Crooked Trails and Straight

ook beating the call to breakfast on a t

s glad mo'ning, son?" h

dy," grinned

a good sleep. And he was lying comfortably in a clean bed instead of hanging b

m and instantly h

s Cull

C. Flandrau that he is. Say, I'm to be yore valley

ad finished breakfast but Maloney was still eating. His mouth was ful

in the play this mo

Mac. He did not remember that he was in the shadow of a penitentiary sentence. The sun was shining out of a deep blue sky. The

p better than I was la

osing him out of th

f the stage manager had not re

aloney knew that the young fellow was thanking him for having saved his life.

e. Spotlight. Sa-

to him in his trouble. He had always known that Maloney was true and st

he rustled stock didn't get away with the goods. Seems they stumbled into a bunch of rurales unexpected and had to

ock why didn't they stop

ales and the rangers have had their eye on those border flitte

ut in spite of himself a note of eagerness crept into his voice. For

ep

oved by them I was not one of the men wh

then grinned at his prisoner in a sha

g bad for me, but when

ng to keep you out of the pen. You'l

-olds. The old man wants to have a talk with the rustler. Doc says he may. Maloney,

cle C and was friendly with all the

windows opening upon a long porch. Kate was bending over the bed rearranging the pillows, but she looked up quickly w

down, Dick." And to h

a dark complexion, clean shaven, wiry and muscular. Already past fifty, he looked not a day more than forty. One glance was enough to tell Curly the kind of man

rly, young fellow,

y asked, having no

o convict yourself. I sent for you to tell you I don't

with your

e a little exci

yhow," Curly answered, w

kly at Maloney and t

you've been hiding fr

gued with them and they saw things diff

Curly and Maloney had finished he buried his daughter's little hand in his big brown

king too much, Dad. Doctor Brown said you might see him for just a few m

smiling submission of the

st how it was. Your friend got excited and shot as soon as he saw he was surrounded. We are both very sorry he

im holler to me to put my gun down,

how we understand it. Father wants it made clear

ry ever since I hit him, and

o answered her appeal with a grim nod, and then she turned again to the young r

e right to ask as

old you know the man they ca

shness from his face. Still trying to get him to give away his partners in the rustli

s and maybe

isn't that we want to hurt you." She s

on my friends to save my own hid

ng. Why are you

py last night. They had a rope round my neck at the time. Nothing unfr

he steel eyes that bored into him

ay I'll settle it likely. But that ain't the point no

d to crouch in the c

next question will be about the t

he prisoner. "We're not interested in his friends-except one

good looking handsome fellow, a little sulky aroun

Glancing up, he found instantly the clew to what had puzzled him. The young m

words were out before F

've never

N

he young man steadily. "Neve

N

tone speak of

talk much about w

ff nodded. "

r found out. Stone had repeatedly given it out that he could not be taken alive. But Cullison had brought him down to the valley bound and cowed. In due season the bandits had gone over the road to Yuma. Soapy and the others had sworn to get their revenge some day. Now they we

or came briskly

u've had company enough for one

oney and his pris

urly. "Doctor Brown was telling me what you said. I'll see they

o swallow an unexpected lump in his throat

her," Kate promis

you that. And he was awful fond of her. He talked about he

l her wha

ns got him going wrong, but he sure would have settled down in

hiny with tears. "Yes,

ring whether a man had ought to say have went and have knew. Verbs are the beatinges

nd. I'll not write

y inadequate. But Kate understood the boy's unspoken wi