The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-11-15
It Was a Lot
Of Money
By MORRIS SCHULTZ,

Lying on his bed in the cabin.
Hank Winton listened to the whis-
pering voices in the Aext room.
Three days before Hank, wound.
ed in the arm, had ridden up TO the
cabin. No questions were asked OF
h!m-that Is not the mountain way.
But Hank suspected that his iden-
tity was known. And the $1,000
placed upon his head would mean q
fortune to this poor, ignorant young
couple struggling along with their
few mountain sheep on the poor
range.
Five thousand dollarsi Hank
had shot the sheriff, who tried to
intercept him after his escape from
the penitentiary. The sheriff had
recovered, crippled for life. Twen-
ty years faced him.
Five thousand dollarsi He had
never been worth quarter Of that
sum. If he had had $1,000 years
before Molly would not have d.
vorced him. Molly and her hus-
band were happy, but very poor
and there was the kidx Hanks own
kid, brought up in ignorance that
his father was alive.
Hank would have given his lib
erty to have let the boy have This
chance in the world. Molly would
see to that if
The startling thought that flashed
through his brain dissolved as he
heard that stealthy whispering
through the wall again.
He must get up at dawn. And.
planning this, he fell asleep from
exhaustion.
Next morning his host said, with
shifty glance at him:
II guess I got to 60 into town
this mornin' to have that sheep
medicine sent out. You stay here
with the wife. old-timer. Shore,
everything will be all right. That
wound you got chasin' Hank Win
ton will soon heal in this hyar
mountain air. You're good fer as
long as Won stay. old-t!mer."
Hank thanked him briefly. He
knew why the man was going into
town. 1t was the result Of his talk
with his wife the night before. They
meant to do the right thing, but
$1,000
And there was a baby coming.
i Five thousand dollars. Why, he,
Hank, would have sold his best
friend to give $1,000 to Toni
Again that startling thought
flashed through his mind.
He watched the host ride of. The
woman went into the kitchen ana
made a pretense of peel!ng pota-
toes. Hank watched her through
the open door. She was crying.
Suddenly she turned and came
to him. "You saddle the pinto and
ride away before my man gets
back" she said.
Hank smiled. It was winsome
smile; the desperate was still a
s scun S:.. man; he had Pot lost all
II reckon you know"
"ShOre, we botn know, and
reckon you know why my mans
rid into town. There's time to git
away yet. That pinto Of yours can
60 fast. Ell it wasn't for-for the
baby" She put her hand to her
throat. "But 1 jest can't do 1t
now" she said. "You take the
pinto. He'll understand"
IL got a kid Of my. own" said
Hank.
She looked at him with slow un.
Outstanding. "That shore is tough"
she said.
"And I was thinkin', what's the
sense Of goin' on bein' an outlaw
when I'm bound to git caught soon
er or later? II I was to take my
medicine I guess I'd be out in thir-
teen years or so, with a trade, and
and there's that kid of mine.
twenty-five hundred would jest
about set him right with the world.
And I guess it would jest about set
you right"
"You-you meanr'
"Shore, that's what I mean.
twenty-five hundreds mighty big
lot of money and I guess
I could trust you"
"You saddle that pinto!" she
flashed out.
swell, I guess not" said Hank.
Besides, amt well enough to ride
yet"
Two hours later the galloplng
horsemen converged about the
shack. Hank was ridden down and
covered.
swell, I guess we got you To
rights, Hank" remarked the dep
uty.
"Guess so.' Hank answered.
The man who had sold him came
up to the little group. satisfied
that's him." he asked.
"Shore, that's him." they an
swered CURLY. They moved away
from him. Hank laughed.
That's all right, old-timer." he
said. Don't hold 1t against him
L was amin to surrender, and we
thought we might as we'll divide up
that there reward between us.
: twenty-five hundred each shore u
lot Of money"
q. 1883. Western Newspaper Union.l
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