Crooked Trails and Straight

A door in the rear hung from one hinge. More than one broken pane of glass was stuffed with paper. The same evidence of shiftlessness could be seen on every

en up. One was Bad Bill, the other Blackwell

did you drop from

in Flandrau's chee

Where? At

Circle C. Mac opened f

was left to guess the ot

and took me

prove a thing

at was enough for them. They set out to

u here? Did

iends dug

drau, an uncle of Curly, owned a half interest in the Map of Tex

s sore at having to ante

p here. I reckon we better not say anything about my mixup

at goes with me. How

m don't know w

young fellow rode up and dismounted. He had a bag of quail with him which he handed over to the Mexican

, a strong family resemblance to his father and sister. "His eye jumps straight at you and asks its questions right off the

alf an hour they discussed without words fried quail, cornbread and coffee. Such conversation

d. Then coats were removed and they sat down to th

ell was a bad lot, treacherous, vindictive, slippery as an eel. Even his confederates did not trust him greatly. But it was Soapy Stone and young Cullison that interested Flandrau most. The former p

e's cool audacity. The limit had long since been taken off. Blackwell and St

ing, Cranston

cked," he

turn with palpable eagerness. "Got to boost her, boys

d in his turn. "Kick her again, gentlemen. Me, I'm p

. Curly did

d laid down his hand. Blackwel

along," Cullison admitted, pu

ys at Sam and then at Blackwell, and abrupt

" asked

ese," Blackwe

for two and

sed. Sam, gru

n I've gone this far," he gave as a re

at his new card and

down on the table. "Just my

s cards. Suddenly he started. What had ha

augh Blackwell ra

out," S

's eyes. "Different here," he explained in a quiet businesslike w

s Soapy bluffing? Or had he baited a hook for him to swallow? The faintest glimmer of amusement drifted across the face of Stone. He might have been a general

hand. "You've got me beat. Min

is cards and rea

y la

l whirle

o condemn

ings I

ani

n't have laid

plunks he h

ned to Soapy. "Object

He smiled. "It ain't poker, bu

e cards," Fl

irst, then a ten-spot and a

" exulted

ore ten left, but it

taken the bet. Soapy looked at Flandrau with a new interest.

the last a six of spades. Stone had had two p

own two bills and

ld gain no influence over him by preaching. He had to live the rough-and-tumble life of these men who dwelt beyond the pale of the law, to excel them

told her messenger to give it to Sam when he was alone, Curly guessed this would be

ung lady," Flandrau said,

le where the birds flew every evening to water. Hidden by the mesquite, Sam ran over his letter two or three times while he was waiting. It was such a message as any brave-heart

the water hole. They shot as many as they needed, but

Curly mentioned that he had seen

irst rustling and of how Miss Kate and her father had stood by him in his trouble. The dusk w

hey were worrying their hearts out about me, seems to me I'

d he?" Hard and bitter came the voice of

e and your sister have done more for me than I

en he is moved, "Much obliged, Curly,

to go to the penitentiary. Now I have mortgage

get off

oled away your chance yet. There's nothing to this sort of life. The bunch up here

inst Soapy. He took me in when m

r father for sendin

en a good friend to me. I'm

ng him down to go b

not going to lie down on him. And I'm not going back to the old man. He told me he was t

MADDEST MAN

ether a good deal, and Flandrau found that Sam liked to hear him talk about the Circle C and its affairs. But often he was discouraged, for he made no progress in weaning him from his loyalty to Stone. The lat

humor Flandrau covered a vigilant wariness. Soapy held all the good cards now, but if he stayed in the gam