Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-01-17

Published by special arransement with The
Chicago Tribune Syndicate
PART THREE
The Story SO Far

The Story SO Far
Jim Kineen. cowboy. pays the fine of old
Smiley (Bum) O'Grady, who tells of his
proves as an old-time gunfghter. Kineen
and his employer, Devine are held up as
they start to town with $4,000 Just paid
by Kendall for cattle. Deyine is killed and
Kineen is captured. Devine has hidden the
money before overtaken so Kineen is taken
by Kendall. leader Of the gang. and after
being tortured by fire promises to tell where
the money is. Kineen is bound TO a tree and
left under euard OF two Mexicans while the
rest return to search for the money.
O'Grady, the bum, who has witnessed the
holdup, follows the bandits in an endeayor
to help the man who befriended him.
And now the story
Fresh scratches on the rocks showed
where the gang had passed, and O'Grady
toiled along over the rugged mountain
across the pass, and entered the valley
where the outlaws had their hangout. A
faint spiral Of smoke showed him where
they were camping. II OfGrady had
known that the smoke arose from the
fire that was scorching his friend and
benefactor he would have charged like a
maddened bull DOWN the mountain side
and right INTO the gang. And that rash
ness would certainly have cost him his
life. But. as he supposed the smoke to
be from a simple camp fire. OGrady APP
preached 1t cautiously by 4 wide detour.
for he wanted to take no chances on
meeting another picket and thus alarm
ing the Tang.
1t was just about sunset when he
heard the sharp clatter of many nCofs
as Lee Kendall rode Jul Of camp at the
head of his gang.
BY the time O'Grady had made his
way cautiously between boulders. and
through the brush to a spot overlooking
the camp the twilight was giving place
to darkness. O'Grady could hear the
voices of the two MeXicans and saw the
glimmer of a little camp fire. where they
were preparing their supper. S%tealthily.
the old man wriggled on his knees, some
times on his stomach. until he could get
4 near view of what was going on.
To his horror he saw his friend Jim
dashed to o tree. like a victim made ready
for burning at the stake. The camp fire
was blazing a few Yards behind him, but
there could be no doubt about that lanky
figure and the weather beaten profile.
It was his friend! 1t was JIM For
getting himself in his rage, O'Grady rose
tC his knees. made a sudden movement
that started a round stone rolling down
the slope, and instantly he saw the two
Mexicans jump to their feet and reach
for their guns There was no further
time for accommodating. O'Grady knew
that the moment had come to fight it
out, and before the Mexicans had spot
ted him O'Grady's As barked iercely
and Pablo fell in a heap with a loud
groan.
The second Mexican. Ramon, fired at
the flash and O'Grady's gun spoke again
at the same moment. Both bullets found
their mark. Ramon flung up his arms
convulsively, whirled about, and fell
headlong.
O'Grady had got his bullet in the left
leg just below the knee. He felt the limb
double under him as If it had suddenly
turned to Jelly, and in his agony he
thought THE jig's up! My legs broke,
and 0 l am done for!" But as the old
man lay where he fell, his hand still
clutching the gun, he realized that there
was an unearthly stiffness about the
camp.
Jim had twisted his head around to
see where the shooting came from, not
understanding what it was all about, and
as he did not know whether this was q
friend or foe, he uttered no sound. Then.
as no further outlaws took up the fight,
O'Grady realized that the two bandits he
had killed were the only ones left in
camp.
Painfully he tried to drag himself for
ward shouting, Jim Jim! It's mel It's
Bum O'Grady!' but he found 1t impos-
sible to go further. To drag himself over
the boulders with that broken leg was
beyond his powers. He lay there, groan-
ing, cursing. and praying, while Jim
shouted: Hurry up. O'Grady! Cut this
rope and turn me loose before the gang
gets back"
The tramp made another desperate eff
fort to drag his broken leg over the
ground, but almost tainted from the
agony.
81 can't make it, jim" he gasped. my
legs broke and I'm lone forl'
Then we're both done for" Jim an
swered. "When the gang gets back
they'll shoot you and they'll burn me
alive"
Burn you alive?"
That's what they promised, For Gods
sake, O'Grady, If you can't cut me loose
at least put a bullet through my head SC
that those devils can't torture me-"
OGrady gave vent to a groan Of agony
If he only had the bottle of whisky from
last night to steady his nervesl He felt
as shaky as a half drowned kitten. And
once more he gritted his teeth and pulled
himself together. Then, as he lay there
he took a careful aim, resting the barrel
of his As on a rock and steadying his
right hand with his left. Thu freight
that hickered some yards behind Jim was
not good for shooting, but better thar
no light at all.
Holding his breath, O'Grady drew 6
careful bead, and he breathed a prayer
as his finger pressed the trigger. At the
report Jim stiffened convulsively In hi
bonds. He thought O'Grady had taker
him at his word and was shooting tt
save him from torture. Then, to hi
amazement, he realized that the lariat
that bound him was loosening under hi.
struggles.
O'Grady, that windy b~raggart, hac
made good his boasts. He had put {
bullet through the knot behind Jim.
back, tearing the rawhide to shreds.
A few moments of desperate strugglinf
and Jim had shaken himself free Of thu
bonds. His body was SO numb that h,
almost toppled forward, but in a little
while the circulation was restored, anc
then his first move was to scramble vi
the bank to O'Grady and clasp hi
friends hand To his horror, 1t was liml
and cold in his grasp. After that mirac
norI ~ That eli