The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1939-07-06

hui ~ tuQs yoo WV CA - q
couple Of these gangster
fellers I bin hearin' SO
much about. You." he added. nod
ding toward the chubby faced young
man, must be Boris Picato. An
you little jigger. must be Sammy.
Picato's bodyguard."
The chubby-faced man grinned,
but said nothing.
Sammy sneered:
''Now amt he smart, though?
What else do you know about us.
gramp?"
Old Nate ran a hand through his
tousled gray hair.
''You're bad-uns." he continued
placidly. II reckon right now you're
hidin' out after stickin' up the Fem
more bank an shootin' a couple o
clerks. You're awaitin' out here till
things quiet down. an while you're
awaitin' you figure mebbe you can
pick up q little extry change by
maxim me tell where tbs I got my
gold mine an my little pile O. dust
hid away" ...-
Sammy opened his mouth In mild
establishment.
well. by jingoes." he began, but
the chubby-faced man cut in on
him.
shut up. Sammy"
He turned to old Nate.
Mister. either you're q plumb
damn fool or you're plenty smart.
Anyway you guessed right. We
heard you struck it rich and we aim
to relieve you of some Of that dough.
TN make our stop in this sinking
Gesert less irksome, more profita-
bic" -.
The chubby faced man was no
longer grinning. a..
His right hand was thrust In the
pocket Of his jacket. ..
Sammy's hand was likewise con-
caaled, and there wasn't any doubt
In old Mates mind what those pock-
cts contained.
He scratched his head again and
locked dubious. ..-
It was part of his plan to look
dubious and plenty dumb. Other
wise he wouldn't stand a chance.
He was thinking already that that
remark the chubby-faced man had
made about him being plenty smart
showed that already they might be
on to him. and that was bad.
After q moment, he said:
81 guess you jiggers got ways to
make Teller talk. Leastwise 1
heard tell, an I'm an old man an
amt hankerin' to have my ears
shot off,"
He looked worried and seemed to
consider.
''Tell you what I'll do. boys. I'll
agree to show you the mine If you'll
promise to leave me share fer
to grub-stake myself. Amt no use
In me wantin' to live less you do.
So - Il
Sure" the chubby-faced man
cut in.
He was grinning again.
We'll leave you your share. Pop.
Where's the cache?"
Old Nate nodded and squinted to-
ward the mountains that reared
their naked peaks out Of the desert
TO the north. a..
Sammy and the chubby-faced
man took advantage Of the moment
to exchange winks.
''She's over there in the noun
tains," Nate said. vi. -
He glanced at the shiny. black
coupe in which the gangsters had
overtaken him and shook his head.
you'll have to leave that there
ottermobile here an follow after me
an Lop-ears." he told them. There
amt no road " ..
mo road?" -.. -... ....
The chubby-faced man looked Sc
rious, but Sammy said: why. hell,
them mountains amt more'n five
miles away. Boris. Reckon we can
walk it If this old coot can"
Nate didn't wait to hear Boris
reply, but picked up a pebble and
SHE'D it at Lop-ears.
The burro tossed its head, brayed
once and then started of at sham
bling gait toward the mountains.
Old Nate plodded along behind, &C.
casionally shying a pebble at the
animal.
Behind him the chubby-faced man
and Sammy hesitated for doubtful
minute.
1T looks" said Boris, 'as though
we've either got to follow. or shoot
him down for nothing. And shoot
ing now won't do any good at all.
Come on. Sammy"
It was early morning when the
strange cavalcade began its trek
across the desert
Before two hours had passed the
rising sun had burned away the
last trace Of the previous night .
GOODNESS.
The air was like the inside Of IN
oven. mercilessly hot.
The two men in store clothes and
low-cut shoes were suffering.
They had discarded their coats
and loosened their collars.