Evening star., 1925-06-29
One Of a series of the
years best short
stories.

tents inside his gate. Meanwhile he
would cache it,
He ascended the short ladder to the
loft above the stable, dug a hole in
the hay, deposited the bag and COW
cred 1t deeply. Having thus con-
cealed the evidence of crime, Tim
shut the stable, entered the house
where his brothers and sister slept
and followed their excellent example.
".
Toward midnight d rider on a warn
ana weary cayuse approached the
Rigney ranch. Mr.. Sankey, though not
always merciful to his beast, was a
good horseman. He knew what a horse
should do. and what even a good one
can do only at the cost of exhaustion.
The buckskin was good. but since late
afternoon he had covered more than
so miles of bare, frozen ground with
out feed and with but brief rests, and
he was beginning to go dead on his
feet. TWenty-odd miles still inter
vened between Mr.. Sankey and a
country in which he would be COM
paratively safe from pursuit, and
though II seemed that he had made
clean getaway, he could not be sure
OF 1t. Therefore, short of pressing
need. it would be folly to ride the
buskskin to a showdown. A few
hours rest and a good feed would
make the hardy animal as good as
new.
Truth to tell. Mr.. Sankey himself
felt the strain of 80 miles in the sad
ole. Tor he was not as young as he
had been in the brave days when
telephones and telegraphs were few
and his business f1ourished accord
ingly. When he recognized the Rig
ney ranch he was willing to rest. He
pulled up to listen for possible hoof-
beats behind him and considered the
situation.
After reflection he dismounted lead
his weary cayuse to the stable and
put him in an empty stall. By the
light Of a match he discovered Ian
tern, which he lit. coolly filed the
feed box of oats and, ascending the
loft, forked down a feed of hay. A
long and misspent life had taught
| Mr.. Sankey that nine times out of ten
boldness is the best policy, because
it Is the unexpected one, the run of
| mankind being predisposed to playing
IT safe. And for many years Mr..
| Sankey had made a living by follow
! ing the very opposite course.
Even If they've found them bank
boys Mr.. Sankey argued TO him
| self, it'll take 'em some time to fix
| them cut phone wires. And even if
| they figure I'm headin' for the hills.
| it'll take EN- till daylight to get this
far, and by that time IN be gone
| The buckskin will be fresh. while
their horses will be tired. A fed and
rested cayuse is plumb good business
| insurance"
| Acting on this reasoning, Mr.. San
key took a single blanket and the
sack containing his loot, and ascended
| TO the loft. There he burrowed deeply
into the hay, disposed his gun handily
IN case of need, drew his blanket
around him, and with the sack for a.
pillow relaxed his hardy old limbs in
the comfortable feeling that some
thing attempted, something done had
earned a few hours repose
The stable was tight, the hay warm
ana comfortable, the sound of animals
teedins was soothing. In a few min
utes Mr.. Sankey slept the sleep
common alike to clear and elastic CON
sciences. In his sleep he turned over.
and f1nding his pillow uncomfortable
thrust 1t from him with a somnolent
curse deeper into the hay And later
he turned over again, SO that he faced
as he had faced when first he slept.
Continued in Tomorrow's StarD