The Bossier banner., 1922-06-15

ondfS III LHS 0uSinSSS.
revolver here somewhere. l think Til
borrow 1t. We might see some game,
as Allan says.
A search disclosed revolver and
cartridges in Travers' trunk. Gardiner
loaded the weapon and put it in his
pocket
What about me? demanded Riles.
"AiD't t have no gun"
Better without it" said Gardiner.
.'lt might go off. If we really see any
game. and there's chance of sec
ond shot, I'll lend you this one"
Down by the river. well screened
with cotton-woods. Travers fished in
pool close by the ford He heard
voices. and. looking up quickly. saw
Riles and Gardiner riding slowly down
the road The two rode close by. and
stopped their horses to drink with
their forefeet in the river. Jim was
going to call to them when he heard
his own name mentioned He was no
eavesdropper, but he obeyed the Inn
pulse to listen and keep out OF sight.
.Travers doesn't suspect a thing"
Gardiner was saying. tits just as
WE'LL He figures on making old Har-
ris father-in-law some day, and he
might do something foolish If he
caught on. If the old man loses all
his money he won't be SO desirable
from son-in-law's point of view !,
Well. wen see how he stands the night
in the old shanty up the river road.
| Strange things have happened there
before now. LET me tell you. Riles."
II jim had been prompted by Curl
osity al first a very different emotion
| laid hold of him as he caught the gist
| of Gardiner's remarks. 1'ravers had
not known Harris to be in the district,
hut he had suspected for some days
thai Gardiner and Riles were Matching
mischief in their long absences togeth-
er The Information that Harris was
going up the river tonight. apparently
4 with large sum of money, and the
fact that these two men also were go
ing mp the river. gave to Travers' nim-
Bile mind framework on which to hang
almost any kind of plot.
He leaned forward In the trees, but
at that moment Riles clntched Gardi-
ner's arm and said something ID q low
voice The two men rode through
the river, and their words were
drowned in the lisp of the water.
The smile did not leave Travers
lips as he wound up his reel and stole
i swiftly along cattle-track up from
the river. hut sudden light cleaned
In bis eyes and his muscles hardened
with excited tension. He knew tht
shanty to which Gardiner referred. al
they had once been there together
and he resolved that if. there were go
ing to be any "doings" in that local.
~ tonight he would furnish share o
Il the excitement Unfortunately, tht
ford was on cross-road little used
and Ii was two miles back to III,
ranch. By the time Trayers reached
the ranch buildings. caught and sad
died his horse. made fruItless searcl
for his revolver. substituted rifi,
which lay 1T hand, and at Iengfl
found himself upon the trail darkness
was setting In. and Gardiner and Rile
had many miles start of him.
When the two plolters stopped to le
their horses drink ut the ford Caroline
suddenly broke off from their CONVEX
saiion To make few remarks abou
Travers and Harris. Rifles had iii
tened indifferently until bis eye rangh
sight OF Trasers half coneeale
among the cotton woods that fringe
the stream. He ciutehed Gardiner
arm
.S-s-sil, he cautioned ".Iims jus
behind the bank. I'm sure saw hin
an he heard YOU, TOO. "
Good said Gardiner. quite undil
turbed Now We can 60 on. The
reinea up their horses and plunged mi
the swiftly running Water You see
said Gardiner. as the horses took II
opposite bank with great strides the
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