The Crittenden press., 1921-12-23


thnn bacchunnllan orgies the FIRST
watch, heavy with drink. stopped play.
Ing cards and singing ouilandish
songs. forgot all orders and began 70
nod. Then II was that Dale thought
Of the man who had .leen bis faithful
guardian for many days. the lanky
49, Heck. Why hadn't he thought Of
Beck heforei he wondered n Heck
had followed him 10 the trap. n ieck
was near him even then, n Heck had
gone for help
BY Heck bad not followed Bll Dale
10 the little basin. But he had fol.
lowed Henderson Con. aud Henderson
Oon had followed Dale TO the little
basin Coz had returned 10 the Big
Pine Mountain country only that day
and be- knew nothing Of the plans Of
the Tofrey faction until be- Wit
messed the mOckery Of trial 0off
vas nov crouching In the darkness on
che loN line Of ellis 10 the eastward
from the walnut tree. and not far
behind him. well hidden m the hack
laureis. watching him and watching
Bnl Dale. crouehed by Heck
Dales guardian had not gone for
help. because he feared 10 leave Dale
utterly unprotected IN the hands OF
the rsng u cutthroais Ne believed
that he could rescue Dale himself
When the hrsi watch became q little
more droWsy. hs would steal % BE-
hind he tree and cui ihe cotton rope
Then b. realized that Cor bad a.
appeared entirely fio crepi forward
siirn''f. his eyes aieri and m1nenf
iaief fe sav Cor rfaailnf toward o.,
walnut tree ne climbed nolselessly
down oser ths facs u the elf and
followed GoG like . shadow. When
Gohs hands touched the tree. Ny Heck
vas within ten feet of H. Hsck made
sufs bis rife was ready aud tool an.
ether step forward. watching. listen
ing
The shysier coal man leaned around
The trss 10 the left In the glos of
the bow burned nrs the blade u .
small knife Ia his hand CLEANED dull
ted. H. whispered cautiously;
You're 10 q m Dale And it's
none of ny d0iuE either. Give ms
your sord that rii get that eoal prop
sfiy for nfiesn thousand. and ill siaah
he fope How about M slek Of
thls country. aren't your'
There came q few seconds Of silence
save for he lusiy snoring of he sleep
sfs and the musical iinkle % he little
eresk. after which Cor muiisrsd dis.
sppolnisdlyi
-Weli thsn. hangr
And Heel knsu that Dale had re-
fussd 10 ssil the Morcland coal for q
song even to save be life. A. Coz
stepped backward. the mulIs of the
tall hlllman's Hhs vent against the
small % be bact. aud the tail hlllman
whispered hoarsely. through teeth
tightly cieuched;
-s'ash ai rope. d-u yors souli
Slash "a roe. or vishi Z may drap
dead - ! don't shoot yore backbons
lnio four thousand plecss lgod slash
u-
Coz siruightsnsd IN surprise The
rne's muIlis went harder against hts
tsck and be tnev u for exaciiy what
u W.. Ne moved a hand upward.
then downward and the cotton rope
vas severed 10 half q dolen placcs
-Stiidy thar. uovr whispered hy
ilesk. and hs beran 10 back away.
Gene aloag VI me. ye dadslafted.
banisr hsliisd skunk hiii he'll foilcr-
Ths ihrse % them hurried lnio the
deepsr shadows Soon Heck halted
Coz and turned 10 Dale.
-Ssrch him 10 . gun. Bll. Old boy
Dale lifted from Hcndsson Gofrs
rghihand coatpockst q hlued and
stuhuose magazine pistol
Dang my eyss aud hast my for.
Hrdr neck exclaimed N q mua8ei
voice. Hes plumb death ou then
little popruna aint hei say. Coz.
n ever % shoots me with q thing llks
that and aud n OCT. DANCED n don't
spank ~ onisl yors nose blcods. Nov.
le's 60 you'uns And - ~ iesi cheep
cut q noise. Mister Coz. the burraris
VII plck ths meat ofsn ycr bones
sfcfs tomouer night
"Mose. shysierr frovned Bin
Dale.
ny Heek led the way 10 ne line q
cilra 20 the westward They had
climbed the rugred wall aud vee
about 10 sst eat through the pitchy
iark woodland. when q soice that
thsy knew vel hailed them softly
from ne laureis 70 their left
Hold on. thar-
-John Morelaud. By iisgsuf- nut.
tered Heck
Morciand FASTENED soundlessly 10
them 4 reckon - didn't mean no
harm. ~ he said IN tones that eH.
presscd q dccp rerrst. -bui ~ shors
uishi ~ hadnt ha' done it-
samuel Hect vas vcfy proud o.
hlmssif iie siruightened there in he
taftuess.
~Whsru ne nams o ne devil matsa
~ uishi ssch a ihlng as that. iohnf
he demanded IN haif angfy voice.
"'Causc." grovlei the blg hiilman.
-you went and spilled h-l Out o. The
main big picnic We meant 10 sips