The Winslow mail. (Winslow, Ariz.) 1893-1926, 1925-05-29
DOUBLECROSSED
By B. K. CLAYTON
In FL Vaquero (Winslow High
School Annual.)

last rise in the trail and stopped
his horse. Ahead of him he saw a
rough shack, smoke curling from
the chimney at the back and an
unsaddled horse grazing in a little
billy pasture. From within the I'm
painted pine shack came strains of
dolorous music, bewailing the I'M
timely death of a certain young
man and beseeching a proper burial
for him other than the Lone
Prairee."
The stranger grinned and urged
his tired horse onward. Turning in
the saddle, he carefully scrutinized
the barren waste of desert sand
and rock. Far away he detected a
tiny dust cloud on the horizon. His
thoughts flew ahead to see the
outcome of the pursuit. They had
thus far been outwitted and outrid-
den by the young man who sat his
horse so calmly, but, however
slowly, the distance between them
now was inexorably lessening.
The man frowned and riding up
near the shack, he dismounted and
raped Justify on the door. The
mournful song ceased abruptly on
high note, and the door was
thrown open, confronting the
stranger with his host The latter
saw before him a young fellow of
about twenty-five years, sun
tanned, with two days growth of
stubble on his face, keen-eyed and
of muscular build. He wore the
customary range habiliments. A
pair of chaps and a black Stetson
completed his garb From the
right side of his worn chaps peeped
the black handle of a Colt AS.
The cowboy saw a tall, lean man,
with gloomy visage belied by a
pair of twinkling blue eyes. He
wore a flour sack apron, and his
hands were covered with biscuit
dough. Wonderingly, he eyed the
others apparel and armament, as
guns were no longer a necessary
part of a mans equipment.
Hello said the stranger, and
then, depressing a smile, he added,
II saw your smoke and thought l
would see if you could put me up
for the night. My horse is pretty
tired, and +"
"Sure I cam interrupted the
other. MY name is Young; yep,
George Young is my name. Just
put your horse in that little corral
there and come on in"
'All right, thanks. My names
Frank Campbell replied the cow
boy and turned to lead his horse
away. AS he took down the bars
of the pole corral he saw his host
looking at him in puzzled man
ner, and then as the man turned
to re-enter the kitchen Campbell
caught the smell of bacon, coffee
and frying steak-a most welcome
odor to the young adventurer, hun
cry as he was.
Campbell unsaddled the tired
horse and as he laid down the sad
die he was very careful to hide a
heavy little canvas bag under the
Nayajo saddle blanket and tuck it
under the skirts of the saddle. A
moment later, having fed his horse,
Joined Young at the house
AS he stepped over the door sill
he saw that the floor was wet. His
host caught his glance and ex-
planned, alphabetically: II thought
I'd wash 'er up a little. She gets
right smart dirty here with all the
sand"
Campbell mentally tagged Young
as a Texan and found him the type
of man he instinctively liked. An
hour later they sat down to a sup
per of steak, hot biscuits, gravy and
coffee.
Having finished the meal, Frank
Campbell stepped outside to turn
his horse out into the small pas
ture, as he explained. This having
been done, he seemed in no hurry
to return to the house, but walked
down the trail, his high-hee1ed rid
ing boots clicking on the metallic
stones. He listened carefully and
then, as the silence of the evening
remained unbroken, he turned back
as though convinced that there was
no present danger, and went on tC
the house.
Far out on the desert there rodf
a bunch of vigilant men. The din
starlight made shadows on eacr
rock and cactus as they passed
with little talk. Suddenly the lead
er pulled up. Having waited unit
all the men were gathered arounC
him, he gave his commands, divld-
ing his men up into two groups. He
took the lead of one bunch anc
rode away until they lost sight O
one another in the hazy deser
nigth. Only the creak of saddle
leather and the sound of crunchine
sand, mingled with an occasional
drawing uttearnce, marred the
stiffness. Then for the second time
since parting the leader spoke tt
his right-hand man.
Dave" he confided, 81 guess
Campbells' gone to old Youngs. It's
the only spring in thirty miles
and from there he could get to the