Evening star., 1928-05-20

By William Dudley PeHey


point yit. Git on with yore offer
What was it you come fer?"
X y X
THINGS were going bad for Kelsey
Finally he said--with claw in his
voice:
It happen to know Hal Stranger was
responsible, but you can't make me
prove it, witnesses or no. l wasn't
around when Larry took the lead. It's
| hearsay--how know it. won't be
accessory after the fact"
Git ahead with yore talk. What else
do yo' know"
Il know that the Strangers are gon-
ma get you next. And know when and
how" The callers face was now
doughty as the bankers. I sat watch
ing the two, in mesmeric trance. !
had read of this sort of thing in books
and seen it oftener in moving pictures.
The colonel cleared his throat.
"Yaas--I reckoned some such thing
was afoot. Mind tellin' me how you
happen to know it?"
Kelsey gave me cautious glance.
He seemed to hitch closer to the
banker.
HAL Strangler-with Joe. Ed. an
Mike-lodged with me las night. They
got Peterson with 'em-an they're
ridin' this way.
"When?"
THAT I can't say. But I'll find out
in time. They aim to drop you-clean
the bank-an' then Halls goin' to Mex
leo. Permanent"
How come they to mention such in
tentionS to yo'?"
Hal thinks I'm his friend"
WAL, amt yo'?"
mol" growled Kelsey.
The colonel made one movement
the simple lowering of his iron chin a
trifie deeper into his chest. But his
gray eyes stayed on the renegade before
him. AT length his lips moved:
Regardless O. the private war be-
tween the Stedmans an the Strang-
lerS, amt it fact that Hal Stranger
saved yore woman's life when a rattler
nipped her--some eight years back?"
Kelsey's eyelid f1ickered.
"Yeah-that's true"
Saved yore woman. An vet
you're willin' TO come in here an'-be-
tray him!"
The suggestion of flush stole up the
mans neck. An ugly vein started
tthrobbing down his low-hung FORE
head.
Saved her-yeah. But I JUS as lief
he hadn't. You know what happened.
He dug out the wound with a dirty
knife. Took out snake poison, but put
IN another. I'm stuck 5000 for an oper-
ation--not to mention a one-legged fe-
male"
she?"
That's nothin'. Might o. had th'
Oldest Page gal, If Stranger hadn't
been so willin' & offer first aid. What
business was 1t o Strangers If a
woman o. mine kicked snake In the
face?"
''Mebbe Hal Stranger had some
thought fer the woman"
That's neither here nor there. It
stopped me from havin' TIL Oldest Page
gal. Besides, it was the 200 fer the
hospital that forced me to come to this
bank for mortgage"
Its more'n 200-yore mortgage
NO need to discuss that. I'm say
in ! know how Hal Strangers amin
to git you an I'm willing to sell my
information. Point is, do you want to
buy?"
''Yo' jus told me yo' didn't know
when"
But said I will. They'll be comm
back to my ranch as startin' point fer
here. I'm supposed to go with EN-. You
gimme your word o. honor that you'll
tear up my mortgage, and I'll do one
o. two things. If ! can't git word to
you as we're Startin', SOS you can have
reception committee all ready when
We git here. I'll sort o. hang back when
they stalk the bank here. When I see
my chance. I'll plug Hal fore he gifts
you. Mebbe I can persuade him to
lemme watch the horses Anyhow,
soon's the shootin' starts. you leave Hal
to me. In the general ruckus, he'll
comes from. anyhow. But you got TO
mortgage is tore up-immediately after
wards"
THE colonel--to my callow surprise
was silent for a full half moment.
Finally he said:
II see. But amt yo' takin' perty tall
chances?"
"oh, I'll git him all right. Guess
I'd know what'd happen to me II /
didn't" Another half moment. Then:
mai CLfanBieE AIMS 10 lake Tn OlQeSt
Page gal with him down to Mexico"
This time the colonel said, II seei"
with significance. How many kids
you got now, Kelsey?" he asked. Five,
amt it?"
Never you mind the number o. my
kids This is mans talk. Kids don't
enter in
The colonel moved them. He un-
wrapped the bandanna from about his
knuckles. Kelsey gasped as the gun
was revealed.
TITS a deal. Pres Kelsey. Yo' tip me
of when the Strangers sally out, an
yo' don't owe this bank no money there
after
II wisht you'd gimme little paper
---~~o
Paper! Forty-two year I've lived in
this camp an In all that time amt
broke my word to anything human"
"All right, all right Anyhow. / got
a witness in this Eastern feller. So
we'll leave 1t this way: When the
Strangers leave the ranch TO raid you
I'll have one o. my boys ride over TO
Atherton's. He'll call you on the phone.
When he says 'Pappy wants to know
when the interest falls due on his mort