Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1924-08-15

long whip cracked over the leaders
and the coach plunged ahead.
With the Spring creek crossing
ahead the rear guard rode in closer
Horse-thieves were reputed to have
their headquarters somewhere on the
divide between the Spring and Rapid
and while 1t was not generally be-
lieved that the horse thieves and road
agents belonged to the same band II
would be easy for lawless men to de-
sert one vocation for another when
quarter Of million dollars was in
volved.
Dinsdale had hung back with the
main body, but, after the first two
miles he gave Horseshoe Webb sig
nal to, follow him and galloped on in
advance. Webb pounded after him
and was riding by his side when the
two turned wooded bend and were
lost to view. Roberts heard Dinsdale
call out sharply and spurred forward
to investigate. He found Dinsdale
afoot and trying to lift Webb back on
his horse.
Nag stumbled and threw him.
Never tried to save himself. Landed
ike bag of meal, right on his head"
Leave him lay till the coach comes
up and we'll stick him inside. HI
of guard !" growled Roberts.
They had gone too far to take him
back to Rapid City and, failing to find
camp of miners on Spring or Battle
creeks, 1t would be necessary to take
him through to Custer City on French
creek. The man was unconscious but
breathing in a stertorous manner.
Roberts examined him and pronounced
1t to be fracture on top of his head.
Dinsdale was more optimistic and said
the skull was not broken.
Disposing of him they resumed their
way, Roberts now riding ahead with
DinsdaIe. Heretofore Roberts had
done most of the talking. Now Dins-
dale gestured for him to pay sharp at
tention and began to talk. Roberts
was powerless for several minutes to
speak even when his companion be-
came silent. Again Dinsdale spoke,
CURLY and incisively.
That's all. Don't ask any ques-
tions Ride back. Soon well come to
a sapling across the road"
Pivoting his horse Roberts galloped
madly back to the coach. Dinsdale
dismounted and walked on the right
of his horse, his eyes searching the
A Nf In
brought him in sight of sapling lying
across the road. He shifted his gaze
to the bush growth just beyond this
and came to stop. From behind him
came the faint throb of racing hoofs,
each moment growing more audible.
A masked figure leaped from the
bushes ahead and gently called out:
On you, Dinsdalel You've be-
trayed u.s.
AS the fellow spoke up went his gun
and as it exploded two shots from the
bushes roared out. The horse went
down, shot through the head. Around
spun Dinsdale, his right arm helpless.
He began firing with his left hand and
the man in the road swayed wildly,
but doggedly continued working the
trigger although his lead went wild of
the mark. AS he collapsed a muffied
scream rang out from the bushes, a
howl of rage rather than pain, and
there was crashing in the under
brush as men hastily rode away. Rob-
erts dashed up with half of the
eh f,ko
random. Three men ran to the pros
trate man and pulled off his mask.
Dinsdale forced himself to look. 1t
was the man known as Easy, and a
red welt showed through the clipped
hair where Dinsdale had struck him
down in the cellar of the horse thieves
rendezvous.
"And Joe said his name was Roach.
Roach of Crook City," cried Dinsdale
with historical laugh. He grabbed
horse by the bride and crawled into
the saddle.
"Stopl Don't let him goi He's
hurt !" howled Roberts, and he made
a dash to seize the bride. But the
horse jumped ahead and tore down the
road.
AS Dinsdale swept around the next
bend he glimpsed a figure crashing
into cover on his right, and he knew
the fugitives had crossed the road and
were making for their hiding places
on the divide. He sent his horse
through the alders and hazel and
gained the foot Of long slope where
the growth was pine and spruce and
more open. One horseman was riding
into dry gulley. Another had elect
ed to take trail leading along the
south bank of the gulley AS the man
in the gulley was the easier to follow
Dinsdale turned his attention to him.
He heard the sound of another horse
man crashing through the growth to
the north of him and from the rapid
ity of his advance 1t was obvious he
was descending, rather than ascend
ing, the slope. This puzzled Dinsdale,
as he did not believe any of the guard
hod haI INA %<. S,nA Ok