The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-05-08

tomorrow morning. That's all you can
get me to say. I'll sneak up the back
road to the tavern and pack my sad
dlebags this afternoon, and I'll leave
money with you to settle with John
son. l may have to ask you to fetch
my horse down here"
Just a minute" broke In Trent
man, who had been regarding him
with hard, calculating eyes. "If it's
as bad as all this, guess you'd better
not wait till tonight. 1t may be too
late-and besides 1 don't want the
sheriff coming down here and jerking
you out of my place. You don't need
to tell me anything more about your
relations with Hawk. I'm no fool,
Barry. know now that you are mixed
up in this stock-stealing business
that's been going on for months. 1t
don't take a very smart brain to grasp
the situation. You've probably been
making pretty good thing out of
moving this stuff down the river on
your boats, and Now, don't get up
on your ear, my friend. No use try
ing to bamboozle me. You're scared
stiff-nnd that's enough for me. And
you've got right to be. This will put
an end to your company's boats COM
ing up here for traffic-it will kill you
deader'n doornail so far as business
is concerned. So you'd better get out
at once. / never liked you very much
anyhow and now I've got no use for
you at all. Just to save my skin and
my own reputation as law-abiding
citizen, I'll help you to get away. Now,
here's what I'll do. I'll send up and
get your horse and have him down
here inside of fifteen minutes. There's
so darned much excitement up in town
about this murder that nobody's going
to notice you for the time being. And
besides lot of farmers from over
west are coming in, scared half to
death about Black Hawks Indians
They'll be out looking for you before
long, your lordship. and it won't be
for the purpose of inviting you to
have drink. They'll probably bring
n rail along with 'em, SOS you'll at
least have the consolation Of riding up
to the calabOose. You'll"
"Oh. for Gods sake!" grated Barry,
furiously. Don't try to be comical.
Trentman. This is no time to joke
or preach either. Give me swig
Of"
Nope! No whisky, my friend"
said the gambler firmly. whisky al
ways puts false courage into man,
and don't want you to be doing any
thing foolish. I'll have your mare
Fancy down here in fifteen minutes,
saddled and everything, and you will
hop on her and ride up the street,
right past the courthouse, just as If
you're out for an hours canter for
your health. You will not have any
saddlebags or traps. You'll ride light,
my friend. That will throw 'em off the
track. But what I want you to do a.
soon as you get out the other side of
the lanyard is to turn in your saddle
and wave last farewell to the Star
city. You might throw a kiss at 1t,
too, while you're about 1t. Because
you've got long journey ahead of
you and you're not coming back-that
is, unless they overtake you. There's
some pretty fast horses in this town,
as you may happen to remember So
I'd advise you to get good long start
and keep It,"
If Lapelle heard all of this he gave
no sign, for he had sidled over to the
little window and was peering oblique-
ly through the trees toward the road
that led from the "shanty" toward the
town. Suddenly he turned upon the
gambler, savage oath on his lips
"You bet I'll come back And when
do, I'll give this town something to
talk about. I'll make tracks now. It's
the only thing to do. But I'm not
licked-not by long shot, Jack Trent
man. I'll be back inside Of"
"I'll make you II present Of couple
of pistols fellow left with me for a