Show THE RED LOCK I A A. Tale of the Flatwoods B By DAVID ANDERSON Author or of TH Tide BI Blue Blus MI Copyright 1 bj 1 Th TE Merrill C Cs c. CHAPTER XVI XVI Continued Continued 22 22 2 lIe He crammed the letter Into the tn- tn thrust It Into Inlo the pocket of ot his blouse louse and turned back bark across the yard stopped and glanced n ced around at atthe atthe atthe the woman She had t go and look after some some some- business he said I low Ill I'll ride In Inand Inand inand and hep heper he er he er he pondered n a moment went on on and I reckon you ou better hetter stay at at Aunt Liza's Lizas as ns she said laid Ill I'll be he back but sometime but It Holy tuny be late covered The woodsman probably never covered cov I red ered the distance to 10 the barn burn ns nil quickly quick quick- I ly as ns he he covered It that day clay The words If It she's shell there there ther that had 1 so 0 puzzled the pair In the old cabin cabin nil ns well veil as liS the man at nt the chink flared chink flared clear as ns the midday mid sun lIun Hopkins Hopkins ht It was his last desperate a more nwe a move o totally unforeseen Ills Intentions toward toward to to- toward ward the girl had been foul from Crom the first That he would make some attempt at nt tempt to rob the safe sarI was to be expected expect ed had ed-had had been expected But Hut this this this- He lie buckled on his spurs bridled and addled Graylock with a n feverish tl haste that waked the mettle of ot the good horse When he be led leI him out Mrs Curry Cur Cur- Curry ry ryS w wis S is waddling across the barn barn lot In the tense moment he had forgotten forgot ten that his haste must be causing her herno herno herno no small mall wonder Yes I low Ill I'll ride In and find er he hp ventured a and nIl bring er back t but sometime sometime but you jou OU better lter go 0 on ont ont t Aunt Liza's Lizas anyhow f rr fr r fear t It'll 1111 be belate belate late Inte and well we'll come and git yu yn yulie He lie saw that the attempt at nt reassurance ance nn once an attempt that cost him no little lit tle had tie had failed The good housekeepers housekeeper's housekeep housekeep- ers er's ers face tace tw twisted Isted quite beyond her hex control control con on her apron went up tiP to her esOb eyes ejes On Oh Jack she he sobbed Im plum plain nu Las Las' night Brother Hopkins left lett without lea leaUn no won wort word and now gone gone gone- The man turned and feigned to adjust adjust ad ad- just the saddle girth A womans woman's tears the tears the big woodsman was utterly helpless He tie glanced back at the hen heaving apron Now Sow Mis' Mis Curry dont don't be Slie s SIH s 's nil ull right lIe He hesitated Them two taro facts ami no ways ways connected connected he fin finally II muttered knowing only too too well that they were The parson moren likely went In after atter some more roo books pears like he must n a a gone COUP through all nil them e I and I Ill I'll Ill hunt er cr up this af afternoon r oon and ride rille home with er or He lIe gazed haul hard toI toward to to- toward I ward the village I dont don't e blIe If It I I wn you jou ou Id I'd the house till after dark inrI and I wouldn't mention s sTio's sw's ius iu's one only inns only t t Aunt Liza and Uncle sick Alck fire Tire apron came down from the thc troll tl ll face fare and th the housekeeper begun I to dry her ber eyes ejes e s The woodsman turned away stopped turned back One question question did did she take er revolver re reo re- re vol er with er Wy y no was the wondering an- an sw s er w why hj I didn't low she would a V. The words came cam over Oyer his shoulder as ns he threw the bridle rein Into the tho hollow of ot his arm and strode aw awa away a down the barn He Ile flung fining the gate gat open sprang prong to the saddle and Oro Graylock Gray Gray- lock off otT like a bird on the ving- ving twenty miles mills of ot dust end and flying sand Ian 11 toward the dim gateway that thaI led out Into another world CHAPTER Brickbat Alley There are men so 0 big physical v lint mind and Otherwise that the world naturally expects ex ex- peets hl Mg him things of them who them who seem to find 1 Ig things nha always s 's cut ul out for them Jack Tack was su h n man mann n a n singular mixture of ot romantic Inv Im- and calm aIm cogent cog reason n a II dreamer r a u thinker a n man of ot hard bard deeds dells whose heart hart sometimes ran with hl his head had a n Sir Ir Galahad tra strayed ed out Into the Nineteenth century century cen en tur tury n a thousand years ICIS behind his lIu day dav The afternoon was half spent and Graylock was foul with Ith dust t and sweat when he rOIl rode across s the lOll long rod covered bridge over o the and Into I the he city Brickbat alley had a reputation all nil Its lis own oun He Ile had hod heard that It was In iii Inthe Inthe the south part of town near the river though Its exact location loal on he ho mild dill not know Biding 10 down n Into Int that end cud of the city he stopped to 10 inquire of anold an nn anold old woman who happened to 10 he standIng wand stand Ing In the narrow yard In front of r f a shabby ramshackle house with a II furd furnished fur tur rooms sign In the time At the name Dull Dull Bak the Baker r the old 1 woman bent blIt upon upun him a n look out of ot other her bleared eyes that was both hoth deep and searching Ther Timer aint t many men round around loose like hike you pear t be he hut but what knows whar vimar Doll linker Buker lives s But come comae t look at yu u c dOit joure youre our someway om l the countr country ft T TYes Yes maam maom I lowed hewed yu ru yu yu look a n dlf dlf- stripe Tom rom the likes o o them then that hunts Doll Baker She Sine paused and und seemed to b be weighing weigh weigh- ing lag some thought before LeCore letting It fullAnd full tull And this tills Doll Baker lives lI 1 he questioned hardly abl able to hold bold the spur from Crom Graylock Brickbat alley that's alley that's next alley olley down down fourth fourth door on yur ur right Ee Be lad she called ailed hopping like Ilk some crippled old bird out to the lilt fence and halting him for he was already already al nl ready riding away be I 1 dis- dis tIre like t t C see ee any harm till full on yu yu herns bal bad ba J people people- It seemed to him that Graylock had never ever stepped so slowly Hitching himIn him In n front of ot a small grocery on the street treet he be looked at fit all nil the other hitch hitch- racks rocks In sight for Brownie but but was Willi not to be he seen n Button Button- lug Ing ng his Ids hunting blouse about him so as all aso asto to o hide the gun six he walked Into the alley ulley The fourth door down on the right proved to be a large two story clos close close- shuttered ly-shuttered ii l structure standing almost flush with the narrow side side- street treet known as Brickbat alley There was vas another building on the same lot a business edifice of ot brick fronting on the ho street proper and apparently I pied led by a saloon and the lie two were rl connected b by a n sort lort of It covered co porch All Ml these facts fats the woodsman noted nold In Inthe Inthe the he second or two of ot his bis approach lie He knocked nt at the weather stained I unpainted door Such a long tong time line went wenty by y that he was just on the point of knocking again when there Will was u n shut shuf- fling ling Inside and approaching steps A Ake Akey Atey ke key tey rattled In the lock lok the bolt clicked hark hack the knob turned a woman woma ap- ap eared at the theer er very narrow slit silt the thedoor door was allowed to open and looked out at hIm ilm She was ns a largo large woman In good and sot not bad Is this where Doll Doh linker Baker lives IKes Yes wont won't je ye e come orne In In Y He Ile entered She closed the door turned the key kly In the lock lock-fa fact that he 10 took due note of and of-and and led Ild the way war Into nto another room slightly better light ed lie He noticed that both bolh rooms were rather showily and expensively lly fur Cur lie He look took the chair hair pointed out to him The woman seating herself by n s small table a few feet away eyed him cov ertly covertly And you a are are re- he questioned question II asif ns liS If continuing the Inquiry begun at the thedoor thedoor door Miss Baker Doll Baker Doll Baker Well Nell Miss Baker he lie had hall to watch his olce voice to keep It orderly and even ln Ii Ive I e got a friend that friend that Is Is a n lady friend that friend that come t the city from the countr country I come In m self and Id I'd like t t hunt bunt er up and ride home wither with er I was as tol tot she's here nl the obvious ious blind of ot the sick brother he said nothing ng knowing I It was but buta a 8 trick of the theor or very cry resource resource- resourceful ful CuI Hopkins The terrible letter that s i i il l I Ir l r s-r s 1 r 1 T Te e What W Kind of a Looking Girl Was Wa Your Friend She Questioned at Last had prostrated the old banker set seven s en da days s s 's before was In Ken Colln's olins own oun hand and absolutely genuine There Thereas was as no sick Ick brother I e The woman sat Fut for near a n minute studying Ing him out of lt the baffling slits slit of or her e es e. eyes clothing s 's clothing hands face tuce feet In feet In a 11 way she did not think he saw What kind of a looking girl was your jour our friend 1 questioned at ot las last t. t Medium size fair hair brown hair brown n eI ejes with eyes i with smiles smile In em cm am small and url hands hand ani and feet Well ell sh she Isn't here The rhe green gray e eyes ejes es of ot the woman watched matched him luau covertly co through their narrowed lids He lie caught the look loos felt the caution Where I Is she Dont ont ask ate me Im rm awful sorry he replied Intones Ir In tones he lie tried hard to make m meek ek nn told doleful She huh but JI list t u a i country girl Irl end I but n it raw country boy but hut were we're both from front the slime same little town lown ou out Jul here ie a n ways way's and I 1 wanted t t see Ie or er II awful had h fore she fhe loft left town town The Time woman lIman still eyed him closely t though hou 4 d n her look l y to become 11 more curious than until at III she appeared d to 10 throw off oft all 1111 suspicion lonWell lon Well Country Mr Country nO Boy she he suld said with an on air of ot f frankness mind a ti t Ihl 1st of ot her face tace between n a grin nail i II a smutted smile I dont don't know one on thing about jour your our friend nail and that's straight Do 00 yu ju know Prof Caleb Hopkins The rime question caught the tho woman of off guard gourd She he started Never er e heard of ot him she she finally added but added but you jou ou night might go on through and ask lull Bill s Bill lall 1 Oh friend of mine mine-bounces mine bounces bar out trunk The lime man studied her r In his ale E eje errs there thor waked a hardness that the flat flatwoods woods w hail had learned to know Miss lull lIss Doll Bilker lt it it cost him aa u. u I I effort to tu hold his hits voice poke even r en D anI and calm Im Tin right sorry t M say MIm rm Im ju U Doubting me mel I A tang of ot hardness slid Into luto h her r well modulated tones tont's she flared U up l straight la in her chair What do you mean manrI I mean man t search this house The woman sprang up Search th house t I what Im I'm t t do dOoM the woodsman went on evenly enly rising and glancing about him The w woman oman caught ought a small ro cord that dangled behind the door In reach of ot other her hand and vicious It b lave ga 1 It a jerk I must e hate u u II boll bell from curd that hut led leI to somewhere outside for tor hn Immediately I h hen heavy steps fOl sounded along the porch that connected the house with the sae saloon sa- sa sa la I loon loun ant and n a man dashed dash In at the e door clear Bill you'll ouli lint hut t ten Ien to Mm she hint she I Jerked a n half clenched hand hant toward the woodsman woodsman t t raid ruM th I Jint f rr fr r n u gal gill he thinks Is II here So this was Bill the hill the bouncer lie He looked the bruul bathed part broad backed thick thickset thickset set heavy owl Id little pig 1111 eyes ejes ntH and short hort cropped reddish hair He lie raised his urn pointed a stubby forefinger to the door and uttered the one word ord lit lt But Hut had BUI Hili only known what manner manner man mun ner of man It t was standing there and coolly measuring him him through nar narrowed towed rowed e eyes ejes II he probably e have studied a long time before making his I next move e I The de devil yu u wont won't wont he snarled crouching and beginning to creep and circle Dont hurt em the woman cautioned cau cau- he be but u II raw country Jake jale Almost with the word BUI sprang aiming alining n a blow blew that would e have caved ed In the tho side of ot n It house only house only It didn't land lund The fact was Instantly apparent that he was not a resourceful fighter tighter but ut placed his main reliance In hit his ponderous strength strength even even so he was woe wasa o a dangerous man ann In a flash he wheeled and struck gain again This time Jack parried the thelow blow low Ins Instead tend of ot stepping side and shot cross across one In return n return u light uppercut to o the chin clan that jarred Bills Bill's head buck back and nd drew from front him a n snarl and a u curse lie Be le came back buck with a whirlwind of ot jabs abs and ond swings Jack Jock stepped right Into Inlo the whirlwind whirl wind well knowing that others ot of of Bills Bill's Ilk might come ome any moment and sparred purred for an nn opening with such lUch bewildering bewildering be- be Speed and intI ern cle cleverness ls that Jill Bill raised his guard tp coyer er co his face Jock Jack shot across u n 1 w Iel us body blow Ull 1 dropped his hla left Jacks Jack's tremendous right swung on the exposed ex ex- posed jaw Bill Hili grunted tottered looked dazed The rhe right swung swung ung again on the same sallie spot spot clean clean from the tho hip and and Bill pitched against the wall like Ike a a bundle of ot dirty rags With a curse urse horrible upon a n worn worn- D Dull Doll II Baker he be helay heuy nn's ons lips ran to where lay luy uy and bent over o him She had hall hardly reached him before he the woodsman was darting about ih the house louse and oud peeping Into pantry and clo closets ets There was no basement Ho Ile made nude sure of that and to the stairs The woman tried to drug drag him jack back he flung her oft oil and dashed up Ull the he I steps I Yer place where a n girl could have jen l concealed was explored but Doll Baker had told the truth truth that that much of ot It at least lexle was not ther there n ho hn hurried down Bill 1 and tho the oman woman wele h both th gone Ho lle inns was as just steppIng from Irom the stair door wary mind alert for tor n of some sonic sort sorl when there here came a clutter clatter of ot fret feet running across the porch pore He lle dashed hed through the tho house to the time Icor II by which he laud had entered Just JUit Justis Justas is ns he wretched wrenched It o open en they rusted Into nto the room behind him tour Ida four of theta them Bill In the load lead But his purpose accomplished Jack Jock sprang prall outside and und with deliberation took his way toward the street Ball BUI thrust his buttered battered face tace out at the tile door scowled and swore but none of or the four ve to follow follow fol tol fol- fol low like the alley rats ruts they were not daring to chase their prey Into the open Through a number of ot streets and streets side In the neighborhood of ot Brickbat 1111 j. Jack Jilek searched for lie He even on made Inquiries at all the livery rry and feed stables In Inthe Inthe the IheI I vicinity but to find many any truce of lit her r A |