The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1924-02-21
THE RED LOCK

| eyes hhu llsetu the ChAucc httAAit
seemingly the one thing they had
missed. as his next words half star
tlingly disclosed
"What did y'u make o. them tracks
y'u foller'd yisterd'y-rom them
bushes on the edge o. the elf back O.
y'ur cabin an past the OIL log1 / seed
y'u'd ben foller'n' 'em as ! crossed the
trail m'se'f this mornln'."
The young man bent an amazed
look upon his aged friend. lost I'm won
der al his marvellous woodcraft.
Il got a look at the man that made
EN-" was his slow answer. while he
laid blind that log a-watchin' me
straighten up the fence. / don't think
he knows / saw i'm. but ! did-it was
the Teller that stirred up all that rum
pus at the schoolhouse night b'fore
last"
The I'D man threw away his sassa-
fras sAoot; an eager seriousness
crossed his face.
THAT wus Black Bogus"
The younger man stared
"Now
''Hlt were"
The woodsman fell suddenly
thoughtful; glanced away across the
hollow toward where the double trail
led through the woods. The old man
studied him curiously. II may be each
was thinking the same thought-that
strange resemblance that had so puz-
zled them both-but neither let fall
any inkllng OF II TO the other.
al knows im." Uncle Nick went on
after moment. Hes friend OF
Loge Belden's-an' he thinks mebbe
he's harborin' up thar with i'm
He jerked his thumb up the hollow
toward where a section OF the warped
roof OF Loge Beldens squalid cabin
barely protruded above the bushes;
seemed 10 weigh his next words be-
fore letting them fall.
Anyhow. thought I'D pint m nose
up the crick an kinda throw an eye
on Loge's cabin Z see II e is"
AN II e is-T the other ques-
toned. having caught the curious look.
The caution OF a lifetime in the
woods prompted the old hunter to
look guardedly In every direction be-
fore answering.
Don't let on y'u know THE came
step nearer-"but Al says Belden
bTongs { the sane gang o. cutthroats
down yincennes way that Black Bo-
gus does. an he thinks more n likely
they're plottin' Z crack OIL Sine Col
ms safe"
The hardness that had come at the
mountain girls warning crept again
into the woodsman's eyes. but he
made 10 comment.
Il low y'u nee'n' 4 be told they
amt neither one got much time fr |
you. after what happened at the post
office an AT the schoolhouse-an'
they're the kind that won't stay
licked. an the kind that strikes Ia the
dark"
Jack picked up the heavy shotgun
from where he had laid II aside when
about 20 rush upon his old frieRd,
blew a dead grass blade
out from between the hammer and the
lock. but offered no word. The old
man again bent his furtive look upon
him and went on.
"Black Bogus-they's fifty sherifrs
a-lookln' f'r him. an a standin' reward
Of Eve thousan' dollars. dead r
alive"
The young man ninched. looked
keenly nj the other
Uncle Nick-y'u wouldn't"
mo. ! wouldn't" the old man re-
piled with instant readiness TO the
imputation. "rye shot
men In my time. ! never sold one
He stepped around the great sugar
maple. motioned for the other TO fol-
0w. and stole away along the brow OF
he blum. quite obviously IN serious
earnest.
The young woodsman fell into the
rail. STEPPED In the caution that
anne from much Living alone. he said
nothing. but II was the one thing that
lad brought him 10 the woods that
have look AZ Loge Bel
lens cabin.
AAfaAAthA E'tAAf ~ AFHAAAf n rnhNA
distance below whore the suspected
'sbin squstied. they crept down the
ed OF q dry wash-out and through
ONE fhickets Of brier and hazel until
hey lay within less than a hundred
ards Of its crude and mud daubed
rails.
There seemed 20 be no one about
xcept the comely mountain girI. who
anne 70 the open door 9 time or two
o look out. ~ n she expected some
ne-some one that she would rather
ot see. 10 judge BY the troubled er-
reSsion Of Der face--a face whose
rBgic sadness bad 50 Impressed the
Foodsman ~ that strained and bur
led Interview.
II WAS late IN the forenoon when.
bore them on the hillside. they heard
be swish Of brush swinging back ,
ITO place after having been dragged
side. Uncle Nick held up q cautious
rger. and they crcuched lower IN the