Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-03-13

ping the key into his pocket. I'm
doin' y'u the honor Z think y'u hain't
| quite fell that low-bein' y'u didn't
want is death, nohow. No. y'u wanted
I'm Z live, SOS you could slip out all
the good bills y'u dast every night and
leave counterf'it bills In their place.
You'd Jlst got through changin'
the money that night when e rushed
out on y'u. He tried & shoot-both
bar'ls-but you fixed the caps SOS they
wouldn't go OF. Then foller'd the
struggle, and no doubt you was bad
fiustered when e fell back acrosst the
| chair. dead of heart disease. Then
| y'u unlocked the door t head on sus-
plclon, but y'u must "a ben fiustered
r y'u wouldn't "a left blood on the
| key"
Hopkins was bowed forward, star
Ing hard through his glasses. The
| woodsman glanced at him.
"Ther's jlst one pint ] amt quite
clear on-did e know II was your
The question caught the other on
| guard.
MY God, yesi Oh, his dead face
there In the coffin--in the black night
It's before me-"
He shuddered; gripped his hands till
the knuckles turned white; stiffened
after a moment and pulled himself to-
gether.
"Mr.-Caleb Hopkins peculiar
twist had slid into his voice that
brought quick look from the man
addressed-'T low y'u didn't aim {
kill Pap Simon, but the Flatwoods
amt big enough any more Z hold you
and me both. The Milford stage
from down the river Is leavin' the post
office fr the city In a few minutes.
You're goln' L be passenger--and
y'u amt comm back"
Hopkins WINGED; involuntarily
dropped his hand to the butt OF his
slx-gun, before remembering II 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 startln'-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
handed.
I'D II I WILL" the other snarled,
his eyes like live Goals In his face.
"Y'u will, r yum face Jerry Brown
and amt carin' dern which,"
The other glared around; appeared
to mediate some desperate move ;
seemed to realize his helplessness I;
finally slammed the satchels on the
desk with snarl and snatched out
their contents.
One Of them contained some cloth
Ing and few personal belongings ;
the other a number Of thick bundles
OF money--real money: the face Of
Hopkins left no doubt Of that very i'm
portant fact.
The woodsman's eyes widened a
trifie.
Lord, parson. y'u cut some swath
FIR a preacher How much did yu'
have when y'u struck the Flatwoods--
real money!
give hundred"
"Tm takin' y'ur word fr that. Peel
OF that many and put the rest back. !"
Hopkins picked up one of the bun
dies; counted or bills-all tens and
twenties--to the amount Of Ave hun
dred 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
muzzle OF the steady six-gun: fiinched
back.
with exasperating elaboration the
woodsman stored away the bundles OF
bills In the capecious pockets Of his
hunting blouse; snapped the satchel
shut. dropped II TO the floor and slid
II toward the other with his foot
You'll go ahead o. me downstairs
he directed. crisp and cold. make
whatever excuse yu please Z Mis- Ma
son. r anybody else we run onto. Wei
stand ont there at the hltch-rack til
the stage comes along. When Il does
you'll board Il. jlst like nothin' had
happened. I'm almln' Z trail y'u on
Graylock. Make one faise move, and
the next move win be mine"
He backed 10 the stair door. threw
Il open and. with slight sweep Of tn,
revolver, stood aside.
The eyes OF Hopkins behind nj,
glasses were like the eyes of trapped
viper, but he dared not disobey IN,
command He strobe through the door
The woodsman dropped the six-gur
back In its holster and followed.
Mrs. Mason was at the back Of the
house when they came down, 30 they
escaped encountering her, The same
good luck held at the hitch-rack. for tn,
stage was Just pulling out from tn,
post ONCE as they reached the gate
The woodsman waved his hand; the
driver drew mp: Hopkins stepped
aboard and Il ratified away.
(To be continuedl