Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-04-17


brought quick look from the man
addressed-'T low y'u didn't aim t
kill n2ap Simon, but the Flatwoods
ainsShlg enough any more { hold you
and me both. The Milford stage
from down the river is leavin' the post
, office FIR the city in few minutes.
You're goin' t, be passenger--and
y'u amt comm back"
Hopkins WINGED; jnvoluntarily
dropped his hand to the butt OF his
| six-gun, before remembering It was
useless; snapped out muttered curse
and stood glaring about him.
A grin. hard and dangerous, crawled
out of the woodsman's eyes and twist
ed his face.
II low wen be startin'--now," he
rasped
Hopkins swore again--an artistic
little run Of oaths that the Flatwoods
call split hic'ry"-stamped across the
floor; picked up his two satchels and
brought them back to the desk.
Empty en-" the hard voice com
manded.
I'D If / WILL" the other snarled
his eyes like live Goals in his face.
"Y'u viii, r y'ull face Jerry Brown
and amt carin' dern wfach."
The other glared around; appeared
to mediate some desperate move;
seemed to realize his helplessness;
finally slammed the satchels on the
desk with snarl and snatched out
their contents.
One of them contained some cloth
! ing and a few personal belongings !;
the other number of thick bundles
OF money--real money; the face of
Hopkins left no doubt of that very Inn
portant fact
The woodsman's eyes widened a
trifle.
Lord, parson, y'u cut some swath
FIR preacher! How much did W.
have when y'u struck the Flatwoods---
real money!
give hundred"
I'm takin y'ur word fr that. Peel
OF that many and put the rest back :"
Hopkins picked up one OF the bun
dies; counted on bills--all tens and
| twenties--to the amount Of I'VE hun
bred dollars; and dumped the rest
with the other bundles back In the
satchel
The long arm OF the woodsman un-
expectedly stabbed across the desk
and snatched the satchel. Hopkins
whirled to spring at him; faced the
/ Ia xsFt ha OF n ct ". Afp nd
back.
| With exasperating elaboration the
woodsman stored awny the bundles of
bills in the capacious pockets Of his
hunting blouse; snapped the satchel
shut, dropped 1t to the floor and slid
1t toward the other with his foot
you'll go ahead O. me downstairs
he directed, crisp and cold. MAKE
whatever excuse y'u please t. Mis- Ma
son, r anybody else we run onto. Wen
stand ont there at the hitch-rack till
| the stage comes along. When 1t does,
you'll board It, jist like nothin' had
happened I'm amin t. trail y'u on
| Graylock. Make one false move and
the next move will be NINE"
| He backed to the stair door, threw
it open and, with a slight sweep Of the
| revolver, stood aside.
| The eyes of Hopkins behind his
glasses were like the eyes of trapped
viper, but he dared not disobey the
command He strobe through the door.
The. woodsman dropped the six-gun
back in Its holster and followed.
| Mrs Mason was at the back Of the
house when they came down, so they
| escaped encountering her. The same
| good luck held at the hitch-rack, for the
stage was just pulling out from the
post Office as they reached the gate.
The woodsman waved his hand; the
driver drew up; Hopkins stepped
| aboard and 1t ratified away.
|
Twilight had put the woods to sleep
when Jack Warhope rode back to the
homestead from trailing the stage. He
groomed his horse foul with sweat and
| sand fed him and went straight to his
cabin. Before lifting the latch he
stopped a moment and, with slow
sweep Of bis eyes. sifted the gathering
| shadows.
The foothills away across on the
plains were already hiding under the
sable wings Of the south; Anuous
lighter streak marked where the river
trimmed the bottoms the red flare Of
the spent day family spangled the
west the woods breathed softly; hard
ly pulse stirred the apple blossoms;
out Of the silence came the tinkle of
the spring under the cliff tapping down
the sulphur-stained gutter on Its way
to the barn-lot and cattle pens.
He filed his lungs full OF the serene
evening; entered the door; closed and
fastened it with unusual care; drew
the blinds of the two small windows
and lighted his candle.
What to do with the bundles of mon
ey? A key to the dead bankers safe
/ he did NOT have even If he could have