The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-07

Continued from Our Last Issue.) |
On the evening of the tenth day
Burns put in the cork.
A string of eight-inch pipe sixty
feet long was slid forward and der
ricked over the stream The pipe
had been fitted with valves of va
rious sizes. After it had been fas-
tened to the wells casing, these
were gradually reduced to check
the flow
Six hours later a metropolitan
newspaper carried the headline: !
BIG GUSHER HARNESSED
AFTER WILD RAMPAGE
Jackpot No. 3 at Malapi Tanned;
Long Battle Ended
CHAPTER XVII
1t was a surprise to Dave to dis
/ cover on setting out for the scene
of the hoId-up that the horse Steve
fayor1te Chiquito. The pinto knew
him He tested this by putting him
! through some of his old tricks.
He nuZZled his silky nose against
1 the coat of his master just as in
the days of old
| Crawford searched over the
! ground. Just like l thought,
! Dave The posse has been here
way of tellin' which of all these
footprints belonged to them. Like
/ ly none of EN-"
They made a wide circle to try
to pick up the trail wanted, and
| in 10
The trailers scanned closely the
edge of the irrigation ditch.
Dave pulled up. He went down
on his knees and studied the
ground, then jumped down into the
ditch and examined the bank.
Here's where they got out" he
announced.
j The old cattleman examined the
side of the canal. The clay showed
where a sharp hoof had reached
for a footing, missed, and paved
Gown the bank. Higher up was the
faint mark of shoe on the loose
rubble at the edge.
Looks like" he assented.
The trail led through the canon.
over a divide beyond, and down
into small grassy valley.
A log cabin sQuatted on the
slope. One had to be almost upon
1t. before it could be seen. Its back
door looked down upon the en-
trance to a canon. This was fenced
across to make corral.
The cattleman and the cow
puncher looked at each other with
out verbal comment This was the
haunt of rustlers.
Horses were browsing sleepily in
the corral. Dave slid from the sad
die and spoke to Crawford in low
voice.
I'm going down to have a look
at those horses" he said, unfasten-
ing his rope from the Gentos-
Dave walked down the steep hill
side, and dropped into the corral.
A man came to the back door OF
the cabin and stretched long and
. luxuriant yawn. Carelessly and
casually his eyes wandered over the
! corral. For a moment he stood
frozen, his arms still flung wide.
From behind him came Craw-
, ford's voice, cool and ironic. Much
obliged, Shorty. Leave EN- right
up and save trouble"
The squat cowpuncher's eyes
: found there the owner Of the d Bar
Lazy r. ''Wha'dya want?" he
growled sullenly.
"You-just now. Dave, step for
ward and get his six-shooter. Keep
him between you and the house. Il
anything happens to you I'm go1n
, to kill him right now"
Sanders took the mans gun and
ran his hand over his thick body
to make sure had no concealed
weapon. I'm going to back away
You come after me, step by step
SO close 1 could touch you with the
gun" ordered Dave.
: The man followed him as direct
ed, his hands still in the air. Hi:
/. captor kept him in line between
him and the house door. Crawford
| rode down to join them
i you live here, Shortly asked
; Crawford CURLY.
/ Yes" The answer was sulky
and reluctant
"AIone?'
! Eyes"
Crawford turned to Sanders
What about the horse you looked
+ at. Dave?"
; The one with the broken shoe"
. THAT yore horse, Shorty?'
= s'Maybeso. Maybe not.
you've been havin' compan.
here lately" Crawford went on
!. who's yore guestT'
you seem to be right now. Yol
: and wore friend the convict" gneer
? ed the short cowpuncher.
Don't use that word again
shorty" advised the ranchman il
a voice gently ominous.
ssWhv not? True, amt It
Doesn't deny it none, does he?