Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-01-04
PART /
Curly.
Following a Crooked Trail.
CHAPTER I.


Saguache at the brisk heels Of bunch
Of horses just about the time the town
was settling itself to- supper. From
out Of the heart Of it cantered a rider,
who swung his pony as on q half dol
: lar, and DETECTED the remuda toward
Chunn's corral.
:. The rider was in the broad-rimmed
felt hat, the gray shirt, the plain leath-
:!er chaps of a vaquero. Under other
conditions he might have been col
:lege freshman for age, but the compe-
tent confidence Of manhood sat easily
:on his broad shoulders. Curly Flan-
. drau had more than once looked into
the chill eyes of death.
:: The leaders of the herd dribbled into
the corral through the open gate, and
the others, crowded on their heels.
Three more riders followed Curly into
the inclosure. One of them, a red
haired young fellow Of about the same
age as Curly, swung stifly from the
saddle.
.Me for a square meal first, off," he
gave out promptly.
"Not till we've finished this business,
Mac. Well put deal right through If
Warren's here" decided third MEM
ber Of the party. He was tough-look-
ing customer Of nearly fifty. bad Bill"
Cranston he was called, and the man
looked as If he had earned his sobri-
quet. W
"And what If he amt here" snarled
Lutte Blackwell. "Are you aiming to
sit down and walt for him?"
"Well cross that bridge when we
come to It," Bad Bill answered. Curly,
want to ride up to the hotel and ask
. If Mr.. Dave Warren Is there? Bring
him right down If he IS"
The youngEman cantered up the
dusty street toward the hotel. 49,,
"Thought you'd fixed it with this
Warren to be right OF the spot SOS
we could unload Oh him prompt"
Blackwell grumbled at Cranston with
out looking toward the latter.
II didn't promise he'd be hanging
round your neck soon as you hit town"
Cranston retorted coolly.
The owner Of the corral sauntered
from the stable and glanced over the
bunch Of horses milling around.
"Drive all the way from Bar Double
M" asked the keeper, his eyes on the
brand stamped on the flank Of pony
circling past.
Yep"
Bad Bill turned away and began to
unsaddle.
Looks like you been hitting the road
at q right lively gait"
Mac cut in. shoulder Of my bronc's
chafed from the saddle. Got anything
that'll heal it,"
"You bet have" The man hurried
into the stable and the red-headed cow
punchcr winked across the back Of his
horse at Bill. {:
The keeper Of the stable and the
young man were still busy doctoring
the sore when Curly arrived with War
rem. The buyer was round-bodied
man with black gimlet eyes that saw
much he never told. The bargain he
drove was hard one, but it did not
. take long to come to terms at about
one-third the value Of the string he
was purchasing. Very likely he had
his suspicious, but he did not voice
them. No doubt they cut figure in
the price. He let it be understood
that he was: a supply agent for the
rebels in Medco. Before the bills were
warm in the pockets of the sellers, his
vaQueros were mounted and were
moving the remuda toward the border.
Curly and Mac helped them get
started. AS they rode back to the cor
raj young man came out from the
stable. FlIndrau forgot that there
were reasons why he wanted just now
to be 4 stranger in the land with his
identity not advertised. He let olt Il
shout. O
"Oh, you, Stats Davis!'
"Hello, Curly! How are things
.a-comin'?"
"Finc. When did you blow in tc
Saguache? Amt you off your run
some?"
They had ridden the range together
md had frollcked around on q dozen
boyish larks. TO put it mildly tn?
meeting was likely to prove enbarrasS
Ing.
"Came down to see about gcttin.
some COWS for the old man from the
FiddIeback outfit. Davis explained.
"You riding for the Bar Double Mp"
There was a momentary silence.
Curly's vigilant eyes met those OF his
old side partner. What did Stats
know? We're his suspicious already
active?
"No, I'm riding for thc Map OF
Texas" Flandrau answered evenly.
"Come on, Curly. Let's so feed our
faces" Mae called from the stable.
I'landrau nodded. You still with
the Hash;nfe"" he asked Davis.
still with ON. !'vr haon raised TO
assist foreman