Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1936-03-20
CHAPTER VIII

AS 1CCdlly IIlS AIOAOASA AA-A
ed the construction chief with pierre
ing blue eyes, "you got four or five
barrels of coal oil in the tool shed
she'd"
"Only three-but l guess they're
still there. What do you want me to
DO with them?'
"Put the barrels on flat car, sneak
'em up to the San Lorenzo bridge and
hide 'em among the bushes there. L
be there to tell the boys where | want
'em put"
Suspicion, doubly strong, played ov-
or Felton's haggard and unshaven
features.
"What are you going to do with
that kerosene?"
That's my business"
"That'd make it mighty easy for
Ted's crowd to burn the bridge"
II told you my idee had risks"
Ken replied calmly and then went on.
"Next l want you to send every fight
in man but fifteen to the yellow can
yon-that's half a mile down the San
Lorenzo. I'll meet EN-" Blinking in
a sudden swirl of smoke, the frontiers
man added:"It's all-fired important
you send away that fifty-odd men SOS
Cranes crowd don't have no real idee
where they're headed. You can give
any excuse you can think of"
Very evidently crushed by the
weight the responsibility riding his
bent old shoulders, the construction
chief sprang up and with head bent
commenced to pace restlessly back and
forth beyond the fire. Suddenly he
halted and faced the 1.-the figure in
buckskins.
Good God, man, do you realize
what you're askin' me to do? It's
to strip Novedad of all protection
it's to leave all the women and chill
dren practically unguarded from those
cruel red devils? ?"
Il told you my whole idea was a
gamble" Ken reminded. Here's
what | intend"
Lean and alert features redly lit
by the glowing Goals, he propounded
his scheme.
"Soon's Mescalero Ted learns that
the San Lorenzo bridge amt guarded,
he'll figure you've called all your men
into Novedad. | calc'late he'll also
figger to burn that bridge and so cut
all retreat for your crowd as we'll as
hinderin' any troops from reachin' the
rail head" With tiny points of the
freight reflected in the pupils of his
blue eyes, Ken stared into the fire
as he talked. Consequently the
PEACHES will hold off any attack on
Novedad until that bridge is burnt and
until they're sure no one can get
away"
Tugging at his long yellow NOUS
taches FELTON, gloomily considered the
meat hunters reasoning.
Sounds likely" he admitted reluc-
family, "but there are a lot of ifs,
'ands' and butts What if the Injuns
don't wait until the bridge is burnt?
They could take Novedad in ten min
utes with all the fightin' men away
What if the soldiers don't show up
until day after tomorrow? What if
the men I'm to send you get ambush
ed on the way to the bridge?"
"You amt no worse off than you
were before, cause they'll try to burn
the bridge anyway" Ken replied sim
ply. you goin' to do what say?"
FELTON, drew a long breath and mi
micked by his shadow, took one OF two
more turns down the little canyon,
then halted facing the fire.
ut gives me the chills to think of
it, Ken" he said "But-well, I've al
ways believed you-always thought
you'd sense in that red head O. yours. "
Better be sure the dust Settles"
Ken said with harsh laugh There's
one thing more Pm telling you-don't
let Lucia NOVEL; leave Novedad no
matter what happens"
"All right, Ken" With the air of
a man who, for better or for worse,
has arrived at a decision, FELTON, be-
gan pulling on a pair of oil-stained
gauntlets.
Have cup of coffee fore you pull
out?"
"No thanks, I've got long ride
ahead of me. But say" he said, turn
ing, you haven't told me what you
intend to do with that coal OIL
A slow smile twisted Ken's sabel
scar into fish hook shape
Il amt tellin'-that's little sur.
prise I'm keepin' for all hands," he
drawled, ''if it works"