Cautiously the wounded hunt CT came forward, his eyes never lifting from the ineft sprawling figure. Even now he half expected him to spring up, life and energy in every tense muscle. Not till he stood over him, till he saw the carelessly flung limbs. the mcouth twist to the neck, could he believe that so slight Il crook of the finger had sent swift death across the plateau.
 The wounded man felt suddenly sick. Leaning against rock, he stead jed himself till the nausea was past Voices called to him from the plain be- low. He answered and presently cir cled down into the gulch which led to the open.
 At the gulch mouth he came on little group of people. One glance told him all he needed to know. Kate Cullison was crying in the arms of Curly Flandrau. Simultaneously a man galloped up, flung himself from his horse and took the young woman from her lover.
 "My little girl !' he cried in a voice that rang with love.
 Luck had found his eve lamb that was lost
 It was Curly who first saw the man approaching from the gulch. Hello Cass! Did you get him?"
 Fendrick nodded wearily. "Yep. He's ND there." The sheepman's hand swept toward the bluff.
 "You're wOunded?"
 "Got me in the shoulder. Nothing serious, judge"
 Cullison swung around Sure about that, Cass?" It was the first time for years that he had called the other by his first name except in irony.
 Sure"
 Lets have look at the shoulder"
 After he had done what he could for 1t Luck spoke bfufly. "This dashed feud is off, Cass. You've wiped tho slate clean. When you killed Black