The Seattle Star Newspaper, February 15, 1922, Page 11

« adventure with the Steelman THE SBATTLE STAR PAGE 11 Ooprriedt 1972 by Wiliam Mact Permiasion ef and by special arre GUNSIGHT PASS BY WILLIAM MacLEOD RAINE (nA All rights reserved. Printed by ment with Houghton Mifflin Company (Continued From Yesterday) \ i CHAPTER XX | ‘The Little other Frees Her Mind It had made someone Emerson Crawford a present of @ ocarload of Herefords he could not have been more pleased than he was at the result of the Jackpot crew's n The news came to him at an oppor tune moment, for he had just been served notice by the president of the Malapt First National bank that Crawford must prepare to meet at once a call note for $10,000. A hours cartier in the day the catt! kpot Number Three, the | tan driller in ot} Operations was wise with an unoant tower at lean, knowledge the newcomer could not fathom, For eight hours at a stretch he stood on the platform and watched a greasy cable go slipping into the earth. Every quiver of it, | every motion of the big walking beam, every kick of the engine, told | him what was taking place down / that narrow pipe two thousand feet | below the surface, He knew when | the tools were in clay nd had be | come gummed up, He could tell just | when the drill had cut into hard rook | &t an acute angle and was running out of the perpendicular to follow the softer stratum. His judgment ap- ed infallible a to whether he ht to vend down a reamer to! straighten the kink, All Dave knew nally @riendly to Crawford, had | Ws that a string of tools far under pp he told bk ook jeround was jerking up ;and down Bob rode in with the story of the |Monotonously, fracas in time to cheer the drooping | This spelt domance to Jed Rurns, | spirits of his employer. Emerson superintendent of operations, though | walked up and down the parior way. he would never have admitted it, ing bis cigar while Joyce laughed at | From one boom to another he drifted, him. eo inevitably as the gamblers, graft “Dawgrone my skin, if that don’t /¢T* and organizers of “fake” com- Deat my time! I'm settin’ aside five Panics. thousand shares in the Jackpot for) Ho was sifting mand through his! man had heard it rumored that Steelman had just bought a con trolling interest in the bank, He did not need a lawyer to tell him t the second fact was responsible the first. In fact the banker, Dave Sanders right now. Smartest/fingers when Dave came on tower | trick ever I did see.” The justice’the day after the flood. To Rob| ef+the Jackpot's vengeance on its | Hart, present as Crawford's personal rival and the completeness of it representative, he expressed an » Came home to him as he strode the opinion. carpet. “He not only saves my prop | erty and “Right soon now or never. Sand without havin’ to fight for it—|tastes, feels, looks, and amelie like that was a blamed good play loll, But you can't ever be sure. An ~iteelf, for I don't want you boys /ol! prospect is Mke a woman, She Shootin’ up anybody even in seif-| will or she won't, you never can tell @efense—but he disarms Brad's plug-|which. Then, if she does, she's liable uglies, humiliates them, makes them |to change her mind.” plumb sick of the job, and at the} Dave sniffed the pleasing, pungent same times wipes out Steelman'sjodor of the crude oll sands, His location, lock, stock and barrel. I'll friend had told him that Crawford's | make that ten thousand shares, by | fate hung in the balance. Unless oil gum ‘That boy's sure some stem-|flowed very soon in paying quanti | wil | “He uses his hald.~ admitted beta] bs of the Jackpot properties would | te iringly. | probably pass inte the hands of | I'd give my best pup to have Steciman. The cattleman would even | been there,” said the cattleman re |lose the ranches which had been the! gretfully. “It was some show,” drawled the | perity. younger man. “Drowned rats was| Everybody working on the Jackpot what they reminded me of. Could’nt felt the excitement as the drill began get a rise out of any of ‘em except /to «ink Into the oil-bearing sands. Dug. That man’s dangerous, if you | Most of the men owned stock in the | ask me. He's crazy mad at all of |company. Moreover, they were get Us, but most at Dave.” ting @ bonus for their services agd “Wilt he burt him?” asked Joyce | nad been promised an extra one ‘if | icky. {Number Three struck of} In paying “Can't tel. Hel try. That's a quantities before Steeiman’s crew inch.” }did. Even to am outsider there ix a } The dark brown eyes of the girl /fiseination in an oil well. Brooded. “That's not fair. We can't/found it impossible to escape the Jet him run into more danger for us, |contagion of this. Moreover, he had | He's had enough trouble al-jten thousand shares in the Jackpot, | | 2 rectors in recognition of services | which they did not care to specify | in the resolution which authorized the transfer, After his shift was over he rode to town with Bob behind his team of ‘wild broncos. “Got to look for an engineer fer ‘the night tower.” Mart expinined as he drew up in front of the Gusher saloon. “Come in with me. It's some gambling-hell, if you ask me." ‘The place bummed with the turbo- lent life that drifts to every wild) frentier on the boom. Faro dealers from the Klondike, poker dealers from Nome, roulette croupters from eager. “It's time) Leadville, were all here to reap the civilized, We must n't {rich harvest to be made from inveat. these bad men provocation. lors, field workers, and operators. | It's better to qvoid them.” Smooth grafters with stock tn worth. | “Yes,” admitted Bob dryty. “Well, |less companies for sale circulated in you tell all that to Dave. Maybe he's|and out with biue-prints and whis | the kind o’ lad that will pack Up/pered inside information. The men and light out because he's afraid of |who were ranged in front of the bar, Dag Doble and his outfit, Then|behind which half a dozen attend again maybe he ain‘t.” ants in white aprons busily waited Her father laughed. “Aint !t/on their wants, usually talked off scandalous the way she bosses us all/and nothing but ofl. Todey they had | around; Bob?" another theme, The mame subject | ‘The face of the girl sparkled to a engromsed the groups scattered here humorous challenga “Well, some and there thruout the large hall one has got to boss you-all boys, Dad. If you'd do as I say you!faro layouts, the roulette wheels, and | would n't have any trouble with that|the poker players. Around each of | old Steeiman or his gunmen.” these the shifting crowd surged. “We would n't have any oil wells | Mexicana, Chinese, and even Indians either, would we, honey?" |brushed shoulders with white men | “They're not worth having if you of many sorts and conditionn The and Dave Sanders and Bob have to whitefaced professional gambler was live in danger all the time,” she|in evidence, winning the money of} flashed. big brown men fn miner’s boots and | “Giad you look at ft that way, |corduroys. The betting was wild and .” Emerson retorted with a rue-\extravagant, for the epirit of the smile. “Fact is, we ain't goin’ | speculator had carried away the cool to have any more oll wells than & judgment of most of these men. Jackrabbit pretty soon. I'm at the| fob found his man at a fare table of my rope right now. The While the cards were being shuffied | First National promised me another |he engaged him to come out next} Joan on the Arizona ranch, but Brad evening to the Jackpot properties. bas got a-holt of it and he’s called| As soon as the dealer began to slide in my last loan. I'm not quittin’.|the cards out of the case the atten I'll put up a fight yet, but unless tion of the engineer went back to things break for me I'm about | his bets, s done.” | While Dave was standing close to! “Oh, Daa! Her tmpulse of eym-|tne wall, ready to leave m4 soon an pathy carried Joyee straight to him.| Bob returned to him, he caught sight | Bott, rounded arms went round his|\of an old acquaintance, Steve Rus | @eck with impassioned tenderness. eel! was playing stud poker at @ “I didn’t dream it was as bad as|table a few feet from him. The cow- that. You've been worrying all this|puncher looked up and waved his time and you never let me know.” | hand. He stroked her hair fondly. “You're! “see you in a minute, Dave,” he the blamedest little mother ever I called, and ag soon as the pot had did see—always was. Now don't you|heen won he said to the man shut.| fret. it'll work out somehow.|fiing the cards, “Deal me out this Things do.” | hand.” —- | He rose, stepped across to San. CHAPTER XX! ders and shook hands with a strong The Holdup grip. “You darned old son-of-a-gun! ders, working on afternoon|i’m ure glad to see you. Heard} “Meanin’ Dug Doble™ asked Bob. She flashed a look of half-smiting, | half-tender reproach at him. “You know who I mean, Bob. And I'm fot going to have him put tn danger she added with TT tef fitm he Her resolute little face, ADVENTURES OF THE TWINS Chive ‘Roberts Barton DEW TOWN Scootalong stopped the fancy Ilt-)ping crystal drops from thelr fin- tle train at Dew Town and aguin| gers. This wasn't her idea of dew| they all got out. lfairies at all! | “This in where the dew fairies | But Nick wan delighted beyond ny live,” explained Buskins, “and as words at the sight of the sturdy, | they are very busy now, we must grimy little figures wheeling wheel. | not disturb them. It is the very|barrows, shoveling coal into fur-| busiest time of year.” naces, and keeping up a constant f The Twins wondered what there racket. Buch din and roar wa was to be so busy about, dew being music to his ears, It was exactly only tiny drops of water and easily like the mill his daddy had taken wmeattered. Surely it wasn't any him to once in the city When he harder than sprinkling clothes for up he was going to work in ironing. But suddenly they heard a great hammering and,on turning a corner they beheld an unusual sight, some thing they were not looking for at all. A thousand little workmen were just such a place it was rather od | “What are yau doing?’ he called out to @ queer little fellow, nearly as black as a chimney-sweep. “What do you make in this place?” But in Pairyland bustling about in overalls and caps| “Nozzles for the hone,” answered and working as though there was!the fairy, touching his cap. “And never to be another day. Indeed watering pots. We 1 Alb onverd they were #o busy that Nancy whis to sprinkle the flowers | pered whe thought they should be *"G,) don't you make dew? “asked lied “do fairies’ instead of “dew | Nanc talries,”” | “No.” he answered. “We get that | The little girl had visions of lowly | out of the lakes and rivers? sprites with gauzy wings flouting | (To Be Continued? gracefully here and there and drip-| (Copyright, 1922, Seattle & itary jagain, but Doug's still on the range, OUR BOARDING HOUSE 7 00F- woop! HEY! / HOLD ON « THERE GOES MY VEST! = YOU GUYS SUGGESTED THIS ACT FOR ME TO “TAKE OFF | WEIGHT = IT'S A FINE \EXERCISE = FOR SOME “TAILOR | ALL ITLL | Do 1S RERUCE MY _ PURSE! a, you was back. Say, you've ce'tainly been goin’ some. Suita mea I never ties he was a ruined man. The con. |“ like either Dug of Miller a whole | jot. Dug’s one sure-cnough bad man and Miller's a tinhorn would-be. What you did to both of ‘an was aplenty. But keep yore eye peeled. old-timer, Miller's where be belongs and you can bet he's seein’ red these days. He'll gun you if he gets haif & chance. “Yea,” eald Dave Aventy. “You don't figure to let yorenett get caught again without a stx-shoot- ” Steve put the statement with the rising inflection. “No.” “Tha's right. Don't let him get the Dave ‘drop on you. He's sudden death with} @ gun.” Bob joined them. After a mo ment's conversation Ruasee! ¥. you heard the news, Bob?” “I can tell you that better after I know what it is,” returned Hart with a grin. “The stage was held up at Cotton. wood Rend and robbed of seventeen thousand dollars, The driver was killed” “Whear “This mo‘nte’, They tried te keep {% quiet, but it leaked out.~ “Whose money was ith “Brad Steciman'’s pay ref and a shipment of gold for the bank.” “Any idea who did it?” Steve showed embarraasment. “Why, no, I ain't, if that’s what you mean.” “Well, anybedy etre? “Tha's what I wanta tel! you. Two men were in the job. They're whie perin’ that Em Crawford was one.” “Crawford! Some of Sterlman's fine work in that rumor, Ill bet. He's crazy if he thinks he can get away with that. Tha's plumb foolish talk. What evidence does he claim?” demanded Hart. “Em deposited ten thousand with the First National to pay off a note he owed the bank. Rode into tewn right straight to the bank two hourn In the rear of the room were the|after the stage got in. Then, too,|*Y straight to the bank after be had seems one of the hold-ups called the other one Crawford.” “A plant.” sald Dave promptty. “Looks like.” Bob's volce was rich with sarcasm. “I don't reckon the other one rose up on his hind legs and said, ‘I'm Bob Hart,’ did hi “They claim the second man Dave here.” “Timp! What time @ you my this hold-up took place? “Must ‘a’ been about eleven” “Lets Dave out. He was fiftesn miles away, and we can prove it by at least six witnenses.” “Good. I reckon Em can put fn an too.” ‘U bet he ean.” this with conviction. “Trouble ix they ay they*ve got witnesses to show Em wag travelin’ toward the Bend half an hour before the hold-up. Art Johnson and Clem Purdy met him while they was on their way to town.” “Was Crawford alone? “He wan then. Yep.” “Any one might been there. You might. I might That don't prove a thing.” “Hell, I know om Crawford's not mixed up in any holdup, let alone a damned cowardly murder. You don't need to tell me that, Point is that evidence ta pilin’ up. Where did Em get the ten thousand to pay the bank? Two days ago he was tryin’ to increase the loan tho First Na tional had made him. Dave spoke. “I don’t know where he got It, but unless he's a born fool and nobody ever claimed that of Hart promised CHAPTER XII—THE Pony lay, hot and sobbing, upon her bed for a minute or two after she heard the door close, Paul... Dear, kind and tender, what had she done to him? Sent him away in a fit of hysterical weeping Violet Rand's cattish attack! ‘The cry had done her good. was able to reason now had Violet been more eatty the herself? How silly to be jealous ove 8 Bhe, Polly, had probably seemed prudieh and bride-ish and small-town. It had been a temptation on Vio's part to pique her. Perhaps she had ment no harm... . Polly heard someone at the door nd quickly hid her teardisfigured fact In the pillow ntep—felt something Indescribably warm and soft and furry Polly and Paul —amd Paris (Copyright, 1972, by The Seattle Man) NAW-YGOTTA STICK ‘Yo tT BUS="THIS IS TH’ FIRST TRICK To CONQUER IN “THE SYSTEM” FOR KNOCKING OFF FAT ! | WILBUR, | MADE THIS ORESS OVER- HOW DO YOU LIKE ITP || FRECKLES AND HIS GE, ANT YA ryveres GONNA PLAY IN IL] Py we cae wm | Crawford—he wouldn't take the mon- | held up the stage and killed the! driver. That's a strong point in his! favor.” “If he can show where he got the | ten thoumnd," amended Hussell, “And of course he can.” | “And where be spent that. two jhours after the holdup before he came to town. That'll have to be explained, too,” said Bob, | “Oh, Em he'll be able to exptatn | that all right,” decided Steve cheer- | fully. / “Where ts Crawford now™ axked Dave. “He hasn't been arrested, has her | “Not yet. But he’s betn’ watched. Soon as he showed up at the bank the | sheriff asked to look at his ix-ahoot-| er, Two cartridges had been fired. | One of the passengers on the stage |told me two shots was fired from a/ |wtx-gun by the boss holdup. The sso ond one killed old Tim Harrigan.” “Did they accuse Crawford of the killing?” “Not directly, THe wan asked to| explain, I ain't heard what his story was.” “We'd better go to his houne and |talk with him,” suggested Hart. |"Maybe he ean give aa good an alibi | as you, Dave.” | “You and I wil go straight there,” | decided Sanders, “Steve, get three |waddie horses. We'll ride out to the | Rend and see what we can learn on the ground.” “I'll cash my chtps, get the brones, | and meet you lads at Crawford's,” raid Russell promptly. (Continued Tomorrow) ARRIVAL AT PARIS, against her neck. A tiny purr... . Jt was too much. Polly sut up, | all smiles, and held out her hands for the wee thing. “I knew that'd ‘ud fetch yon!/ Ever see such a cute kit? Vio Rand | heaped with gauy-colored vegetables— purser’s cat! peasant women with kerchiets, caps and rent it with her apologies and | and borrowed it from the friendly greetings. streets and tending fish stalls, ed Polly was supremely happy. All A few days later they landed at'her doubts and fears had been re-| Cherbourg, or rather were put off! solved. She was more than ever in the giant liner onto a tender which love with her husband. She was| ran alongside and took them to the friendly enough with Violet Rand dock of the first foreign city Polly| Paris was before her, The whole had é¢ver sen | She was thrilled at the strangeness | land novelty of the old world town— the workmen in duroys and blue their baggy cor: |it mock blouses, little | in She heard Paul's |two-wheeled carts loaded with shin-|food, the delicate wine warming the fishing boats | blood without befuddling the tmtel presved | with russet sails, dogdrawn wagons leet, the long thin loaves of French filled with dancing, singing poople—~‘Volly seeing nothing that gave clue jing copper milk cans MAKE'M “TOUCH WIS “I “TOES CLYDE '= IN A MONTH HELL BE SO LEAN], HE CAN WEAR ONE oF |) FAMOUS "ROSTOCK || HIS SockS FOR A SWEATER™ WE'LL SHRINK A YARD OFF'N HIS WAIST LINE, AN! EASE “TH’ ( DOT PLAY NO \| CAVES=2 60TTA _———ialelel | world sang. Cherbourg BY AHERN | IBLE CHIN OFF. WEAR GO DOW You DON'T LiKe IT! 1 KNOW YOU DON’T FROM THE WAY YOU SAID IT~- LL NEVER THE OLD HOME TOW ant eee al HANK HIBBARD FOUND A PURSE ON “THE STREET TODAY= HE KEPT His FOOT ON IT TWO HOURS BEFORE HE HADA “THE PURSE WAS EMPTY, TO PICK IT UP —- Advice From an Oldtimer IT AGAIN = LL IN TOMORROW AND ORDER A NEW ONE: FRIENDS MEN LI] Frecues- AIN'T YA GONNA ‘ar * * * “The Indiana” Mra. Kahler continued, “often came to the door, and some of them were pleasant and friendly, others were biack-looking, wicked seeming fellows who filled me with terror. “This rider of the white horse I had never seen before, and I couldn't help noticing the whits| blanket which was such « con- trast to the gay colors we neney | saw about the savages, “The Indian got off his horse and started toward the door, where he saw George (Mr. Kahler| and his horse with its white blanket strapped back of the sad: die startled our horses, which were ‘staked out’ not far away. “Something about that horse frightened ours, and in less time than it takes to tell it, with a sorting and pounding of hoofs, they had pulled up their stak and with the white horse leading, | were off. “George called to firem, but he might as well have called the | wind; they ran like wild things, | and to my dismay I saw George | start after them, with the Indian | not far behind him, “The Indian lost in the race be- caure he carried a heavy gun and | 4n ammunition belt, but on a little rise of ground I saw him pause NAW JUST BABIES WALL Page 600 THE WHITE HORSE AND HIS RIDER white! The Ways of a Man ») Nee * rattle’ | and throw these away and leap on | Uke a deer. | “For three-quarters of a mile I could see them-—the Indian draw- ing nearer and nearer to George as they ran, then beth disap- peared over a little hill and I saw no more. “It was evening. Over the hills the sun was dropping in a mory of color; batk among the trees the shadows began to show black. In- side the little house my baby set | | up a low, wailing complaint. It was the only sound; the only | sound in all the yorld, it seemed | to me, extept th of my own heart. “I was alone, alone and unpre tected; for the cabin door had only the usual wooden latch with the string on the outside. “No human being was there to help me, for the nearest neighbor was miles away. The baby's cry more insistent and I went in | and tended my fire and gave the baby its supper, “It began to grow dark tn the cabin, tho twilight lingered over the broad acres of our farm and over the far off hills. I strained my eyes to nee if George were not returning, but nothing came across the hills but shadows— what did it meant? “Who was the rider of the white horse? Where was my hus- band? heavy beating (To Bo Continued) | |_ ce [eh luminous skirts, sweeping the They dined on the train rotng from to Paris, How cunning all was—the blue-kerchiefed serv @ maids, the wonderfully sueculent | bread, the strange language all about | her—which Paul spoke so fluently, and to her was such a mystery Like a golden cloud floating al Ways above her was the Pourht of Paris. A city of light and life, of joy and luxury! Polly appro it with tremors of fascination and | the humility of the forelgner who has droamed of it, but never dreamed of attaining it... . The train drew tn at Inst to the) Gare du Nord. The compartment | doors were thrown open; everybody serambled out Surely some olden — fairyland | awaited Just end! Streets of light N FARM IMPLEMENTS ADDLES PITCHPORKS ® ANVILS LAOPLBS PITCH PORES OA pet TER, AGENTS For «8h pee nt pt'pl HOW YOU LIKE Slt “WATCHETS COFFEE PoTs & CURRY © eee, You SEE ,WILBUR AFTER You’RE MARRIED ALITTLE LONGER You’LL LEARN WHEN YOUR WIFE ASKS You GREAT, THE BEST You EVER SAW= IT WiLL SAVE ‘You MONEY ! CHINA EGGS 4 / IH < AMAIA ANY THING~ SAY, FINE [-—] | KBPS and did everyUiing they pleased. They came out into a dimly-lighted, vast and ugly station, A «amp, Crowds of people, looking much like people everywhere, rushea enout, finding taxicabs, scolding porters, and hideous. “Paull Ob, my darling—is this Paris?" “Wait? said Paul, and Polly didn't know whether he meant wait while he struggled with the formal itios of the luggage room or until she should see the real Paris, . ‘They got into their cab. ‘Thru a fow dark streets they sped, C1. mene | siper-beings, who “understood life" Ito the individuality of the city abe jhad dreamed of. Then, without | Warning, they turned a corner the furious speed of a Parts taxt, |faintly sickish smell tainted the air,/emerged into a broad whitelighted — boulevard lined with gay cafes where jpeople sat at little tables upon the [sidewalk and an air of joyous ease ed |'The place was drauighty and dark | pervaded all, | Something in the at pe. |said, “Work is over for the day—. {let's enjoy ourselves!" Polly clutched Paul's arm “How wonderful, dear! 1 love your Paris!* * “Wait,” said Paul again, kissing the hand on his sleeve, “It’s all be fore you." (Vo Be Continued (Copyright, 1922, by Seater