Crooked Trails and Straight

ne that Curly recognized as that o

u'll take the

oon as you hear the first shot

me Tin Cup, but he could not be sure. Presently another fragment

ot tell which one, nor did he dare look over the top of the partition to find out. He was playing safe. This adventure had caught him so unexpectedly that he had not found time to run back to his room for h

ne had evidently interrupted the record-the f

id will get hi

raised slightly to make i

ed, and Flandrau would have swor

he paroled convict. Between him and Curly there was only the thickness of a

t," Blackwell was

eel rasping steel, every word distinct though very low-"I sw

you ain't careful," the co

an old wom

afe. I owe Luck Cullison

e to Curly clearly was his own name. But it was qui

t his bail. I lear

py. And me wanting you to let him in so'

t do, Lute. He's

e knows a

Can

hought

le he's here. Consequence is, when they find the kid where we leave him they'll sure guess Curly for one of his pardners. Tell yo

led something u

I'm liable to spoil his hide before court meets. No man aliv

ot till Blackwell suggested that they go get a drink tha

f the little room and st

stood up fine. Nobody in the sunburnt territory felt happier than he did that minute when he str

hink it out by himself. But in this little old planet events do not always occur as a man plans

sed. He had helped Curly escape less than a month befor

the arm. "Hello, Slats.

to-day," Davis

This is more

el

e a walk. I got som

ou tell

nyhow. Come along. I

ide him. "All right. Cut it s

evident embarrassment of the other. The impish impulse to "devil" him

id any more. In age you're a grown man. But how do you act? Talk like that don't do you any good. You're in trouble good and de

fidentially to the scenery. "You would never guess, wou

. Seemingly you don't. I hear you've been up at Stone's horse ran

's why I mentioned this train robbery. Some of my friends are aiming to h

are traveling different trails these days, Curly. You don't mean it of course

, old hoss.

"Then you've said too much

to agree to

e. Nor a scoundrel. You've got the bit in your teeth and I reckon you'll go till there is a smash. But you better understand this. When you choose Soapy Stone's, crowd

ing to do with t

run them out of the country. Or to put them behind bars. O

t many men would have had the courage to send that message to Soapy and his outfit. For Stone was not only a man killer, but a mean one at that.

s foolishness and

. I'm making that

dancing and were steady as the sun in a blue sky. Surprise, d

stening

ad been used to do in the old days. And Davis heard it without a wor

itor to young Cullison.

th Luck. He and his gang will get away with the haul and they will leave Sam dead on the scene of the hold-up. Ther

orked ou

that's different. Besides, I could tell he was not sure of me. Now he aims to put me on the stand and prove by me that Sam and he had a quarrel and

ake a revenge like that on his enemy. I

e kid and damns his reputation. He scores Cullison and he snuffs out Sam, who had had the luck to win

tory of French D

ow the rig

amned busy. Folks woke up and the hills were sprinkled with posses. They ran the fellows down and hunted them from place to place. Two-three times they almost nailed them. Shots were exchanged. A horse of one of the fugitives was killed and they could not get another. Fin

e day arrived. My guess is that they found French Dan with a little round hole in his skull-and that the bullet making it had gone in fro

swift getaway. So he took no chances. There's only one man alive to-day can swear that Soapy was the man with French Dan lying in the zacaton. And he'll never tell, because he pump

r in the back would shoot another if he had good re

e. Question is how to block it

d his friends voted for Bolt. He would go to them, listen to their story, prove part of it by me, and turn them l

ght," Slats admitted. "

riend would persuade him it was just a yarn cooked up to get h

ison

lf. The point is, would he be willing to wait a

uarantee his boy wou

watch him day and night

nt m

ng, Slats. For we don't know when t

to be ready.

ther Dick Maloney i

ng. Luck is here to

at the Del Mar, where Luck always puts up. Find out the number of Cullison's room and make an appointment. I'll be on El Moli

own. As he was passing the Silver Dollar saloon a voice called hi

m. "You didn't tell me it was Luck

idn't

him are thic

that's being thick. T

hen he went b

es

wonde

nake does. Curly would have given a good deal just then for the revolver lying on the bed of his room. F

cause I was driven to it. He's too much of a

xplain why he dug up good mone

why, you would

hear yo

s Sam is; and because he figured that

u promised to sneak up to my ranch a

That he was lashing himself into a fury was pl

sudden the anger in the boy boiled up over the fear. In two jumps he covered

, you coward. And with my last breat

ching. They had heard the young man tell Stone he was not armed. Public opinion would hold him to accoun

u till you can't stand. Sabe? Call yourself a bad man, do you? Time I'm through with yo

ad hoped it would. He thrust the revolver ba

ook a hand. They dragged the two men apart. Curly was thrust into a barber shop o

sperado had been that he would shoot on sight. Now half a dozen talked at once. Some advised Curly one thing,

done all the explaining I'm going to. And I'll not le

got four notches on that gun

om the old days. He could whang away at a quarter with that sawed-off .45 of his and hit it every crack. Th

ugh to eat out of his hand. Didn't Luck Cullison go into

ther man in Arizona could have done it.

ause he had stood up to the bogey man of the So

the barber shop

lo,

lo,

figuring on setting off so

ding there so easy and deliberate

doing th

be at the Silver Dollar

go. But their eyes did not leave Curly so long as he was in sight. Until this thing was settled one way or the other the young rustler would be one of the most importa

ed on his revolver and felt it resting comforta

. "He has gone to find Luck, who is now at

talk wi

d you'd do

Molino street to learn wh

ke too tempting a target

gh he would not run away from it. For he had serious business on

later Maloney

happen along the other side of the street and will keep abreast of you. Luck will walk with me behind you. Unless I yell your name don't pay any attention to what is behind you. Soon as we

a heap of pains

till September term of court opens. Di

that lightning lift of the arm followed by a puff of smoke. The news of his coming passed ahead of him, so that windows were crowded with spectators. Th

into the side door. Carly followed, walked directly up the stai

ght, Kate Cullison rose and gave Curly her hand. For about two heartbeats her f

o her side and she

u. We've heard about wha

ll how far a little excitement goes i

y entered the room. C

he had the chance. Saguache is sure buzzing this mo'ning with the way you st

ed him for

n him. "By what Dick tells me you'

voice. "Dick told us why yo

I just ran up there. Sam's in tow

e to him,"

. "This young man came here to tell us someth

nterest in Sam. But it was when he related what he had heard at Chalkeye's place that the interest grew most tense. While he was going over the plot to destroy young Cullison there was no sound

C caught his hand. "You've done fine, boy. No

but her dark longlashed e

d not. They had no legal evidence except the word of Curly. Nor did they know on what night he had planned to pull off the hold-up. If the

to see that Sam was never for an instant left unguarded either day or night. Another was to ride to Tin Cup and look the ground ove

e broke up Kate came

Flandrau? He can't stay in Saguache with t

Miss Kate;" and Curly l

ouldn't, Kate. He isn't going to b

n he'd spoil all his pl

t his plans this morning. How do

. I've got a card up my