Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-01-07

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 a word Of spoken praise.
Kate spoke to Curly. Father wants
me to tell you that we don't blame you
for shooting at him. We understand
just how 1t was. Your friend got en-
cited and shot as soon as he saw he
was surrounded. We are both very
sorry he was killed. Father could not
stop the boys in time. Perhaps you re.
member shat lie tried to get YOU to
surrender" ..-....
The rlstler nodded. '"Yes, heard
him lolIer to me to put my gun down,
but The others 'blazed away at me" ~
."And so you naturally defended
yourself. Father wants it made clear
that lie feels you could have done uoth-
ing else"
Much obliged. I've been. sorry ever
since I hit him, and not only on my
own account"
"Then none of US need to hold hard
feelings" The girl looked at her fa-
ther, who answered her appeal with a
grim nod, and then she turned again
to the young rustler little timidly. II
wonder If you would mind If, 1 asked
you question"
you've earned the right to ask as
many as you like =
"Its about We have been told
you, know the man they call Soapy
Stone. Is that. true?" ...,5' 2 i
Flandrau's eyes took on astony look.
TWAS as If something. had sponged' all
the. boyishness from his face: Still try
ing to get him to give away his part
ners in; the rustling, were they? Well
he would show them he could take his
medicine without squealing. -, -.
"Your boys were asking that ques-
ton about Soapy last night: They had
a. rope round my neck.at the time.
Nothing unfriendly in the matter, of
course. Just a. casual interest in my
doings"
Cullison was looking at him with
the steel eyes that bored into him, like
a gimlet. Now he spoke sharply.
"rve got an account running with
.Soapy Stone. Some day TIL settle: 1t,
likely. But that aln't the point now.
Do you know his frlends-the bunch
he trails with?" -
WeariIess still seemed to crouch I'm
the cool eyes of Flandrau. -, y.
"Andif I,say yes, I'll bet your next
oucsSo.r will be about the time and
tlie place ] last. saw them" -. -.
Kate picked up a photograph from
he lah.e and handed It. to the prls
We're tot, interested In. his friends.
.xcrpl one Of them. Did. you ever. sec
he boy that. sat for that. picture7'
Tie frlnt. WIS snapshot: of: q boy
rhout. nineteen. brlght-faced hand.
;nne- fellow. little sulky.around. the
mouth but with a pair of straight. hon.
PSI eyes.
Curly shook his head slowly. Yet he
vus vaguely. reminded. Of some ole no
new. CHANGING up; he. found. Instant
ythe clue to What had puzzled him.
The young man in the picture wa3 like
Iate Cu.Iison, like her father, too, for
hut matter. -. :
Hes your brother" The words
| we're out before Flandrau could stop
hem.
Yes. You've never met hlm?"
mo"
Cullistn had been watching the
yo;.ng man steudtly. 'Never saw him
with Soc py Stone"
"Nu."
"Neve: heard Stone speak Of Sam
CmlliSon?'
mo. Soapy doesn't talk much about
who his friends are."
The cx-sheriff nodded. "I've. met
him." .-.'..
OF course he had met. him. Curly
knew the story Of how in one drive be
had l.;,de q gather of outlaws that had
brought fame to him. Soapy had
broken through the net, but the sheriff
had followed him into lie hills alone
and run him TO enrth.. What passed
between the men nobody ever found
out. Stone had repeatedly given 1t out
that he could not be taken alive. But
Cullson had brought him down to the
valley bound and cowe1. in due sea-
son the bandits had: gone. over the
road to Yuma. Soapy and the others
had sworn to get. their, revenge. some
day. Now they were back in the hills
at their old tricks. Was It possible
that Cullison's son was with them,
caught In q trap during some drunken
frol!c just as Curly had been? In what
way could Stone pay more fully the
debt of hate he owed the former
sheriff than by making his son a vii
lain?
(To be Cortinued).