Crooked Trails and Straight

rly had not traveled far when he heard the sound of a gun fired three times in quic

aw a man squatting on the ground. He was stooped for

t's

his shoulder. Pain and helpless ra

u see I'm just taking a n

e teeth were clamped tightly. Little beads of perspiration stood out all over his forehead. A glance showed the reas

the limb of a cottonwood about as thick as his for

lip open shove her

s dry lips. It was plain

e mouth of the trap opened. Stone slipped in the wooden wedge and withdrew his crushed wrist. By great good fort

was sufferin

t a doc look at it

e was furious at himself for having let such an accident

they took the trail for the Bar 99. On the face of the wounded man gathered th

looks like," C

tand the grief,

eached the ranch and Laura London l

t is

ra. Too bad to trouble you," Soapy a

ay into the house and swiftly gathered bandages, a sponge, and a basin of water. Together she and

gentle as s

you," she said, he

se. I'm certainly in luck." Curly did not understand t

ould only hurry,

great trouble. Too

the outer wrapping and did no

me right for being inquisiti

orry you we

to climb the hi

s watched her as a cat does a mouse. Moreover, the girl was afraid of him. He could tell that by the timid startled way s

wrist Curly stepped out to the porch to find Laura. She

low makes a mistake. If he's as big a chump as I am it's liable to

ved hand in the

. I thought you were taking advantage because I had been

all, but I sha'n't tell you what my

a sudden bubbling o

I won't eve

ng. Presently she spoke, with

mething I w

es

want you to

maybe I'

ing that was troubling her burst from the lips

there." She gave a hopeless l

Culli

es

abou

he got a hold on him. I can't tell you how I know it,

y, but he wanted to make sure.

ooded her c

won't be Soapy

tled look at him.

ous,

s she had been cutting, was o

hurt you through h

ff two grudges at once. And he will too. You'll see. He's wily as

lison? Can't he make

only a girl. He won't listen to me. Besides, Dad won't let me have anything to do with him because of the way he's acting. Wha

friend who is to be such a powerful influ

She looked up a

ntinel? How does it go? An example had ought to be

what it says.

d the

g. What of that? Can't I tell you are a man? And I don

something, Miss Laura. Maybe you'll be glad to know that the reas

to suggest such a thing, but Laura London's mind jumped the gaps to a knowledge of the truth that Curly himself did not ha

the house, Stone laid down t

at Mr. Curly Flandrau had be

returned the young man evenly. "It thinks I belong to t

" snapped the man on the lounge. "What are your pl

oing, but I'm on the way,

the heavy eyebrows that gav

th me to the ranch t

own to the ground

w with a shotgun in his hands. "From Missouri" was stamped all over his awkward frame. He stoo

ain, are you?" he asked

. "I don't know how you gues

away from the Bar 99-you an

that sort. But how was I to know whether

d herself beside her father. Her h

ps and this young man brought him here

mp

f the room. He could not decently tell Stone to leave while he was under the care of a doctor, but he did not intend to

away, Curly," Stone announced

he was tightening the cinch a shadow fell across his sh

for Sam. I trust you. I don't know why, but I have the greates

fting line of talk, Miss Laura. Now will you please explain why you're f

ame time. Her hand came from beh

an it, every

for giving Master Sam

uess? It is a

it? Shows I'm sur

oming and handed him

f lit her eye and the dimples came