The Washington times., 1938-01-29

split up the dust. Tomorrow you
tell your men that you're trying
to stick with me and my men on
a chance that you may work us
into a jackpot and take our share
of the dust. I'll tell my men the
same. Thatll leave us together
for couple of days until we work
SOUTH"
whats down there?" asked
Two-Way.
Cardowan told him, smiling.
Two-Way's face was immobile as
he listened, and then he said
softly, Man. that'u take some
gall"
'Is it worth a two-way split
more than you'd of got from
Poco?" Cardowan asked shrewdly.
"Id need clothes"
"Get them. I've got a man dy-
ing over here. You probably have,
too. Get theirs"
"I've got one dead" Two-Way
said, his eyes excited.
"Well?"
Two-Way laughed softly. his
Sardonic face amused and lighted
by some inner excitement. why
not? Sure, I'll do it,"
Cardowan said, Remember, act
like you don't trust me-"
Hell, I DON'T" TWo-Way re-
Piled.
Cardowan smiled meagerly,
turned and called: Come out,
men," .'
THE PLANS WORKING
Two-Way did the same. When
the "a men were assembled they
made an un1ovely crew.
Two-Way spoke to them all.
POGO Vrain'S dead and the gold
is up on the trail. Well camp
down at timberline together and
split up the dust. One Of Espey's
men and you, Pride, go up and get
the mules"
The cavalcade of mounted men
reached timberline after dark,
and a great roaring fire was built
while two men were detailed to
rustic up the grub. Cardowan's
men were Sullen and angry, while
TWo-Way'S were suspicious to the
point of silence.
Immediately, when camp was
made, they took opposite sides of
the fire and watched each other.
Once the meal was over a tarp
was spread on the ground by the
fire and the gold was counted out.
The sacks, weighed by a crude
scale, consisting of a straight split
log balanced on sharp rock, were
weighed and adjusted to the salts
faction Of the whole crowd.
That finished, each group with
drew ways from the fire.
It was then that both Cardowan
and TWo-Way, their voices huShed,
told their men, with occasional
Sidelong glances across the fire,
of the plan. Why not stick with
the other gang for while and
the opportunity might present IT.
self to get the rest Of the gold?
Two-Way's men, flushed with easy
success, agreed. Cardowan's still
Smarting under the memory Of
the last two days, agreed, too.
Next morning at breakfast it
was Two-Way who maue the prop
osition. Word was bound to leak
out as to why they had come up
here, and any bunch of wild
punchers could gang up to try and
take the stuff away. Why not
stick together until they were out
of the country?
A SMART PARTNER
Cardowan considered this, as
if reluctant to give the word. Then
he drawled, eyeing his own men
shrewdly, Maybe there's sense
in that boys. What do you say?"
They agreed, sitting their grins.
Two-Way's men looked at each
other and smiled secretly.
Before breaking camp the dead
man was taken above timberline
| dIlu WC4O NfSA AAAAAA'
Two-Way took the dead mans
clothes and left his own. Kirk,
who had lived through the night,
was sunk in profound unconsci-
BUSINESS.
Cardowan watched him for sew
eral minutes, then looked up at
the others.
"He can't live. And we can't
take him. A mile of travel would
kill him."
He wanted to be generous now,
and reasonable. Nothing should
antagonize the men. Another time
he would have said curtly that
they would leave him. Now he
wanted one of them to say 1t.
cant we leave grub and water
and a hobbled horse beside him?"
one of the men asked.
Cardowan said they could, and
that it was the only reasonable
thing to do. Hes beyond help.
He'll die"
i (To Be COntInued)