The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-10

his eyes glowed and he stuck the sheet into the pocket in which he had placed Gaylord Fane's note to Gail.
 Redmond now went back to the bunk and stretched out in it, fully dressed.
 He had not been asleep very long when a sharp noise awakened him. He started to sit up. but sank back again when he heard a voice close to him say, shortly:
 Don't exert yourself. MT. Man"
 By twisting his head a little awk- wardly Redmond was able to distin- guish the figure of a tall, well-built man, standing at Redmond's head, a few feet distant. Redmond grinned ruefully, though with some admira- tion.
 i've been waitin' for you. You're Jay Corwin, ain't your"
 Who are you?" the mans voice snapped.
 I'm confessin' to bein' Billy Red mond-an' not sayin' it loud. Said reason bein' that I'm regular asham- ed at not hearin' you came in.''
 How did you get in?''
 Plain an simple" grinned Red mond
 "Colver, our boss, is so tickled over me that he gave me a key which he calls a master that'n let me into any company station on the line. Easy, ain't it? I reckon if I could get up, now"
 All right" said the man, and Red mond swung around to a sitting posi- ton on the edge of the bunk to look at the other.
 He saw a man of perhaps thirty big, 1.-the and muscular, with a IL, r,I-, 1l7 h a steady eye and was complete mas ter of himself.
 Corwin wheeled and walked into the big room. As he passed the desk Redmond noted that he gave it a searching glance. Redmond got up. stretched and went out to him.
 He walked over to the front door and looked out at the deserted street
 ''Ffgurin' on turnin' in?" question ed Redmond.
 Its two-thirty-most daylight" !" returned Corwin. "I reckon l won t do any snoozin'." Corwin's voice was not friendly. Redmond felt he was not going to like Corwin-
 But Billy Redmond did not permit his hostility to be seen- Redmond owed much of his success to his uncanny knack of making men und him. He smiled blandly at his companion Well, then" he said, i've got a couple of respectable cigars here which I bought at the Ace We1l smoke them, an you can tell me what you know about the hold-ups on this section" | Corwin took the cigar offered him, dropped into a chair, lighted the cigar, blew some smoke rings upward and grinned at Redmond who had taken a chair near him.
 'It won't take you long to ride that trail. There's been hold-ups, know that much "Meanin' that's all you know" | You've hit 1t first pop" You got help here?" Redmond waved hand around the room.
 Pop Bailey. Pops honest. Ii there's leak it must be back on the | other section"
 | Redmond smoked in silence Ther he said, slowly: "Colver said you'd give me what help you could. Any objections to me hangin' around here for 8 few days-an' bunkin' here witt you?" Corwin spoke quietly and agreeabI, enough, but Redmond saw the mus cles of his jaws cord slightly-ant | Redmond turned toward the street tt grin with the side of his face tha Corwin could not see. There was a short silence. throuEi which Redmond sazed out into the de serted street. He could feel Corwil watching him, appraising him.
 Not long. however did his thought dwell on Corwin. Redmond heard sound of hoofs far up the street | .n m a Corwin heard the sounds too.
 Redmond unlocked the door an' threw it open, stepping outside Cor
 win following.
 A hundred yards away, on a dea
 run came a horse. Even at that dis
 tance Redmond recognized the ride , as Gail Fane. The horse came to a sliding stop g , Redmond reached a hand toward tn } mond was a the girls side, his voic s raised in sharp inquiry.
 Calls face was white, her ha
 wildly wind-blown. and her voic
 came in quick gasps.
 Its Shorty. They came-Cuni l | and Lowrey. They're dead, both , them, And Shorty She pause to catch her breath.
 'Talk-quick!' ordered Redmon, = l Se-1IlS JIle arm nearest nlm ana Shal l ing it.
 Q TT don't know!" she ouavere $ He isn't dead, I think
 Redmond's jaw set. Before Il 0 girl could add another word he "; s running toward the blacksmith she e Corwin was at the girls side. Il She was facing the moonlight al Q as Corwin looked sharply at her, F
 eyes steamed with interest and a !. mira ation
 e You are Gail Fane. aren't you O And at her quick nod of affirmati, Q he went on: I'm Jay Corwin. I " r whole lot friendly with your Unc
 Gaylord. Is anything wrons?" Il 'Shorty's hurt" e Shorty" he repeated. Who n Shorty?"
 .r There was no answer to the que
 tion, for at that instant there was r. rush of wind and Redmond was | ,e side the man and the girl
 The doc is two miles out of tow Le at Amden's place." he said rapidly
 Gail I'm going for him. You l., back and do what you can. Corw Ie you go with her. Don't let Shol 1t slip out.''