Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-09-27

morning I 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 OH queer-looking hat.
81 tried to reach for my gun; I
couldn't move finger. All of sud-
den, he started across the street to-
ward me. His eyes were as big as
teacups. And all the time knew he
was dead! I tried to cry out must
have made some kind of a noise, for
something woke me up. I grabbed
my gun out from under my pillow.
was sure he was somewhere in the
room. And there I 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
for7 There's nothin' to a dream,
mani"
Selwood made no move. cts In the
cards, too, Dave. I've tried EN-
three times. 1t always comes the same
way-tbere's death in this deck for
somebody. I guess it's full time for
me to cash in, anyway. And remember.
everything between you and me Is
fixed. You own the mine; I own the
hail."
"Light the lantern, dash It," burst
out Tracy, with a deepening growl.
"Dreams don't mean anything! II
there's anything wrong with the cards
it's because they're hanging men In
Sleepy Cat"
Without a word Selwood rose, felt
for a match, and, striking it, looked
for the lantern. Tracy kept up a
nervous running-fire of talk, pune
tuated at times by abrupt pauses, but
persistent. Selwood. holding the lam
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 short
drop, the flame of the lantern, and
bidding Tracy lie still. picked up the
box and set it over the fire, stepped
through the half-open door and stood
for a moment just outside. He had
not Leen mistaken; a 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, wait
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 adj
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 novel
with him from the door, which they
left hanging awry on its 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
ing in behind him. Pardaloe ..ghted
the lantern, Scott lifted the box that
Selwood had chucked, bottom up,
over the smoking fire, and Selwood
pointed to the STOOL
Neither he nor Scott made any ef-
fort to hurry the foreman. It was
enough for them to study his blood
shot eyes until he should be ready
to explain what was responsible for
AZ ,>,c,,lgo~ vnon<o1 condition, ora IT.