Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-11-15
CHAPTER vIII--continued

p3' " 1 f0oh HlEIiIV.
replied Jim, grayely. "But your tall
is. Else you've a reason to think 1t.
Shore, | have" rejoined Latimer
lowering his voice to a whisper. HAY,
beat an robbed Herrick | Thief,
part wanted to tell you, If / wa,
goin' to croak. But | gotta tell 1t any
how. An | ask you both. as pards
to keep what | tell you secret till I'm
dead"
4 swear. Sparrow" said Smoky
huskily.
You q trust me, too" added jim.
wal, thet's why feel Hank must
have done fer the girl. too"
Robbed Herrick" exclaimed slo.
cum, incredulously. "Was there q
fghtY'
Yes. But Hank might have avoided
1t. He drove the man crazy. Fellers
Hays'd steal coppers off a dead mans
eyes-shore. But what he said he
wanted was the CURL fer ransom. Yer
he picked a fight with Herrick an,
beat him with a gun"
Sparrow. how come you didn't tell
MS before7" asked Smoky, sternly.
I'm beholden to Hank. But | win
say tibet II I'd knowed his game rd
never have gone with him. After #
was too late-wal, | stuck. An I'd
kept 1t secret But | feel In NV bones
I'm done fer. So I'm sduealin,. an,
I'm dom 1t because HAYS double
crossed you ALL"
Reckon I'd have done the same. If
Hank had a hold on me-" conceded
Smoky. generously. Suppose YOU axe
4 nip OF whisky and tell us what han.
pened."
I'm hot enough without liquor. But
I'll tell you. Gimme some more
water"
After a moment Latimer drew .
long breath and resumed: Hank
picked me because be had a hold on
me. After you fellers left tibet
night Hank went out an got another
boss. He had a saddle hid somewhere
We took them bosses up the bench
back Of the house an tied them. Then
we went down toward the house"
4Ahuh. He'd had this deal IL mind
all the time said Smoky. noddlng his
head.
"Yes. Before we got to the house
he told me he meant to hold Herrick
up fer what money he had on hand
then steal the CURL fer ransom. /
opened my trap to kick again the CURL
part OF 1t, anyway, but he cussed me
somethln' fierce. | seer then he was
set on 1t, so | shet up. Her
rick was In the livin' room. We
round the house, an Hank
showed me the gurl's winder. which
vas open. Wal, we went back.
an up on the porch, al into the Twin
r0om.
When Herrick looked IN Hank
threw a gun on him. Keep quiet an
shell out your money Hank ordered.
Ihet didn't faze the E%nglishman. He
umped up. %thunderin' mad. Hank hit
Inn over the head. cuttin' a cash.
met didn't knock Herrick out, but II
made him fight till Hank got him
GOD an hard. Then he opened his
'esK an threw out some packages OF
'reenbacks. After tibet he slid to the
Ioor. Next Hank ordered me to 20
ut an round to the gurl's winder. It
vas bright moonlight, but | didn't
'cate tibet winder quick. An at tibet
was guided to 1t BY the guri's voice.
Gimme another drink"
Latimer Quenched his inordlnate
hirst again, while Jim and Smoky
xchanged thoughtful glances over
i'm.
Wal. where was II When
'raddled thet winder sill I seen the
1rl sitting up In bed, white as the
leets about her. Hank had a gun
olnted at her head. an he was sayin'
she yelled. he'd shoot. Then he told
g to look around fer money an Jew.
. started tibet, keepin' an eye on
lem. The room was as moonlight az
Indoors. Hank told her to cit no an.
-ess for ridin'. She refused, an he j
her clean out OF bed. Curl
said. syere breher Is hawg-tied !,
In the Iivin' room, an II you
MT do as tell you, ri kill him. I
n taking You away fer ransom. an |
nen ne pays up you can come home q
longs you're quiet we won't hurt /
a. All tibet she got up an I
y into a closet. II heard her sob
He made her put on ridin' 4