Cavalier County farmers press., 1920-04-29

"Got clue, have you?"
"Oh, yes-yes." The sheriff looked
straight at him. "I've a notion his
initials are L. c."
Billie felt himself flushing. "What
makes you think that. Nick?"
Bolt walked to q cupboard and TN
locked 1t. His back was toward the
cattleman. but the latter could see him
take something from shelf. Turning
quickly. the sheriff tossed hat upon
the table.
Ever see this before?"
Mac picked it up. His fingers were
not quite steady. for a great dread
drenched his heart like rush of icy
water. Upon that gray felt hat with
the pinched crown was stamped the In
dividuality-and the initials-of Luck
Cullison.
Don't know as l recognize it." he
lied. not very readily. Not to know
it. Why?"
Thought perhaps you might know
it. The holdup dropped it while get
ting away"
Mackenze's eyes flinched. dropped
It, How was that?"
IA man happened to come along San
Miguel street just as the robber swung
to his horse He heard the cries of
the men inside, guessed what was do
ing, and exchanged shots with the mis-
creant. He shot this hat off the fel-
lows head"
"Who was the man that shot the
robber?"
"Cass Fendrick."
But he didn't claim to recognize the
holdup?"
"Not for certain. He guessed a man
whose initials are the same as those in
that hat"
eff you mean Luck Culison, it's a
ID lie" exploded the cattleman.
lie was furious with himself, for he
felt now that he had been unsuspect-
ingly helping to celsify the suspicious
of the sheriff. Like an idiot, he had
let out much that told heavily against
his friend.
II hope so. What about this hat,
with the two holes shot through the
rim?"
"Sho! We all wear hats just like
that. Look at mine" Billie held it
out eagerly
"Has yours an l.. c. stamped in the
sweat band?" Bolt asked with smile.
II know you amt his friend Nick.
But you want to be fair to him even if
he did oppose your election" Macken-
ze laid an appealing hand on the knee
of the man seated opposite him.
"Fm sheriff of Papago county. 1t
doesn't make any difference who
worked for or against me- Billie.
was elected. and I'm going to enforce
the law. BY the way, I've got to pay
for some supplies this morning. Can
| you cash check for hundred?"
II reckon So" Mackenzie drew from
his pocket the roll Cullison had given
| him two hours before. He peeled five
twenties from it. The sheriff observed
| that the prevailing denomination was
the same.
"cet these from Luck?" he asked
| rarelesoi:.
The cattleman stared at him, and
| the suspicion grew on him that he had
been trapped again.
'Why do you ask?"
Because it happens the bills stolen
from the w. & S. were all twenties"
From the office Of the sheriff, Mac
kenzie wandered to the club in search
of Luck. He was thoroughly dispirited
both dreaded to meet Lack, and yet
was anxious to do so.
Cullison had left tine club, but Alec
Flandrau was still there. Billie drew
him into a corner, and learned that
Luck had just settled with him.
Anyone see him give it to you
Alec?"
mo. He took me upstairs to the
| y,rary anu uaii me-"
1es-ln twentles.'
'For Gods sake, don't tell anybody
that" In dozen jerky sentences the
owner Of the Fiddleback told Flandrau
of the suspicious of the sheriff.
Together they went in search OF
Luck. But though they looked fol
him all day, he was not to be found
The last that had been seen Of him
Luck was walking along the plaza
toward the hotel, not hundred and
fifty yards from the latter. A dozen
men had spoken to him in the distance
Of a block. But he had not been seer
to reach his hotel. He had not called
for his room key. Somehow he had
vanished. and none could tell how OF
where.
10 BOT MS disappearance was as
good as confession Of guilt. He
searched Luck's room at the hotel
Among other things, he found an old
envelope with interesting data pen.
ciled on it.
Before nightfall the word was whis.
pered all over Saguache that Luck
Cullison, pioneer cattleman and for.
mer sheriff, was suspected Of the W.
& S. express robbery and had fed to
save himself from arrest. At first men
marveled that one so well known and
so popular, one who had been so prom.