The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1920-02-12
CHAPTER III.
The cuIlisons, and Laura London.

| The cuIIisons, and Laura London.
Curly was awakened by the sound
| OF the cook beating the call to break
fast on a triangle. Buck was standing
beside the bed.
"How're they coming this glad
mo'ning, sonr he inquired with a
| grin.
"Fine and dandy" grinned back
Flandrau. How Is CullisonT
Good as the wheat, doc says. Mighty
| lucky for Mr.. G. Flandrau that he Is.
Say. I'm to be yore valley and help
you into them clothes. Git a wlggle
on YOU"
Buck escorted his prisoner over to
the ranch meSshouse. The others had
finished breakfast but Maloney was
still eating. His mouth was full Of
hot cakes. but he nodded across at
Curly In casual friendly way.
"How's the villain in the play this
mo'ningf" he inquired.
Twenty-One usually looks on the
cheerful side Of life. Curly had for
| gotten for the moment about what
had happened to his friend Mac. He
did not remember that he was in the
shadow Of penitentiary sentence.
The sun was shining out of q deep
blue sky. The vigor of youth flowed
through his veins. He was hungry and
a good breakfast was before him. For
the present these were enough.
"Me. I'm feeling a heap better than
I was last night" he admitted
"Came pretty near losing you out of
the cast, didn't WEI"
"AIight a-turned out that way II the
stage manager had not remembered
the right cue In time"
The heart Of the prisoner went out
to this man who was reaching a hand
to him In his trouble. He had always
known that Maloney was true and
| steady as a snubbing post, but he had
not looked for any kindness from him.
"Kite just got telephone message
from Saguache," the Bar Double NJ
man went on easily. "Your friends
that bought the rustled stock didn't
get away with the goods. Seems they
stumbled into bunch Of rurales unex-
pected and had to pull their freight
| sudden"
make their getaway" Curly in
quired as indifferently as he could.
But In spite of himself note OF eager
ness crept into his voice. For IL the
men had escaped that would be two
less witnesses against him.
"Yep."
"Too bad. If they hadn't 1 could
have proved by them was not one OF
the men who sold them the stock"
FlaEdrnu replied.
Like h you could" Buck snorted.
| then grlnned at his prisoner In a
shame-faced way: "You're a good one,
| son."
Jake stuck his head In at the door
Buck, you're needed to help with
them two-year-olds. The old man wants
to have talk with the rustler. Doc
says he may. Maloney, will you take
him up to the house?"
MalOney had once ridden for the
Circle and was friendly with all the
men on the place. He nodded. Sure"
A Mexican woman let them into the
| chamber where the wounded man lay.
Kate was bending over the bed re-
arranging the pillows, but she looked
up quickly when the two men entered.
Her eyes were still gentle with the
| love that had been shining down from
them upon her father.
Cullison spoke. "Sit down, Dick"
| And to his prisoner: "You too"
| Flandrau saw close at hand for the
first time the man who had been Ari-
zona's most famous fighting sheriff.
| Luck Cullison was well-built and Of
medium height, Of a dark complexion.
clean shaven, wiry and muscular. Al
ready past fifty. he looked not q day
more than forty. One glance was
enough to tell Curly the kind Of man
this was. The power Of him found ex-
preston In the gray steel-chilled eyes
that bored into the young outlaw.
"YOu have begun early, young fei-
low" he said quietly. "But never mind
that. don't ask you to convict your
self. I sent for you to tell you don't
blame you for this" He touched the
wound In his side.
| different with your boys. sir"
$50 the boys are little excited. are
theyr
| They were last night, anyhow"
Curly answered. with q glimmsr Of Q
smile.
Cullison looked quickly at Malonsy
| and then at his daughter.
'Tll listen to what you've been hid.
Ing from me-" he told them.
"Oh. the boys had notions. Miss
Kate argued with them and they saw
things different" the Bar Double NJ
rider explained.
But Cullison would not let 1t 90 at
that. He made them tell him the whole
story. When Curly and Maloney had
finished he buried his daughters little
hand In his big brown fist. His eyes
were dancing with pride, but he gave
her not q word Of spoken praise.
Kate spoke to Curly. Father wants
me to tell you that we don't blame you
Tor shooting at him. We undArn1and