Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1921-02-25


swiftly along a cattle-track up from
the river, but a sudden light cleaned
In his eyes and his muscles hardened
with excited tension. He knew the
shanty to which Gardiner referred, as
they had once been .there together
and he resolved that if there were go
ing to be any "doings' in that locali-
ty tonight he would furnish a share of
the excitement Unfortunately the
ford was on a cross-road little used,
and il was two miles back to The
ranch. BY the time Trayers reached
the ranch buildings, caught and sad
died his horse, made a fruitless search
for his revolver, substituted a rifle
which lay at hand, and at length
found himself upon the trail, darkness
was setting in, and Gardiner and Rifles
had many miles start of him
When the two plOtters stopped to let
their horses drink at the ford Gardiner
suddenly broke off from their CONVEX
sation to make a few remarks about
Trayers and Harris Rifles had lis
tened indifferently until his eye caught
sight of Travers, half concealed
among the cotton-woods that fringed
the stream. He clutched Gardeners
arm.
"S-s-sh," he cautioned. "Jims just
behind the bank. I'm sure l saw him,
an he heard you, too"
"Good," said Gardiner quite undis-
turbed. "NOw we can go on They
refined up their horses and plunged into
the swiftIy-running water "You see,
said Gardiner, as the horses took the
opposite bank with great strides, their
wet hOofs slipping on the round boul-
ders that frlnged the stream-"You
see, knew Jim was there all the time.
Those remarks were intended for his
benefit.
tits all quite simple. jim will hurry
back to the ranch, saddle his horse,
and follow us. BY the way, l didn't
tell him borrowed his revolver That
may delay him some. But he should
arrive at the shack in time to be TAX
ing a few stealthy observations Just
about the moment the Harrises are
hunting lor their money bag. I hope
Allan doesn't use that shotgun on him.
A shotgun makes an awful hole in q
man, Riles."
Rifles experienced an uncanny feel
ing up his spine.
"Well." continued Gardiner, II prom
Used to lay the whole plan before you,
when we were safe on the road with
no possibility of any strange ears
cooked for what a man might happen
to say It's all easy sailing now, The
big thing was to get them on the road
with the coin. That's what l needed
you for, Rifles. And you didn't do too
bad had to prod you along bit, but
you'll thank me for it when it's all
over.
"NOw this is how 1t will work out,
to T. The two Harrises will get up
TO the shanty about dark They'll pitch
camp there and begin to wonder when
we'll be along. Well, we won't be
along until it's good and dark, even II
we have to kill time on the road, II
Travers catches up on us We'll just let
him make one Of the party, which will
be sort Of embarrassing for Jim. But
he won't catch up. Well, when It's
good and dark-there'll be no mo0ntilI
after midnight-and they're both
sleepy with their long drive in the high
altitude, we will arrive near by. You
will go up to the door and take look
on the quiet / will go up to the win
dow and do the same. There's nc
glass in the window. and there's nc
door on, either, as | remember. Wen
size up things inside, particularly the
location of the coin. Then you show
yourself Tell EN- have the owner OF
the mine out there in the trees, but the
old fellow won't come in until he has
talk with them. Tell 'em they better
not show the money until they chat
with him few minutes. Likely they'll
fall for that, as they don't seem to
have the slightest suspicion. But II
they balk at leaving the money LEI
them bring it along, Once out in the
dark the rest will be easy. But / fig
ure they'll leave the money in the
shack--it's just for few minutes, you
know-and they'll reason that it's safe
enough with no one but ourselves with
In miles. Well, you lead them of
down through the hush. As soon as
you do that I'll slip in through the
window gather up the long green and
cache 1t somewhere in the scrub. You
won't be able to find me at first, but
when you do I'll say that the old fell
low wanted to go up to the shack him
self to meet them, and ! let him go
Then we'll all go back to the shack
and find both the money and the old
man-the mine owner, you know
missing. Then We'll start a hue and
cry and all bit into the bush. You and
will gather up the spoil and make a
quiet getaway for the night. Of course
we'll have to turn up In the morning
TO avert suspicion. but we can tell them
we got on the robbers trail and fol
lowed 1t until we lost ourselves in the
bush. In the meantime the HAIRLESS
will be tearing around in great excite
ment. and they're almost sure to run