The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-05-20

you'd take 1t that hard, Dave. / did
what I thought was right"
Eyes, but"
''Sorry / bothered you. 1t won't
happen again. I hope shan't be
bothering anybody very long"
Tracy threw sharp QUESTION at
him. "What d. you mean by that fool
ishness?"
SIS there any particular objection
to my meaning exactly what say?"
The retort was too keen to pass I'M
noticed. Tracy was silent for a mo-
ment. When he spoke he made a
gruff complaint. whenever you get
chance, you like to take me hard
don't you? Anything say"
Selwood suppressed smile. 81
wasn't thinking about you, Dave.
Don't you know, man can feel that
his games about played? Mine be-
gins to look that way to me tonight"
"Shucks! you got cough started
again, that's all's the matter with
you.''
Sewood released hard little
laugh. Coughs don't bother me. I've
been acquainted with 'em too long.
asked you while ago whether you
believed In dead men. Last night
dreamed / saw Frank Sanger.
Il thought 1 was walking down
River street in Sleepy Cat. 1t seemed
as If it was dusk-evening, or early
morning--daybreak looked across
the street. There was Frank Sanger
walking on the other side. looking
straight over at me. Looked the same
as he did that night we-I-at Bar-
toes. But his mustache was heavier.
He had on queer-loOking hat
II tried to reach for my gun;
couldn't move finger. All of a sud-
den, he started across the street to-
ward me. His eyes were as big as
teacups. And all the time I knew he
was dead! 1 tried to cry out must
have made some kind of q noise, for
something woke me up. / grabbed
my gun out from under my pillow.
l was sure he was somewhere in the
room. And there lay in a cold
sweat"
Dead men don't walk the streets"
growled Tracy "Stir up that fire.
What you sittin' there in the dark
| for? There's nothin' to a dream,
mani"
Selwood made no move. "It's in the
cards, too, Dave. I've tried EN-
three times. 1t always comes the same
way-there's death in this deck for
somebody. guess it's full time for
mesto cash in, anyway. And remember.
everything between you and me Is
fixed. You own the mine; / own the
hail."
Light the lantern, dash it." burst
out Tracy. with deepening growl.
| dreams don't mean anything! If
there's anything wrong with the cards
it's because they're hanging men in
Sleepy Cat"
Without word Selwood rose, felt
| for a match, and. striking 1t, looked
for the, lantern. Tracy kept up
nervous running-flre of talk, pune
tuated at times by abrupt pauses, but
persistent. Selwood, holding the Ian
tern in his hand, slipped the globe
down over the lighted wick; then he
| paused and, as he stood, listened.
Doubtful at first of his sense Of hear
ing, the faint. regular sound Of hoof
beats soon fell Enthusiastically on his
ears.
Selwood, extinguishing, by a short
drop, the flame of the lantern, and
bidding Tracy lie still, picked up the
box and set 1t over the fire, stepped
through the half-open door and stood
for a moment just outside. He had
not been mistaken; hOrseman was
nearing the cluster of evil huts known
as Calabasas.
Standing expectant in the full light
of a late-rising moon, Selwood was
Joined by the silent Indian, who, watt
ing only to get his orders, stole fer
ward under cover toward the main
road.
He reached a point Of vantage at
the moment the horseman slackened
his pace. Scott allowed him to ad-
vance and turn and rein about In in
decision only long enough to make
him out. Pardaloe. in the interval,
had joined Selwood and had move
with him from the door, which they
left hanging awry on it's one hinge,
into the shadow. There they stood
when, refining about, after speaking
low to Scott, who had hailed him,
the rider spurred again down the
draw and halted before Tracy's
shack. "For Gods sake" he NUT
tered, swinging from his saddle,
where is everybody?"
Selwood recognized the voice and
the figure at the same instant, and,
stepping out into the moonlight
spoke to McAlpin.
The stout-hearted little barn boss
staggered stiffly into the shack after
/ Selwood, the two other men crowd
4 ing in behind him. Pardaloe lighted
the lantern, Scott lifted the box that
Selwood had chucked, bottom up
over the smoking fire, and Selwood