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'Ff \ T>« lUrmwril P.»»l» Awtl—I. Bwyiitfl. a C- Tlurad.y. D«t—h«r 10. l>M GUNLOCK RANCH by Frink H. Spiormon CHAPTER IX—Continued Rnwdy pulled » moment it toll mn* tache. “No hurry," he mid reflectlre* ly. “It’i early yAt for him. If he'i our man. he‘a got a pocketful of money to blow." He thought a minute fur ther. "Look here, Scotch 1 Tell our boys orer there at the bar to string out quiet and meet back of the barn Watch your chance. Speak around to the hitch rack and get the eorrel down to the barn on an old feed-bill claim, ril tackle Barney In the aaloon and gee what chance there la to gettln’ him down there. Got a rope ready?" “I have." "Vamos!" McAlpIn Joined the men at the bar. Snwdy slipped out the back door and. half a block dotvn the alley, walked out Into Klver street and down to the Red Front saloon. But from the moment the big adven turer stepped out of the back door of one saloon and In at the front door of the other, a curious change took place. He had left Spotts’ place sober— Sawdy was In fact a very moderate man. He strode Into the Red Front reeling. The bar was well filled. Snwdy saw at a glance that among the men lined up there were i number of town loaf ers who never drank except at some body’s expense. When Sawdy caught light of Redstock with the loafers ■ronnd him. Inference was swift and correct Barney had money. The saloonkeeper, Harry Boland, foxy-eyed and alert it the head of the bar, saw Sawdy stagger In through the green baize; he watched the big fel low closely. Sawdy zigzagged back to wards the loafers among whom Barney waa bolding forth. Boland. ■ man of ripe experience In appraising all stages of Intoxication, was auaplcloaa since Henry Sawdy was ao drunk; Roland had never before seen Mm Intoxicated. Rut Sawdy waa aa artist isd did not make the mis take of the actor who plays the sober man trying to appear drunk. Sawdy waa the drunkea maa trying to appear Barney gravely, thea of fer everybody la Ramey honor Having llagered iod. Sawdy mat his eye apoa the thirsty cowd , ret agar of his right hand under each wtag of hla tarn, drew from a vest « eagle, a ad made aay siaa here fee twenty- pieces' It was a fairly ocaaaa he well knew all at together maid sot raise tweaty dotiara. Rat he had ea object la view. Ramey, after some ahllly thaTylng. accepted the rhallewge He aahed Ho lead to lead him • gold piece Whea Bo la ad produced a twenty dullar rota and loosed It not te Harney. It did aot take Sawdy long ta figure eat that Ramey had atoaey and that It waa la the keep, ng of the aa loon keeper Sawdy. aotorlooaly larky at matcblng. Want oat offer several trials; he gulf forty dollars to the bod Rat he had Harney greatly Inflated by hla triumph, with the whole mom crowding eagerly around the cooteetante After a round of drlnka at Harney’s charge Sawdy brought the talk aroand to a fine looking a»rrel outalde at the hitch rack. Harney claimed IL Sawdy wanted to buy It Harney demurred — It waan*t for mIc. Holnnd heard the talk. He drew Barney to tho rear end of the bar. • Sell It to him, you fool." whispered Roland. "Don't you ace he’s drunk as a fiddler? You can get twice what the horse Is worth." Thus encouraged. Barney stepped out of doors with Sawdy, followed by a llt’o circle of the curious. The horse was gone. This fact caused no great excitement; Sawdy suggested he had got loose and strayed up or down the street and that they take a look around to find him. The curiosity of the crowd weakened, and they re-entered the eiiloon, hoping for another chance to get a drink. Sawdy and Barney walked down the street to gether, wrangling as they went over the mischance and the merits of the missing horse. As the pair passed Mc- Alpln’s barn It occurred to Sawdy they had better look In and ask for infor mation. CHAPTER X A hanging lantern lighted the barn gangway dimly. Sawdy’g call for a hostler was answered by McAlpIn hlm- •elf, who, lantern In hand, ambled In his peculiar gait briskly forward. “Hello, Mac,” exclaimed Sawdy, wav ing like a tall tree In a number four breeze. “We’re looking for Barney’s horse,” he continued gruffy—“got loose up the street Just now—seen anythin’ of a stray?" McAlpIn, raising his lantern looked at Rebstock. "Why, yes, I seen a stray,’’ be udmlted sulkily. “Was It a sorrel?" asked Sawdy with some hope. “It was a sorrel, Sawdy; saddled and bridled. What about It?" "It’a probably Barney's horse. Let’s see IL Where Is It?" McAlpIn Jerked his head back over his shoulder. "Id the box stall Your horse, Barney?" "Suae, It*i my horse." "Right this way, Barney," returned llrAlpla. "Put out your cigars, boys, s along with me," be added, a hand. Us arvtdsd dews lbs Copyright Wank H. Si WNU Sarvlo* gangway, Rebstock and Sawdy after him, stopped at the stall box, bung his lantern on a high gangway hook, un latched the stall door, and pointed within. ‘There’* your horse, Barney. Maybe I better give him a bit of oats before you go. . . . No? Water then?" Rebstock and Sawdy had stepped Into the stall with McAlpIn. The liv eryman led the horse out. Rebstock started to follow; Sawdy laid a hand on hla shoulder. “Just a minute. I want to talk to you, Barney. We'll Join you In a minute, Mac. Get out the black bottle. But leave the lan tern." "What's up?" asked Rebstock, eyeing Sawdy closely, nnd always suspicious. Sawdy was standing backed against, one side of the box stall. “Barney,’ he said In confidential fashion, T’d like to have Just a little horse-to-horse talk with you." “What d’you mean, horse-to-horse talk?” snapped Barney. "Just this: Do you feel Just exactly right, leavin’ your money with Harry Boland?" “What do you mean?” "Do you feel safe? I ask you as man to man, Barney, and an old friend do you feel safe, leaving a roll with Boland?" Barney fumbled mentally. "Why shouldn’t I?" he conntered bluntly. “I’d hate to see you. after this trou ble you’ve had. lose your money with Harry Boland," persisted the cowman I’ll tell yon honest—and yon can tell the critter hlmeelf If yoo like—I wouldn't never leave five hundred of my money with Harry Boland." "Never had It to leave, did yon?" "Well, no foolin'. Barney, wouldn't do IL Bo that'* what I aay, aa man to man—keep your money In the bank, not In a dive. Have you got • receipt for your money?" “No." "How much money are yoe leavin' with him?" •None of your damned bast Bean, shat ■ bow mock. I’m headin' np the reeL Oet oet of the way." •Dent get tore. Barney. I’m mean la the beet for yen. Jeet welt a minute an' m walk np the street with yen gettln kind ef thirsty mynelf. Did yee r He Could See Rebetock’s Eyes Flashing Green. hear. Burney, about Bill Denison's place gettln’ burned down?" "I heard about a lire out that way— what about It?" demanded Rebstock. "Why, nothin’—nothin’ at alL But, Burney, this Is why I wanted to talk to you: There’s folks here In town that don’t know you as well aa I do. (ire mean enough to say you know a ot more about that fire than you want to tell. I claim they’re wrong—what’ll I tell ’em?" “Tell ’em to go to hell." “Suppose they won’t do It, Barney?" asked Sawdy calmly. Rebstock shuffled angrily. “Look here, Sawdy. You can’t bunk me any more. If they don’t want to go to bell, you go for ’em.” With this suggestion, Rebstock start ed again for the stall door. Sawdy’s hand came down a bit heavier on Bar ney’s shoulder. The slippery fellow tried to Jerk away when Sawdy’s fin gers sank deep Into the coat and shirt of his victim. “Barney,” he protested solemnly, “I don’t like to see an old friendship broken up by thoughtless words.” “A hell of a friendship," snorted Rebstock. “Barney, I want to be friends with you. What’s the facts about that fire?" With a volley of oaths, Rebstock tor* loose from Sawdy’s grasp, backed hur riedly away, and tried to spring over the side wall. Sawdy was too quick. He Jumped to him, caught him by the arm, and slummed him halfway across the stall. Barney landed on hla hands and knees, sprang to hts feet, and faced hla old time acquaintance with wicked eye*. In the dim light of the lantern, high In the gangway, Sawdy caught the (lash of the blade of a knife —lying. Mexican fashion, la Barney's right band. Both were gofck. Rebatock, amallar and lighter, could strike and spring like a wildcat, bat he faced a foe who. though larger and heavier, waa es teemed among hla fellows as one hard to corner. Sawdy held the door side of the atall with hla back to tho UgbL HO could see Rebstock’s eyes flashing green. Rebstock wanted to get dose enough to Sawdy to cut him and Jump through the door; but he feared the terrific grip of the cowman’s Angers on his wrists before he should get the knife into play. Sawdy carried his gun—Rebstock had left his own with Boland—but he disdained to use It' on a partly un armed man. It was no. part of his pro gram to get himself embroiled with the law by shooting the criminal; whai he and his cronies wanted from Rebstock was information. It took only an Instant for Sawdy to perceive that he could not safely hold hla stand In front of the stall door. The lantern light was too uncertain—he could not follow Rebstock’a eyes—part of the time he could hardly follow bis Jumpy steps. In a moment, both men, one big, the other small, were Jumping about the stall like boxers stripped for the ring. But Sawdy, though big, was the fastest on his feet among the cowmen that rode the Gunlock ranges. He had lit tie alcohol aboard, was naturally as quick as a flash, and knew he was fac ing the moat dangerous man with a knife along the Spanish Sink*. Ten youthful years spent among Mexican bandits, together with a lean and lumpy physical make-up, had given Barney Rebetock the name of a mean man with a knife, and Sawdy had no Intention of adding to the outlaw’s rep utation as a killer, If he could help It. The fight was In the lap of the gods. A misstep or ■ foot slip might end It any second. Sawdy waa hoping hla comrade* secreted out In the corral would hear the scuffle and come In. Rot bo waa Just stubborn enough not to call for help. Barney, enraged at hla plIghL was breathing hard, and wind was too pre- rioon te waste in words. This silent struggle for the one slight advantage that would end the light went ea te th* music ef jerky breaths end nimble footing. It was soon • question ns te •hone wind would give not •ret— Sawdy, heavier, was at • disadvantage l* eoduran x. While they feinted and Jumped shoot his foot slipped. Barney eaw the opening. He longed forward. Bawdy Instinctively whirled •idewtne and threw op bln knee In save hit stomach. The savage thrust of Barney** knife caught the calf *f his leg. As tha cowman went down, his •nger* gripped Barney’s wrist With a mere twist ef the deadly grip learned long ago la Panhandle knife ighra he snapped like matches the lore bone* ef Barney's forearm. The wiry eat law screamed. He was through; th* rear gangway doors werv •sag open, and the confederate* cam* rvanlag la from th* corral Prom the dark seas ef the box stall cams only the swish ef hard hrvathiac and lb* oaths and cries ef Barney. I^efrver grasped the hall ef the lan tern and threw the light rays within. •Henry r he yelled la alarm. "What's a matter. pard? What's wrong?" He nnlstched the gets of the stsll ss he called and hastened Inside with Scott and Page at hla heels. Me Alpla ran down from the office. It was a moment before Lefever could make out Just uhat waa happening on the floor, as Barney, half choked, writhed under the remorseless grip that closed hla windpipe. Sawdy. spread out on hla stomach, lay. a huge bulk, with one arm over hla antagonist. Only hla heary breathing Indicated life. "Hen ry I" exclaimed Leferer. “What the hell's happened?" "Nothing’s happened yet, John. Look at my leg. Where’s hla knife?" "God a’mlghtyl It’s In your leg, Henry." Lefever started to draw It out. "Hold on, John! Don’t touch that till you get a tourniquet on. Who'a here?" Hla heavy bloodshot eyes turned on ScotL “Bob! Look-see whether he’a slit an artery or a vein. Hold the lan tern there, John." Scott found blood spurting from the wound. He fashioned a tourniquet from a thong of rawhide. "Get up and get Carpy, quick!” mut tered McAlpIn to Page. "What you moonin’ about? Henry la bad cut. Run. Ben!” "All right. You hold Barney," growled Page, turning over hla writh ing prisoner. Turning to , the prostrate cowman while Scott twisted the tourniquet, Mc- Alpin, gripping Rebstock, gave orders to Sawdy; the liveryman always took the stage. "Henry!” he shouted, In his excitement. "Lay right where you are. Don’t stir till Carpy comes. Why didn’t you call for help?” he thundered at Sawdy. "Ain’t never learned how yet,” re torted the wounded man majestically. Carpy reached the box stall ten min utes later. The doctor held up the lantern "Hell's bells!" he exclaimed to McAl pin and the hostler. "Don’t leave the man lying In this dirt. Henry,"—he knelt at Sawdy’s bead—"what have they been doing? Who stock you?" "Doc," declared the notorious bach elor, "you might say I stock myself Sew me np and send the bill to my fa ther-la-law after 1 get married, wU youl" (TO BS CONTINLUH The Chnstmas •by Blanche Tanner Dillin T HE snow was beautiful but made one feel somewhat lonely, Nancy Atwell thought as she stood at the window watch* ing the falling snow. For an in stant she regretted refuging the ur gent invitations of her two brothers and two sisters to spend the holi days with them; -Each of them had been insistent, but were all so far away it was out of the ques tion, financially, and she didn’t want them to furnish the money— and then for years she had spent Christmas here in the Connecticut hills with grandmother and she couldn’t imagine it seeming like Christmas any place else. Peggy North, her old and dear friend, had written that She could not get away for the holidays, so hoped that Nancy could be with her. Nancy had done little toward any sort of festivities and had left put ting up the decorations until the last minute. In fact she hadn’t bought anything new—the old ones would do well enough. Perhaps she might just as well go up to the attic now and see what there was. It might seem more like Christmas with some decorations around. As she opened a drawer in an old chest her hand touched grand mother’s old quilt—"Grandmoth er’s happiness quilt,” as she al ways called it It %ai just such a day as this ao long ago, when sit ting at grandmother’s feet down in the ’’setting” room the had heard the history of the pieces in the quilL There was no place hern in th* attic to look at it, ao togeth er with wreaths and garlands of (Be History ef (Be tinsel aha carried the quilt doom th* roosa where ah# had heard history for th* first time, and spread It out on the bad. Her* waa a piece from the dress grandmother had worn when grandfather proposed Here waa the piece of grandmother’s wed- | ding dress—others from Christen ing robes, party d* eases, wedding dresses and dresses worn on other happy occasions—some almost in shreds, but stiil enough left to re- 1 call the stories to Nancy as Grand mother Atwell had told them. How grandmother had loved telling them and how she had laughed at some memory. Nancy had com mented on what a happy Ufa grandmother had had. No one ever had a happier one. grandmother assured her. How cheerful, unself ish, grandmother had been, never dwelling on her own troubles, but ready to help others in theirs. Nancy recalled the times grand mother had been the means of making the path a Uttle smoother, the pain less keen, by the gift of something Nancy especially want ed or the fulfilling of some cher ished plan of Nancy’s. And when Nancy was left alone in the old home and grandmother sent for her she must have guessed just how much Nancy wanted the rest and quiet the bills would give her. Nancy never forgot the smile and embrace with which grandmother greeted her — no rehearsing of painful experiences, but plans im mediately made for happy days in the future. Nancy’s loss had been grandmother’s as well, but grand mother had never let others know the shadows that crossed her path. What a satisfaction it must oe to be able to help others as grand mother had. Then Nancy saw how she could do the same, in a meas ure at least. First she could give Anna a vacation over the holidays. Next she would wire Peggy she would be with her over Christmas. As she laid the quilt away after carrying out her plans, deep grati tude filled her heart for if she hadn’t found the quilt she would never have known the happiness she now felt. C Wtsun N«wvp*P«i'Unleo. , j Hobby to Restore Youth An elderly Minneapolis man for got old eg* and bio l pressure, and went a long way toward re covering his youth by building a miniature tabernacle of Moses, according to biblical specifica tions. His experience is not far differ ent from that of all who have discovered the life-giving value of a hobby, who know that in a lei sure time vocation, be it ever so nutty, there is relaxation, zest and profound satisfaction. —Minnea polis Star. rran . MEDICAL JODMAL THIS: ABOUT COLDS! (of dMM docton) led dMoiiolMUtv* that coldsrankfromanadd coodhioe of the bedr. To ovwcom tUa ttor pmcribevertouaalfcaHaa.’Thet’awh^ today— LUDEN'S coTSU 5/ NOW CONTAIN AN ALKALINE FACTOR 16 KINDS SOUPS o/ FINER FLAVOR SatpA Jbout&f HufititTcrUX Oht, (PliiiipA. Di&CtfrUA MEAT PERFECT AFTER 8 YEARS IN OPEN ROOM It-or-Nof* should tall Mr. “Belleva- Klpley thia story that from John S. Hill, etore- la Booth Carolina. T hav* tack door of my ho writs*, “a atrip of moat with FIGARO Coodenaed Smoke BOUT YEARS ago. This piece of moat la ribbed belly, a boot U Incbea long and 6 Inc be# wide It Is Ann. tweet and Bound as a dol lar—neither rancid nor apolled la nay manner, and has kept perfectly theo* eight years. FIGARO la the finest thing I hav# ever eeen for I hav* boon using It over since It was finrt pot on the market." (Signed) John 8. Hill. Mr. Hill has to buy the meat be curoa. so bo can not afford to looo any of IL Yet the average farm does lose 50 lbs. every year, be cause the meat Is not thorough ly smoked. Dur ing cold weather, keeping meat la a simple matter. Rot when summer comes, or a warm spell during the winter, look ooL Rancidness develops. Yon suddenly find the meat alive with "skippers," or worms. Green mold appears on IL Or It dries out and hardens. Thorough smoking Is the only known way to prevent all these troubles. But how? Everyone knows how uncertain the old smokehouse method la. Other so-called smoking methods, or substitutes for amok- N: ALCOLG1N Ing. are likewise risky. How can yoa tell whether or not the meat Is ther- ovghly smoked? But if you want to be SURE all your meat will keap perfectly right through the summer months, wash It thoroughly after It comes out of the cure and brush FIGARO Condensed Smoke over •very square Inch. FIGARO pene trate*. It keeps meat from drying out. It positively PREVENTS skip pers, green mold, or rancidness Flavor? Ton’ll aay the meat la the finest you ever ate. And the cost Is leas than one-third cent per pound I HAS SMOKED OVER TWO BILLION POUNDS OF MEAT More than 30 years ago, 8. Eu gene Colgln, Texas farmer boy, dis covered how to condense smoke te Hqnld form. With addition of a fe* Ingredients to Improve the flavor, etc.. It la called FIGARO Condensed Smoke. Since then, FIGARO has been used to smoke more than two billion pounds of meat 1 Tour dealer has It, or can get It; In 32-oz. size (enough for 500 lbs.), $1.50; or the 16-oz. size, (enough for 250 lbs.), $1.00. But DON’T TAKE CHANCES I Use FIGARO on every pound this year.—Adv. THE FIGARO COs DALLASJEX. Manufactann ot Smoka Products FIGARO Coadensed Sanke-Barbecae Smoke Sauce-Sausage Seasoning * POCKETS By GLUYAS WILLIAMS Fm* Sftiftot MO IM- aMORfeBU MHISriEW &WDHY surf PUfSOIAM HAHDKERWfr M BREAtf KlOttf, ALSO AfOOMfAM PCM AMD ms a Dozen vfHcn. SWS PHD SIDE fbaatf 100K& tVER COU-ECfiON a wad or shutfe, to or GRcawts; Piet** him Hf WAMft-foRCltefJ POStaRDVHMlPROfefi ft fltaE 5EUER, AND AN AMD ADmytM SftfiSft AffuftcAf uttft sr what ft discard CHRISTMAS TIME I HAVE always thought * of Christmas time, when it has come around, apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin—if anything be longing to it can be apart from that—aa a good time, a kind, for giving, charitable, pleasant time. —Charles Dickens. STUTTS HCM AU , ft* wrti pocket DOCK AND IN 019 fiOtf. Ptfe IH4IDE ftCKif up* a imu IfcOUtU 6E<$* A 1W>. HU NAB- MONICA AMP A KtfrtOtf KL0N6)NBb Ptft toil- ft* ftOOft ADK »MIJI91 AND ENP0 fSOtl H6 ftfill. AND A U5ED NMpKfBCMgT W0* HA* *US rtru> tor now soiY SUM MOCK MORI WAMllAB AND COM- so* nafttit maiMciEMM gjgfc