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Looked trails ] and straight (Continued from preceding page) I CHAPTER IX. A Cleanup. A slight Occident occurred at the Jail, one so unhnpurtnnt that Sconlan the jailer did not think It worth reporting to his chief. Blackwell, while eating, knocked n glass from the table and broke it on tlie cement floor of his cell. ( From the little tuble In his rootn he pried loose one of the corner braces. At night he scraped away at this with his hit of glass until the wood began to take the shape of a revolver. This he carefully blacked with the Ink brought him by his guard. To the end of his weapon he fitted an Iron washer taken from the bedstead. Then he waited for his opportunity. His chance came through the goodnature of Scanlan. Blackwell pretended to be out of chewing tobacco and asked the guard to buy him some. About ten o'clock Scanlan' returned and brought the tobacco to his prisoner. As ho passed the plug through the grating Rlackwell's Angers closed around his wrist and drew the mar. close to the Iron lattice work. Simultaneously a cold rim was pressed against the temple of the guard. "Don't move, or I'll All you full of holes," the convict warned. Scanlan did not move, not until the man In the cell gave the word. Then he obeyed orders to the letter. Ills right hand found the bunch of keys, fitted the correct one to the door and unlocked It according to Instructions. Not until he was relieved of his weapon did Blackwell release him. The Jailer was backed Into the cell, gagged with a piece of torn bedding and left locked up as Rocurely as the other had been a few minutes enrllpr. The convict made hlR way downstairs, opened the outer door with the bunch of keys he had taken from SeanIan, locked It behind him and slipped Into the first alley that offered refuge. Two hours later he stole a horse from an Irrigated ranch near town. Within twenty-four hours he hnd reached the Soapy Stone horse ranch and safety. After this the plans for the raid on the Texas, Arizona & Pacific flyer moved swiftly to a head. Soapy Stone and Sam dropped Into Saguache Inconspicuously one evening. Next day Stone rode down to Tin Cup to look over the ground. Moloney telephoned their movements to the Circle C and to the Hashknife. This brought to Saguache Luck Culllson, Curly Flandrau and Slats Davis. Lucky O'Connor had been called to Douglas on Important business and could not lend his help. Luck, Curly and Dick Moloney had already ridden over the country surrounding the scene of the projected holdup. They had decided that the robbery would probably take place at the depot, so that the outlaws could get the agent to stop the flyer without arousing suspicion. In a pocket of the hills back of the station a camp had been Relected, Its site well back from any trail and so slttmtcd that from it one could command a view of Tin Cup. The owner of the Circle C selected three of his dose-mouthed riders? Sweeney, Jake and Ituck were the ones he chose?to hold the camp with him until after the rohher.v. The only signal they needed was the stopping of the Flyer at Tin Cup. Then they would come pounding down from the hills in tlmt ft .atoh the robbers before they had got through with their work. Moloney or Curly would he on the tritlo to take a hand In the battle. Caught by surprise. Soapy's gang would surely be trapped. So they planned It. hut It happened that Soapy Stone had made Ids arrangements differently. Luck and his riders took their blankets and thetr traps down t<> Tin Cup according to agreement, while Davis, Moloney and Flandrau became very friendly with Sam. The hoy. younger than any of them, was flattered that three of the best known riders In the territory should make so much of him. Young Culllson had stopped drinking. but he could not keep his nerves from Jumping. Ills companions watched him so closely that he wus never out of ttie sight of at least one of thetn. Soapy had decreed the boy's death by treachery, but Ids friends were determined to save him and to end forever the reign of Stone aB a bad man. It was one day when the four young cowpunchers were sitting together In Curly's room playing poker that a special delivery letter came to Sam. The All...... ? a, iu luver uicir cjciu'inent, sinned nil argument. Presently Sntn spoke, as indifTerently ns he could. "Got the offer of a Job down the line/ Think I'll run down tonight as far as Casn Grande and see what's doing." This was about two o'clock In the afternoon. The game dragged on for a while, hut nobody took any Interest In It. Sain had to get ready for the work of the night, and the rest were anxious to get out and give lilui a chance. So presently Dick threw down his cards. "I've had enough poker for one session. Me. I'm going to drift out and ee what'* moving In town." i "Think I'll vniniTo ? wild, stretching sleepily. The others trooped out nnd left him alone. From the room rented by Davis the three watched to see Hint Sum did not leave without being observed. He did not nppear, nnd about six o'clock Curly went bnck to his room. "Time to grub," he sang out. "That's right," Sum agreed. They went to the New Orleans Hash House and presently Davis nnd Maloney also iwrlved. The party ordered a good dinner nnd took plenty of time to eat It. Sam was obviously nervous, but eager to cover his uneasiness under a show of good spirits. Curly finished eating Just as Sam's second cup of coffee came. Flnndrnu, who had purposely chosen a sent In the corner where he was hemmed in by the chairs of the others, began to feel In his vest pockets. "Darned if I've got a cigar. Sam, you're young and nimble, Qo boy me one at the counter." |VWAPP*JI" T"'T ** -? \ "Sure." Culllson was awny on the " InRtant. | Ciirly'8 hand cunie out of his pocket, i In It was a paper. Quickly lie Rliook ! the contentH of the paper Into the | HtenniliiK < ?!? of coffee aud stirred the I liquid with a spoon. Sum brought back the cigar ami ; drunk Ills cofTee. Without any unnecessary delay they returned to his room, i When the party reached the rooin the hoy wns getting drowsy. He rubbed his eyes, yawned and slumped down, ills lids wavered, shut, Jerked open again, and closed slowly. "Wake me up, Curly?time for train." And with that he was sound asleep. They took off his boots and settled hi ; ,i sa m " ^f#\ n In His Pocket They Found a Black Mask. lit in enmfortnhly. In his pocket they found a black mask I?itr enough to cover Ills whole face. The registered letter mul<| not he found and they dlHtled lie must have destroyed it. The sight of the mask had given Curly an idea. He was about the same build as Sam. Why not go In his place? It would be worth doing Just to eat eh sight of Soapy's face when he took the mask nIT after the robbers bad been captured. "What's the use?" Davis protested. "It's au unnecessary risk. They might boot you in place of Sam." "I'll look out for myself. Don't wor ry nlm.it that, lteforo the time fingetting riil of Sam comes Mr. Soapy and his hunch will he prisoners." S They argued it out, but Curly was set and could r.ot be moved. lie dressed In young Oulllson's clothes and with .Moloney took the express at t:oT Davis remained to guard Sam. Cindy's watch showed 10:17 when sh" ? t *.s bo sap to grind from the setting of the air brakes. JIo was tn the last sleeper, Dick to the day coach near the front. They had ngreed that Dick was to drop off as room as the train slowed down enough to make tt safe, whereas Curly would go on and play Sam's part until the proper time. The train almost slid to a halt from . the pressure of the hard-Jammed brakes. A volley of shots rang out. Curly slipped the mask over his face and rose with a revolver In each hand. He hml been sitting at the end of the car, so that nobody noticed him until his voice rang out with a crisp order. "Hands up! Don't anybody move I" An earthquake shock could not have alarmed the passengers more. The color was washed completely from Uie faces of most of them. "Itencli for the roof. Com*, punch a hole In the sky!" To do It thoroughly. Curly tlung a couple of shots through the celling. That was enough. Hands went up without any argument, most of them quivering as from an Arkansas chill. Presently Cranston herded the passengers In from the forward coaches. With them were most of the train "We're cutting ofT the express car and going forward to 'Dobe Wells with It. There we can blow open the safe uninterrupted," Had Hill explained. "You herd on the passengers here from the outside till you hear two shots, then hump yourself forward and hop on the express car." Fine! Curly was to stand out there In the moonlight and let anybody In the car that had the nerve pepper away at him. If they did not attend to the job of riddling him, his false friends would do It while he wns running forward to get aboard. Nothing could have been simpler?If he had not happened to have had Inside Information of their Intent. He had to think quickly, for the plans of li I in ami his friends had been deranged. They had reckoned on the express car being rilled on the sprft. This would have given Culllson time to reach the seene of notion. Now th?^ would he too late. Unless Curly could stop It. the holdup would go through according to the program of Soapy and not of his enemies. The decision of Flnndrau was Instantaneous. He slid down beside the track Into the long grass. Whipping up one of Ids guns, he fired. As if In answer to the first shot his revolver cracked twice. Simultaneously, he let out n er.v <>f pain, wriggled hack for n dozen yards through the grass, and crossed the track in the darkness. As he crouched down close to the wheels of the sh eper some one came running hack on the other side. h lint s tip. sam? You hit?" he could hear Rlnckwell whisper. No answer came. Tlie paroled convlet wns standing close to the car for fn'.r of being hit himself and he da red Piaiit Food And Intseciicidt I'rot cts the cotton plant from dam tpe by rust, insects and shedding ir hot weather; invented and patented. Any farmer can manufacture it. Cost about $2.00 per acre. Farm rights. .$o.00 per horse. Guaranteed satisfac lion or money refunded on return oi formula. For sale by S. J. Sellers and D. H. McGregor, Ruby, 8. C. | not move. "Sam," he called again; then, "He'd sure got IiIh." Thnt was all Curly wanted to know. Softly he padded forward, keeping a* low iih he could till he reached the.' empty sleepers. A IVfukenlnn was Jo*t uncoupling the express ca? when Curljf dived underneath and nestled close to the trucks. From where he lay he could aluibsP have renched out and 'touched Soapy standing by the car. ~"'n "What about the kid?" Stone asked Blackwell as the latter came up. "They got him. 'Didn't you hear him yelp?" "Yes, but did they put him out of business? See his bedy?" Blackwell had no Intention of going back Into the Are zone and making sure. For his part he was satisfied. So he lied. "Yep. Blew the top of his head off.* "Good," Soapy nodded. "That's a : receipt In full for Mr. Luck Culllson." j Before mrniy minutes the engine be- I pan to slow down. The wheels had hardly stopped moving when Curly ! Crept out, plowed through the sand, up the rtihhle of a little hill, and Into a draw where a bunch of scrub onks offered cover. A voice from In front called to him. .TuRt then the moon appeared from behind drifting clouds. "Oh. It's you, Sam. Everything all right?" "Right as the wheat We're blow- j Ing open the safe now," Flandrau answered. Movlne rlospr he ?nw fh?t hia nn?? tloner was the man In charge of the horses. Though he knew the voice, he could not put a name to Its owner. But this was not the point that first occupied his mind. There were only four horses for five riders. Curly knew now that he had not been mistaken. Sonpy had expected one of his allies to stay on the field of battle, hnd prepared for It from the beginning. The knowledge of this froze any remorse the young vaquero might hnve felt. He pushed bis revolver against the teeth of the horse wrangler. "Don't move, you bandy-legged maverick, or I'll fill your hide full of holes. And If you want to keep on living padlock that mouth of yours." In spite of Ids surprise the man caught the poliw at once. He turned over bis weapons without a word. Curly unwound a rope from one of the saddles and dropped a loop round the nock of his prisoner. The two men mounted and rode out of the draw, the outlaw leading the other two horses. As soon as they reached the bluff above PI a nd ran outlined the next step In the program. "We'll stay here In the tornllla and see what happens, my friend. Unless you've a fancy to get lead poisoning keep still." "Who !u Mexico are you?" the captured man asked. "It's yorr showdown. Skin off that mas> " The man hesitated. Ills own revolver moved a few Inches towurd his bend. Hastily he took off the mask. The moon shone on th- face of the iian called Dutch. Flandrau laughed. Last time they had nmt Curly had a MONEY 1 i I Money to Loan on Easy Te Near Chestc CHESTERFIELD ING AND LOAN ] J. C. RIVERS, President. C. C. DOUGLASS FARMSF Several good Farms for Rent. See i DOUGLASS RE W. J. DOUClIiASS, President. I) II. DOlKil.AS BROKERAGE at I represent only the best c< )ats, and Feed, Merit, Lard and ml Stains; Lubricating and Mot stones. Insurances t?-?t it. uros?Lir If in need of any of tin; goo< you money to see me on the roa office every Saturday and Mondt me. Yours for Service, S. J. Run" cCifcOl P^ Calomel i< k # \ mercury?qui \ \ \ bones. Take 1 day and you ' \ seated tomoi work. Take "Dodson's Livei i . Here's my pisrnnlw! Ask your bad druggist tor a bottle of Hudson's T Llrer Tone ?nd tnke r spoonful to- tabl night. If it doesn't stnrt' your liver Wat And straighten you right up better bar than calomel and without griping or any lUkfef you ?Mt I want you to go thai if ? . rope rround Ills neck. Now the sitae- it tlon v hs re ;erved fl An exnlo'ilon h-'low told them that e the reoher* lui?1 ulown open the safe. Presently Soupy'a voice came faintly n to them el "Rring up the horses.** / p He called again. and a third time. The dwarfed figures of the outlaws si | stood out cleur In the moonlight. One | of them ran up the track toward the w I draw. He disappeared Into the acruh ci oaks, from whence his alarmed voice or came In a minute. "Dutch! Oh. Dutch I" F The revolver rim pressed a little harder against the bridge of the horse wrangler's nose. "He ain't here." Rlaclcwell called tl back to Ills accomplices. A I That brought Stone on the run. rl I "You condemned Idiot, he must he there. Ain't he had two hours to get a here sln^e he left Tin CupF* si They shouted themselves hoarse. U j They wandered up and down In a vain tl I search. All the tline Curly and hla tt prisoner snt In the brush and scarcely tl batted an eye. ( a At lust Soapy guve up the hunt. The n > engine and the express car were sent | hack lo Join the rest of the train and lo i as soon as they were out of sight the ai robbers eel out across country toward j the Flntlron ranch. I I Curly guessed their Intentlona. They a) would rustle horses there and head for the hnnlMP I' '' " ?-* , ? nn? imw uuijr viiHilcr y still left litem. ' * g, After they had gone Curly and his , prisoner returned to the rohd and set ' ai i out toward Tin Cup. About mile g and a half up the line they uiet Culll- , n] Ron and his riders on the way down. | Moloney wns with them. He had been g, picked up at the station. " t w I Dick gave n shout of Joy when he heard Plundrnu's voice. H "Oh, you Curly! I've been scared stiff for fear they'd got you." f, Luck caught the boy's hand and o1 wrung It hard. H They held a conference while the g, Circle C riders handcuffed Dutch und j,i tied hlrn to a horse. Soon the posse wns off again, having left the prisoner In charge of one of the men. They swung round In a wide half circle, not wishing to startle their game until the w proper time. H When they reached the edge of the j? mesa that looked down on the Flatiron t| the moon was out and the valley was R, swimming In light. They followed the n, dip of a road that led down to the n corral. Passing the fenced lane leadIng to the stable, they tied their ponies y Inside nnd took the places assigned to them by Oulllson. ? They had not long to wait. In less than half an hour three shadowy tig- ^ uros slipped round the edge of the cor- <], ral and up the lane. Kach of them |,| carried a rilit? In addition to his hip |}1 guns. 0l They slid Into the open end of the w stable. Cullison's voice rang out coldly. B( "Drop your guns!" z, A startled oath, a shot, nnd before s< one could have lifted a hand that silent pi moonlit valley of peace had become a battlefield. The outlaws fell hack from the ~ stable, weapons smoking furiously. Blackwell broke Into u run. never lookro loan! . 11 rms to Build Homes in and trfield, S. C. ^ HOME BUILD- " I ASSOCIATION C 1J. C. MOORE, Vice-l'red. >, Sec'y. & Treas. II at t I in Ite l x nr*. r** m a ? UK 5ALC i sale. Also some for js for terms. ALESTATECo. <!. ('. DOUCbASS, Vice.-Pres. >S, ScL'y.-Treas. Td ' NSUSANCE jmpanioj and soli Flour, Corn. 1 IIok' Products, Paints, Grease or Oils; Monuments and Tombe, Health and Accident. ..... [Is mentioned above it will save d or in my ollice. I am in the ty when in Kuby. ('all and see LLRRS I r, s.c. i a dangerous drug. It Is icksilver; and attacks your a dose of nasty calomel towill feel weak, sick and naurow. Don't lose a day's r Tone" Instead 1 Ic to the atore and get your money, alee a spoonful of harmless, regale Dodson'a Liver Tone ton igfetMd te up feeing gpeat. It's perfectly mless, so give it to your children ' time. It can't salivate, eo let eat anything afterward*. " v' -m I IK behind him, hut Sonpy end Bai till gave hack foot by foot flghtlni very step of the way. Dlek nnd Curly rose from behind th acks where they bad been placed am losed the trap on Blackwell. Th aroled convict let out one yell. "1 give tip. Goddlemlghty, d. n' hoot!" Half way down the lane Cranstoi ' a hit In the darkness his vole ould be heard. for the firing had mo lefitarlly censed. "They've got me, Soapy. Hud for II 11 hold 'em back.** "Hit bad. Bill?" "I'm all In. VatnosI" Stone turned to run. and for the flrtt me saw that tils retreat was cut oft M fast as he could pump the lever hli Ifle began working again. The firing this time did not Ins lore than five seconds. When th< moke cleared It was all over. Soap; ijr oq his back, shot through an? irouffh. Blackwell had taken ndvan ige of the diversion to crawl througl le strands of barbed wire and to din ppecr *.i the chaparral. Bill ha< jlled over on his face. Dick was bending over Stone. Hi oked up al the approach of Curlj nd said .fust one word. "Dead." Culllson had torn open Crnnston'i llrt and waa examining bin wounds. "No use, I,uck. I've got a-plenty ou sure fooled us though. Was li am wve us away?" "No, Bill. Curly overhenrd Soapj nd Blackwell at Chalkeye's place am stood pat. though you were plan Ing to murderdiIm." "I wasn't In on that. Buck?didn't now a thing about It till after the boj as shot. I wouldn't a-stond for It." "He wasn't shot. Curly saved hltn [e had to give you awny to do It." "Good enough. Serves Soapy rlgln >r double-crossing Sam. Take can f thnt kid, T.uck. lie's all right yet.' tls eye fell on Flandrau. "You're i ime sport, son. You beat us a'l. N< ard feelings." "Sorry it bad to He this way. Hill." The dying man was already gray t< le Hps, but Ids nerve did not falter tt had to come some time. And I as Luck ought to have done it. too.' te waved aside Sweeney, who win aiding a flask to Ills lips. "tYbat'i le Vise? I've got mine. Say, there's mtething else, hoys. Curly lias be.ei reused of that Har Ponhle M borsi istling back In the early summer. Id that Job. He was not one of lis ?iU bear. boys. Curly was not In It.' A quarter of an hour later lie died Ip had lied to save from the poniten Bfy the lad who had brought ahou Is death. Curly knew why be bat ape II?because be felt himself ti lame for the affair. Maybe Had III I nd been a desperado, a miscreant lie irding to the usual standard, bu hen It came to dying he knew bow t< a better than many a respectable cltl ?n. Curly stole off Into the darkness ? thnt the hoys would not Bee bin lay the baby. .,e continued) DR SALE?Two Gasoline Engines 1 Vfe and 2 horse power. Both ii good running order. $25 each. The Advertiser ASHCRAFTS ondilion Powdera A high-class remedy for horses ul mules in poor condition an<! need of a tonic. Builds solhl usele and fat; cleanses the sy; m, thereby producing a smooth ossy coat of hair. Packed r Koi* Snb> hv HE CHESTERFIELD DRUG CO | |^?T^OSEPH P" i.0?! I 6^UJ5 > ir^j Pui z t '" ] OurCounq ^ needs every p.; ?"a(,]f i?? ' w"> it Southern i'ir. . and at the ( %r'> 'W '1 Intcllsffei c ^1vr essavv ?.u quantities oi i\ fertilizers cons I and hasten frr tifeikJa materials entc f?hpjj|! ways give uni lllnnnnn^ ' ii^l '' 1 " f.'? ,, f ?| She SeepL t|j OF CHiiST ! Will Appreciate \ our Eu.sine :; $200,0 Our customers and friends hel need of accommodation or you t to see us. Guaranteed liur^L Let us show you this wonder. / B I R. B. I.ANEY, President 1 CHAS. P. MANGUM, R Cashier Y jfyank % ? ' The Oldest, Large Bank in Gh<\st " I 5 i 4 Per Cent. Paid on Savings Dp| ? See t "I I i . C. C. Doug 'III R. E. Rivers, President. ( | | M. J. Houjjh, Vice-Prnident, i: i. -_-rr ? :ii 1 GO : 1 ; 3 FRIENDLY SYMPAT1 1: | BET" . jl FRIENDLY AID 1 BE LIFE INSURANCE I Chesterfield Lc D. II. DOUGLASS, President C W. J. DOUGLASS, Vice- Pres. ( ALSO FIRE, ACCIDENT, HE. . JU INSURE W? Buy tad Sell Real L ST. LO'JIS ]f e ?c ( <? iiA CI if ^ > , S??E)''jp ? r e H ?\idv* ? A C* m -? - - - r?/-.v. iri. ? C'. ^ AN D ii t \rl'j\N' i\* i'j ^ t'o-ir orrjcC nf?^rjc1: optic VXJL.A:;TA AV,l; 1V>n-" J3.. . ? j. S.V If! A * C"?V r-*/~+ I-/JJ r\ f"!X> "*? 1 C-'L; LA ry i ; calling for bigger y!Ja.: < C :.'i *.; uut of farm products the South < . u .omc prices for tlicm. iwovt r ?r 1 1 ruc'i v. fccid'Jii i npertunity to t 3 iir.o build his o?;u fortune. f( rt iizalion of every no * in cullivai n j' > r before, because < eit acre al b. '/'nia canr. tbo doi.o unless the ] rtihuers aroused. L.ov/ producing at titute an inexcusable and unpatriotic RTb H'RANDS resist leaching, pre it'i 1 maturity of tho-crop. Only \ ? ; . e ' - i n.u/ i.uii inanuiaciurc. Aliut'i vt-. ol catisfactioa. FOR SALE BY R B. LANLY, Che raw '.I. AUSTIN ft CO., M?i?h?i!lc, N. se mrr bt w.w.wa, n. c lif^^ kJ. ?, * _ ?-' / '^j erf' SSank E1U1F.LD 1 8". Total Ucsources Over 00.00 ! peel us to do this. When in have money to deposit, confie j ar proof and fire proof safe. I V cordial welcome awaits you C. K. LANEY, V.-President J. A. CAMPBELL, Assist. Cashier = || hesterfield s5t and Strongest erf eld, S. C. osits. $1.00 Starts An Account Js lass, Cashier. D. L. Smith, Assist. Cashier D. M. Douglass Assist. Cashier i OD HY for the WIDOW IER or the WIDOW ST for the WIDOW )an $ Ins. Co. I L\ DOUGLASS, Sec'y & MjfT. IEO. W. El JOINS, Treasurer. ALTII, HAIL, LIVE STOCK INCE Estate?Money Loaned s 11 1 LKiMiA-.n, yjj ; ' f ^ ' \r3ll I 4; i Pi ft ; '? * SIS I l-k t;/ ;*>. ' . ** ev , 1 Vi'TS Jv ' * /' ' 1 ft S^w] i; \ ! t ; l; \f>v3! v iKm1 ' i , x- > on.:. ' ItoWf i i.l ji i fitinisit. and id li .("VSar^j J Ixi'oro has ?ho : .? 1 * ; ' t' ^ A 'V : eve I:i j count rv f - w// > I i '" </**< iK\\ ,; r.iovo hoc- (*>? ti i*.!1 bo made to k ? , ?,; ' . rop.r c.C-oj : ,;.l ~ 'p^"' M*cs :uui interim MVi&'i waste. sveiit siicutlinfif, ]\\\\ best ylass of