The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-02-01


He wa AZ the head Of a stair.
way which ran down TO the first
floor and lost Itself in the darkness
Of the han, He was sure that he
heard ioN voices behind Q closed
door.
Ncver before had Dave noticed
that stairs creaiIed and groaned 80
loudly beneath the pressure of q
soft footstcp. Heidi not hide the
truth from himself. IL steelman
or his men found him here looking
TOT Crawford he would never leave
tho house alive. His foot<1eft the
last tread and found the uncarpet'
ed floor, Asi he moved forward his
stomach MUSCLES frightened. Atany
moment some one might come out
Of fhe room and walk into him.
He nut his eye To- the keyhole.
Ad Miller was sitting a.straddle q
chair, his elbows on the back. An
other man, one not visible to the
cowpuncter, was announcing a de.
clsson aud giving an order.
Hook up the horses. Shorty.
He's got his neck bowed and be
Won't sign. All right. III get the
durn toolsup in the hills and show
him Whistler he will or won't"
The range:rider grlmbled an In
distinct answer. Dave did not
mako out the words, and his inter.
est m the conversation abruptly
ceased.
For from upstairs there came
the sudden sounds OF tramplIng
feet, OF bodies ~thrashing to and
no in conflict. a revolver shot
barked US sinister menace.
Dave rose to 80, At the same
time the door in front of him was
ierked open. He pushed his forty
five into Miller's fat ribs.
Stick up yore hands-stick EN-
up
The boy was backing along the
passage as he spoke. He reached a
newell post In that second while
Miller was being flung aside by an
eruption OF men from the room.
Like q frightened rabbit Dave
leaped for the stairs, taking them
three az q time. Halfway UP he
collided with a man flying down
They came together with tho
heavy impact OF tast.moying bod
les.
Sanders rose Ike a rubber ball.
The other man lay still. Dawes
head had struck. him in the solar
plexis and Knocked the breath out
Of him. The young cowpuncher
found himself the active center OF
q cyclone. His own revolver was
gone. He sgrappled with a man,
Selling him by the wrist to prevent
the use OF long-barreled Colt.
The trigger fell, a bullet flying
through the ceiling.
Dave c1ung close to the man he
had seized. using him as a shield
against the others. The pack
swayed down the hall into the
wedge OF light thrown by the lamp
IN the room.
A Jagged pain shot through his
head. He stumbled and went
down. Heavy boots Kicked at him.
1t seemed to him that bolts OF
lightning were zigzagging through
him
The pain ceased and he floated
away into assea Of space.
CHAPTER WI
Bob Hart waited tin his friend
had disappeared into the house be-
lore he moved.
III too, examined his gun before
he followed Dave through the DOR
tner window and passed into the
ttroWsy bedchambers None Of the
details OF dt escaped his cool, keen
gaze. least OF all the sawed-off
shotgun in the corner.
THAT scatter gun might come
mandy Reckon I'll move It SOS
IN know Just where it's at when
needgitrshe said to himself, and
carried the gun to the bed, where
he covered Il with quit.
He wassabout to open the door
when someone spoke. He recog-
med the voice. It belonged to the
man who wrote his pay checks, and
II came from an adjoining room.
Always knew you was crooked
as 9 dogs hind laig, Doble. Some
day M certainly bang yore hide
uptogdry sor yore treachery."
use to get on the peck, EN-.
Maybe you'll need a friend before
you're shet of Brad.
Ut relieves my mind some to
tell you what a yellow coyote you
are explained the cattleman.
Bob tried the door. The knob
tutnedsn his hand and the door
slowly opened inward$
The rattle OF the latch brought
George Doble's sly, shifty eye
round. The crook jumped to his
ee tuggtng at. his gun. Before he
could fire, the rangeridcr had
closed with him.
The pnncher caught his right
arm The DETECTED bullet pinged
through g looking glass on a dress
er nesr the foot Of the bed.
One hundred and sixty pounds
81 steel-fnnscled cowpuncher land.
cd on he midrift and the six
shooser went gathering away TO a
5ar corner Of the room.
Bob sdived for the revolver, Doble
for the door. a moment and Hart
had the gun. But whereas there
lad been three IN the room there
were now but two.
A voice FROM the bed spoke in