The Holly chieftain., 1923-06-07

shoulder, s0bbing.
"Were powerful obliged to you,
Miss Bailey, for what you told u.s."
said Sandy. ~I'm right sure you'd
give Molly q fine home. but we rot
other plans an we aim to carry 'em
out. Plimsoll's Q skunk an I'll block
his game about the mines ef they
amount to anything Molly's goin'
east for her eddication- She's got
plenty money to git the best that's
goin' an she's goin' to have it."
'sThen you better git her cross the
county line before many hours are
over" Miss Bailey climbed into the
machine. "You aim on takin' her out
Of the county to the railroad ter
morrerr she asked. "What school IL
she goin' TOT"
"We amt settled all the Details
said Sandy. "But we1l do that all
right. Wen git ready soons we can.
Meantime. well keep our eyes peeled
ter-morrer against any order from
Hereford"
Miranda waved farewell as she
called out, .Good luck!.
"Some sportl" announced Sam.
That's the kind of woman you sh'ud
have married, Mormon"
Molly. excited now, demanded audi.
ence.
"when do we startY' she asked ca
gerly. "Will you wait till they come
out from Hereford?"
II got to think out things a bit,
Molly" said Sandy. Zone thing Is
sure, you got to tuhn in an git good
rest. Ef we slide out 1t won't be all
pleasure trip. I reckon Plimsoll
means business. An he's sure got the
county machinery behind him right
now."
II can take GritT'
"W'uldn't want to leave us some.
thin to remember you byT asked
Sandy. "Somethin' to help make sure
you'll come back?"
Molly regarded Sandy soberly, her
fingers twining through the dogs
name.
you'd be good to him-same as
you air to me7 Oh, I'm Just plumb
mean to ask you that l know you
w'ud. He's goin' to be Jest as lone
some as me for Bit ain't you, Gritl
He allus slep' with me. cuddlin' up.
an" She gulped, Strengthened.
Good night" she said. "Come,
Grit"
The three men sat silent for a mo.
ment or two after she left.
"She's sure stem-winder," said
Mormon presently. "How you goin'
to fix to get her away, Sandyr
II got plan warmin' up" said
Sandy. Nearest to the county line
is west through the Cabezas range.
aim to git to the railroad an then me
an Molly'll make for New Mexico"
"HuhI''
"You guessed 1t, Mormon. For the
Pecos river an Boville an the Red.
ding ranch. reckon Barbara Red.
dlng'll handle the thing. She'll git
Molly her outfit an she'll know all
about the right schools"
Mormon brought his hand down on
Sans thigh with a sounding whack.
"Dern me, ef he amt the wise OIL
son Of gum" he cried delightedly.
"Surei"
Barbara Redding, once Barbara
Barton Of the celebrated Curly o, was
bright star in the mutual armament
Of the Three Star partners. They had
all worked together on the Curly o
in the old days. Sandy had been fore
man there. Once he had rescued Bar
bara Barton from horse rustlers with
grudge against her father, and once
again he had rendered her even
greater service when members Of the
same crowd kidnapped her two-year-old
son, whom Barbara Redding had
brought on visit to his grandfather.
Sandy had trailed alone and brought
in the 'li'l son of gun," as he styled
the youngster. There was little that
Barbara Redding and her husband,
wealthy rancher, would not do for
Sandy.
"I've got an itch to give Plimsoll
an his pals a run TO- their money"
went on Sandy. "An' here's the way
I flgger to do 1t. in the rough. See
what you all think Of It."
subdued outlaws rose from the
porch In through the open window Of
the room where Molly Casey lay wide
awake, the dog beside her. Presently
shesheard the martial strains Of Sans
harmonica, cuddled under his big mus
tache, played one-handed.
They're good" she said to Grit.
"An' they've figgered out something
or they w'udn't be actin thataway.
You an me got to be game"
Next morning, breakfast over be-
fore the sun was well above the peaks,
while desert birds were still rising,
twittering shrill welcome to the dawn,
Sandy went about humming snatches
Of cowboy songs just above his breath
as he oversaw the arrangements for
the exodus that was to be, not so
much flight as deliberately cal.
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