The Washington times., 1938-02-21
GOES AFTER ARMY

o4AAOS &SAANA 4ANVN / WV . 4ONC4CA 4A44Cs
He smiled a little said, THAT
won't get us anywhere, st. Vrain."
POGO said softly, his voice choked
with anger, II don't know why 1
didn't cut down on you out there
in the street. Damn you! Sam
Van! You've" His voice trailed
off. What was the use telling him
of Kate Shayne. He wouldn't be-
lieve it, and he couldn't do any
thing more about it if he did.
II know why you didn't" Van
replied. "You aren't a killer, son.
You may be thief, but not a kill
er. I reckoned on that"
"I hope you're satisfied, you
damn bounty hunting hero" POGO
said.
"You didn't know it, son, but I
was put here to watch out for that
gold shipment. got evidence from
those two hard-caseS that you were
the one that stole it."
A shot ripped through the win
dow now, followed by another.
"Tll take you in to face the
muSic-if we can fight off this
mob till the army gets here"
"All right" POGO said tonelessly,
and smiled crookedly. ut looks
like we're in the soup together.
How many guns we got?"
WORRIED ABOUT KATE
Enough. And some ammuni-
ton"
POGO turned away. He didn't
care much VIII e. t her they got
through it or not. Every hour they
spent fighting off this mob Cardo-
wan would be taking Kate closer
to Mexico. He couldn't leave her
unless he shot her. POGO, his face
gray, turned to Sam Van. He
wanted someone to talk to him,
wanted to hear a voice, wanted to
do anything but think.
Here's your pile of cartridges" )"
Van said calmly. Make them
count"
Harry Parkolder, squat, heavy,
wide-Shouldered, unShaven, in the
tradition Of stage drivers, freight
ers and muleSkinners, was a hard
bitten man and, quite naturally,
fearless. He hated just two things
above all else: Beer, which was a
bellywash for children, and injus-
tice. He hated the latter more
than the former.
But he liked POGO st. Vrain. He
remembered the time POGO loaded
one of the stages he was driving
on the Whitewater run with his
own crowd and fought off a gang
of cut throat killers just for the
fun Of 1t.
And right t now, he reflected,
POGO was in trouble. A mob had a
peculiar kind Of CUTS that a sane
man fears, and Harry knew what
that mob would do if riled.
CHAPTER XXI
TWO AGAINST A MOB
When Harry saw the upStage
heave into sight ahead in tn e
moonlight, he whoaed the horses,
set the brake, wrapped the lines
around it and climbed down.
Erect, he was squat, unshaven,
ragged and solid-looking. Th e
upstage pulled to a bowling stop
and Harry walked forward to ex.
change amenities.
When they we're over, Harry
said, looking up at the driver,
"Wanta finish my run for me.
Lew?"
The driver on the upStage said
nothing for q second, then he
drawled, why heIl-fire, Harry,
you only got five more hours into
the Willow Wells station. just
took over"
IT got business back there.
Want to do it?"
Lew Swore good-naturedly and
wound the ribbons around tn e
brake. IT never turned down a
chanst to sleep yet. Sure"
he swung down, ana Wnen ne
was on the ground, Harry asked,
ANY passengers?"
Two to Rincon."
Then Harry waved his guard
good-by and climbed up to the
seat of the upStage.
In less than q minute he had
it out Of sight Of the downstage
heading for Rincon at q speed
that choked off any objections the
passengers might make.
It was wen after sunup when
he pulled into Rincon, and when
the rumble of the stage died down
a bit, he could Immediately pick
up the sound of gunfire over the
town. Swinging into the main
street, he was tagged to q halt