Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-04-03

nedAhSt thcht. anu olCe OF TWICE MS
: boot struck the ground with a clumsy
thEd. Clear down TO the mouth Of the
hollow Jack stalked him. He took the
path THAT led along the east hank OF
the stream, and. when he came to the
fork. followed the branch that led TO
the little park.
The woodsman stole after him. TAX
ing The path himself this time and
grpning drvly nj the compliment he
had paid the fellow the night before
In thinking he might notice the croak-
Ing Of the frogs. II was refinement
of woodcraft Of which Black Bogus
had probably never dreamed.
Down into the lltrie park and TO the
seat at Whispering spring the hulking
shadow crept. again. us on the night
before. the man crouched down
among the gnarled maple roots by the
rustic seat.
The windows OF the red.roofed cot.
tage were dark The place lay serene
and peaceful, with no spark Of light
alive to show that II was awake to
the sinister web Of evil slowly weav-
Ing about 1t.
AFTER an interval spent In listening,
the crouched figure among the gnaried
maple roots lifted his hands to his
mouth and again the lonesome wall
OF the screech owl shivered out upon
the night. The woodsman seized the
favorable moment to steal closer and
to conceal himself In clump OF
shrubbery much nearer than he had
ventured the night before.
Black Bogus had given his rather
clever imitation of the screech owl
three times, and was on the point OF
giving II again, when the parlor door
opened and the tall figure of the
preacher. without his glasses and
with the stoop gone from his shout
ders. came out on the porch with q
step that carried no suggestion of
nincing nervousness he came down
across the yard. The white butt Of
the six-gun al his side looked as II
II belonged there.
He went straight to the spring; took
down the dipper. making very obvi-
GUS amount OF clatter in doing SO:
dipped himself a drink hung up the
dlpper turned back toward the
house; stopped by the rustic seat, and
held out his hand
Blnck Bogus reached in the breast
OF his coat. drew out a package, the
bunch Of bills. without doubt--and
laid II in the waiting hand. The
preacher put 1t inside his shirt bosom;
turned away; hesitated; came back a
step.
Bogus, be ready any night now
the hurried tones barely carried to the
man hidden in the there's
a barrel . money in there. / wouldn't
"a believed any man would risk so
much about i'm. and that old, QUITO
date safe--a horse jockey could open
1t. It's ali right slippin the goats
he patied his breast-"in among the
sheep like we're dom; and it's lucky
we printed a-pienty down the river
Off O. them new plates; and that was
great idea Of mine-mussln' 'em up
In leaf mold dampened with tobacco
spit SOS they'd look like old bills. The
devil imself couldn't tell EN-.
III works. and we'd carry IT through,
only for one thing-Warhopei He's
suspicious. ] saw II that first evening
at the supper table. That's why went
on that fool seinin spree--t' throw I'm
of; and that's why couldn't leave no
notes under the slab ut the old cabin
as we'd planned. Where he got his
clue don't know. but he's got Il. |
had the devils own time biindin' them
hawk eyes Of his this afternoon.
"Warhope land think LoEe had
I'm right AT the point OF y six-gun and
let i'm beat I'm on the draw"
An me-had I'm at the point Of Q
knife there In the schoolh0use." the
man among the maple roots broke In
why didn't IN let me alonef'
The other whirled on him. and his
voice thickened.
Let y'u alone--after y,u bungled II
the way va did-with fifty pistols In
the air-and you drunk-h-ll This
was my lay, anyhow. and one-man
Job. only you and Loge had t mess in
-and now. with y'ur long tongues and
squirrel whisky. y'u'ye jim'd it."
Mess In e. The shadow among the
gnarled roots raised q trifie. who
hid yu an nursed y'u back we'll again
after that marshal dern' nigh croaked
y'u last winter? Mess i'm
The other strobe hard step nearer
apparently realized that any sort Of
an outbreak just theresand then might
prove dangerous; finally turned and
stalked away up the yard.
ITO BE CONTINUED}