Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-01-18

raised the torso.
Others helped, for the most part
wordlessly. and they shuffled into
the waiting room with their bur
den. placing it carefully on the floor
beside the stove.
John was needless of the crowd
that pressed close again. He re-
moved the thick cap from Tiny's
head and with light, careful fingers
rummaged through the stiff hair.
He encountered no great bruise, no
depression. The cap had been am
pie protection; no fracture, per
maps not even
Tiny stirred and moaned.
sect me some snow. - John said,
and two scurried outside.
With his handkerchief he wiped
blood from the mans chin, and
when the snow came he took d
great handful and held it against
brow and temples.
Tiny grimaced and puckered his
lips and stirred. He moaned next,
and opened one eye and whim.
pered.
"What tn HI" he began, and
the crowd stirred, as In relief.
John drew a deep breath. then,
and looked up at the faces above
him; weather-beaten. vigorous
faces, they were, and as his eyes
swept them they turned on him
with curious expressions.
HE wants to know what the
HI" he began. And that makes
two of us. What the HI does
it"
He broke short. He had settled
back to his heels, searching those
faces with a demand for explana-
ton, when he saw her. She had
stood beside him, looking down.
Very small and slight of figure she
was, and the face beneath the snug
turban Of beaver was as gentle as
those others were rough. Her eyes
were dark and large and serious:
more than serious, perhaps; posi-
bly, deep trouble rode In them to
go with the r~epressed line of her
mouth.
She was looking full In his face,
and as he broke his gruff question
he inclined his head Slightly as in
recognition of a difference-and in
apology.
he caught his breath. SORRY p
to her. Il should say"-whipping
! his glance to the men again
whats a stranger to think of be-
ing ganged like this?"
A slim, wiry man, who had squat
ed on the other side of the reviv-
Ing Tiny. spoke.
I'VE was %expectin' another party,
chum," be said. You're a match
for him in size, but you amt the
one we're lookin' for; this particu.
lar hard egg sent in to clean us out
by old Tom Belknap y
Johns head jerked. He leaned
tensely forwardl
"What?" he demanded, a long,
drawn word, strained with sur,
prise; perhaps with something like
shock.
Il said; we'd got news a certain
party who's raised HI here was
comm in to put a chunk under 9
corner, We aimed to get him bach
to Kampfest with bad news for ole
Belknap. Bein' excited like we was
and bein' dark like 1t was, we mis-
took you for him. Not important
mebby, but truel"
John took a quick breath and ler
it out through his nostrils in al
amazed Whit.
"Well, I'll be-
He looked up again for the girl.
face, as though an exchange o.
glances with her might clarity thi,
bewildering situation. She wa.
gone. He stared at the others, but
they were watching Tiny, who wa.
being helped to a sitting posture by
the smaller man.
"All right, Tiny?" the other asked
The big fellow felt his chin gin
gerly and his head, and then SHOOT
1t as If to chase off the fog which
Impaired his faculties.
I'D he git away?" he asked.
A chuckle from the crowd.
Away. your grandma There he
sets, Tiny"
The dazed eyes followed the ges
ture and then bllnked slowly.
"'Y Cd, Way-Bill, faint him." h,
said weakly.
No, faint"
"But this one he's a stem
winder"
anyhow, that"
IND If this one was him"
"Then we'd have a lot more tc
worry about. Yes, sir, If old Bel
KNAPP could hire 'em like you, chum'
to John-"then the company
would have somethin' to lay awake
nights about
Tiny had been staring at John
and now bis gaze wavered as q