The Washington times., 1938-02-23


single-action Colt AS, just waiting
to be picked up. POGO scooped it
UP with one hand, sat down in the
corner and wedged the gun under
him.
He was smiling when Van
swung in and sat In the opposite
corner and Numbered down. Then
they waited for interminable MIN.
utes until they heard a man trot.
ting toward them.
Harry did not even look inside
as he swing UP on the wheel hub,
waved to a stable attendant,
climbed up on the seat and
whipped the horses into motion.
Smoothly, the stage rolled out OF
town and the horses settled down
to the light pull.
Harry did not drive fast because
it would have attracted notice
POGO, sitting relaxed in the seat,
was thinking Of him. and of
Steamboat, too.
The thought of her back there
alone, fighting off that saloon riff.
raft so he could escape, was m
tolerable. But the thought of Kate
Shayt1e travelling with that killer
Of 3 Catdowat1 was more intol-
erable,
He knew with absolute certain.
ty that Cardowan was heading for
the railroad, because there was no
other way he could elude iH1evi-
table pursuit and still keep the
gold. Six hours headstart, with a
bare so miles to the railroad, would
work out nicely for him. And once
aboard the train, he was gone for
good.
CHAPTER XXXIV
POGO noticed that the stage was
slowing up. Van leaned forward
in his seat, gun in hand, and when
the. stage stopped he leaped out
and swiveled the gun up to cover
Harry.
"shuck 'em out, mister" he
said, good-naturedly. You've got
me out Of a jam. but I can't take
a chance that you'll put me in an
other"
POGO heard the chuckle and
knew 1t was Harry's.
Sure" Harry said, obligingly.
There's a rifle in the cupboard
here if you can reach IT,"
Van swung up on the wheel hub.
Noiselessly, POGO stepped out of
the stage, his gun poised, and wait
ed. Harry saw and winked broad.
ly, and POGO winked back. When
Van had secured the rifle from the
express compartment he stepped
down-into Poco'S gun jammins
him in the back.
STEADY" POGO said, softly. IT
won't shoot. Only drop them"
Van stood r1otionless, holding
his breath.
Harry drawled drily: Even a
United States marshal knows what
to do when a guns in his back,
don't hep"
"Yes," Van said. He dropped
the Colt and the rifle and looked
UP at Harry now. You can't get
away with 1t. You'll have to an
Swer some time"
Il figured on that" Harry re-
piled, evenly. Il got to answer
for lot Of things. What,ll 1t be,
POGO? Go ahead or take a horse?"
ON KATE'S TRAIL
POGO did not answer just then.
He prodded Van UP ahead of the
horses, then examined the road,
looking for some signs to back up
the clerks evidence. Guessing that
Cardowan would hit for the near
est railroad point, which was over
the San ions, it followed that he
would choose the quickest way
over the trail. And there, fresher
than any tracks except those of
the single horse Of the Negro who
was on his way to Fort Benjamin,
were the tracks of a team pulling
a blackboard.
Van, watching him, guessed
what he was doing, said, You
aren't going to follow him?"
Them you mean, POGO said
soberly. Kate Shayne is with him
I'm going to get him and the gold"
Van said slowly, You mean,
you're going to stick to 1t. when
you'll have a posse of hard-caSes
and the United States army on
your tail?"
That's right" POGO answered.
To Harry, he said, Anything
against driving the legs off these
horses, Harry, If l make it good,
along with two fares?"
You WATCH" Harry said, nod,
ding.
Once the rifle and Vans gun
were deposited under Harry's feet,
POGO rnotioned Van into the stage
and they were off again.
DEPENDS ON POGO
Kate Shayne was afraid to go
to sleep, even if she had been able
to. She crowded against the end
of the blackboard seat, stiff with
panic.
She recalled all those things she
had spoken to POGO UP there on
the peak that night, hard ano
chiding things that blamed him
for his way of life and his AFRO
gance and his toughnesS. But now
she would have given anything
for some Of his hardness, his Gun
ming with guns, his mocking cour
age.
Somehow, the memory Of those
chill dark eyes was comforting