| Show iM Selwood of Sleepy Cat By FRANK H. H SPEARMAN tl by T Nuke Sent Sono I CHAPTER XII XII Continued Continued 14 rushing Pushing the smelling Ill lantern closer loMer to the fireplace he picked lIcked up one imp of ot the half burned mesquite roots raked together scattered embers and fitter after patient effort got cot gota a tin tiny liny blaze blue flickering Having done this he sat ant down on the blanket near the hearth put pot out the lantern and advised Tracy to 10 go 10 to sleep you rou be doin asked the th drowsy Tro Tracy Ill IU alt lt It here for tor a while Give me your co cards Hill I had brought broucht In an extra blanket for tor Selwood who was wan cough cough- Inc ing As A. he reached rached Into hi his capacious hip flip pocket for tor the cards card he framed an apology gummed up tip some ome John No matter returned Selwood Dive mo me the cards cardl handed the chilly chillI gambler the Ole greasy greeny cards and withdrew Tracys Tracy's talk gradually subsided he was WAI soon oon asleep In the uneven play ply nf 4 a- a v HIe blank blanket t spread prend before him mechanically meehan shuttled shuffled cords cord Absorbed and silent he held the pack In Ms III left lett hand hund Impassively slipped the cards one by one to 10 his hll right and faced them slowly on ou the time blanket pausing blanket pausing nt ot Intervals to tn marl mark their sequence and end to read In It tho the answer to the question he kept ask ing lag came rame In with a handful of ot wood ripped from a window IDIo shutter and nd fed ted It It silently and skill skillfully tully to He Selwood's I woods wood's tire Ore When the blaze suit suit- rd ed him he turned on his hll hinges es to read the story the tho cards card were telling Ho Ito kept allen silence e till Selwood had fin Dead man In em eh h John f he said In an undertone A dead man man responded Selwood composedly and added This last lut luttI tI A. A un u w What that thaU A dead woman cramping his hll grizzly neck at t the surprising words word bent his beady eyes close dose down on OD the tile fate fate- bearing sequence lie He stared for tor a moment Then without words he drew back his head hend the dead woman was there Tracy slept only a little while loner longer long lon er had gone cone to the wagon and Selwood felt It presently that his hili partner was lal awake awake and that very nry probably he ho lay watching him but Sri Selwood WOOl himself had bad no desire to break the silence Tracy did not lie quiet Ion long What you yon doing there ther John John he asked at length with length with something of ot ofa ota a growl It looks to mo me as RI It ft If one of us anyway ought to be he In Sleepy Cat eat n R nl night ht like this Everything we weve we've got up there In the world Is II at lit talC slake Everything got up there Pave Un amended Selwood Sell Youre a n antine ntine owner mine owner now now now-I'm Im I'm Just plain gamMer gam- gam gambler Mer bler remember that will that will you ou lie He spoke poke the last two words with a ft touch of at field acid sharpness that did I not often creep Into his tone Tracy recognized In It an nn Invitation to tn Ive been berD unto up Ul U l III I I broucht you down volunteered Selwood to tn break brak the brusqueness of ot his earlier curlier tone Tho Time Vigilantes are holding our part of ot the town and they Ihy changed their minds somehow about burning us us Abe Cole told me we were wre sate safe Of OC course tho the other tel fel tows lows might try It but It-but but I r just Imagine Imagine- they'll have ve most of ot the bunch on the telegraph tt poles Ilos by morning morning morning-It If lt they've e got enough poles polls Dave e Selwood asked the question In his bla nc ne- cu ld kindly youve u e played the cards a 8 good while 1111 haven't you ou hoer r since Filice I was big bl enough tIt t. t teet let It et up V n piny euchre with my InY dad Gem oln nigh on forty year tor grumble the 1111 III old man appeased In turn lurn by the friendlier lr tone of ot his III U Do you Ou believe 0 In to em tm Dave Davet I J believe In to I the HIP cards answered Tracy meditatively all the tone time I believe In dogs I most o o 0 tho the time no not ninny men mn I believe In lu nry ary time lo ho you yon believe In dead men IUNI Have Dove nU asked Set not 1 Pont talk foolishness retorted Trl C Tracy And tad he added with deeper I 1 ilont dont bellee II la lu no women none o 0 the time stuck his head In through the shuck door clor just In III time to hear Tracys Tracy's words word flight W for onen onee partner he lie halt half bellowed Lead Dead right right every every word right rl showed sho Impatience Wake ilkI iob ho h. said to e shortly J Hitch up aim the tho hJ horses CI Well We'll bo bt pull- pull ing out oui or of here nere pretty quiet Which II 1 r ou 1 way 1111 you u Tracy ns nil disappeared larr mils Ills Ills Ills' tore torI n I was l Irritating and the th question found Set Selwood r wood Irritable I dont don't know 1 oral dont don't cure care much he h. answered I II Well Ill I'll tell tIll you you remarked If It you'll take me III I to Cut Cui 11 01 old me IUt Oughtn't Ol ti tI tote e me out nUl u n there n 3 you beta III away there too tM to talk 11 II It that lint out 01 I 1 dont don't like Ilko If It it vt u c Iwo tc I in to II 11 IS s It U off OT It lip fir I I ui ai ko with halt a II laugh ned In III tl ilo 11 O r I of It iu ate partner think rj j I yond loud take It that bard hard Dave Due I did what bat I r thought was right Yes YH but but but- Sorry I bothered you It wont won't happen again I J hope I shan't shant be bothering anybody very ery long Tracy threw a sharp nt at him What d' d you yon mean meon by bl that foolishness foolIshness fool fool- Is II there any Iny particular objection to my ml meaning exactly what hat I say any 1 The retort was 1188 too keen klen to pass pOliS un un- noticed Tracy was spent silent for tor a n mo ment neat When he spoke poke he made a gruff gruff- complaint Whenever you rou get Jet geta a chance you like to take me hard hard hor- dont don't you Anything I T say say say- Selwood suppressed fd a smile I wasn't think thinking In about you Pave Dave i Dont Don't you ou know a man ran can tell feet that his hla games game's about played Mine tie tie- gins n. n to look that way to me tonight Shucks I l you tot gut a cough started again that that's alls all's the this matter with you you Selwood released a hard little laugh Coughs dont don't bother me Ive I've blen hoi n acquainted with will am Im nm too lon tone T n asked BIlked you OU a while ago 1110 whether you believed In dead men Last night I dreamed I 1 Trunk Frank saw Sanger I thought I was walking down Ither street in Sleepy Cat It seemed as It If It wa was was' dusk evening dusk evening or early morning morning daybreak I looked across across the tho street There was Frank Prank Stinger ganger walking on the other side Ido looking straight over nt at mo me Looked the same lome as DI he did that night we we-I-at we I at Bartoes nor Bar too toes nut But his hll mu mustache was Will heavier lie He had on a queer queer looking looking hatI hat I tried to reach for tor my gun I 1 couldn't move mo a finger All AU of ot n R sudden sud mud den deD he started across the street toward toward to to- ward me Ills His eyes were ere as big as teacups And all the time I r knew ha he h e was WOI dead I I tried to cry out out out-I 1 must mus t ha liar have made some kind of ot a 8 noise for tor fo r something woke me up op I grabbed my gun n out from under my pillow i a was sure uro ne he was WAI In in to me the room And there thre I T lay In a col cold lOld d awen sweat t Dead men dont don't walk the theo streets growled Tracy Stir SUr up that fire What you there In ID the dar dark k for tor fort Theres There's to a dream man Dlan I Sill wood made no move Its In In th the e cards too Dave Dae Ive I've tried em em three thre times It always comes cornel the he same alOe e i way way there there's theres death In this deck for fez somebody I guess Is Its It's full time fo fome for tor forme torme r me to cash In In anyway And remember everything between you OU aOl and me me- meIs Is It s fixed You own the mine I Town Iown own th the e hull Light the th lantern dash lt It burt burst t out Tracy with a deepening growl Dreams dont don't mean anything I If It theres there's anything wrong with the cards card a Its It's because they're hanging men 1 In n Sleepy Cat Without Without a II word Selwood rose rosl fel frit t for tor a match and striking It looked Cooke d for tor the lantern Tracy kept up a nervous running lire of ot talk punctuated pun pune- at times by abrupt pAu pauses e but bu t persistent Selwood holding the lantern lantern lan lan- tern In his hi hand slipped the cl glob A down over o the time lI lighted wick then tt he hI e pau paused and n ns as he stood listened Doubtful at ut first of ot his sense of hear hear- ing me tile runt faint regular sound or ot hoot poor noor beats soon loon fell tIll unmistakably on his hla ears Selwood extinguishing by a II short drop the flame of ot the lantern an and bidding Tracy lie still picked up the box bor and set lIet It over the tire nn stepped through the open half door and stood for tor a moment ju just t outside lie He hadnot had not been mistaken a horseman was 1111 nearing the cluster of ot evil huts buts known as I c. c I I w ti th II I of ot a ft late rising late rising moon nl S Selwood lwood was joined Jollied by hy the silent Indian who wait 1 ing lug only to get his orders stole ter- ter word ward under cover r toward time the malu road He lie reached ached rt H n point of ot vantage at It atthe atthe the moment the tho horseman slackened J his pace Scott allowed him to advance advance ad nd vance all and turn and oud rein about In Indecision In In- decision only Iou long Ions enough to 10 nuo I. him out Olt In the Interval III had Joined Selwood and hud hid move move movel i with him hum from the tho door cor which they left hanging awry wry on Its one hinge Into IntI tho shadow There they stood when n n. n reining about after otter speaking low law to 10 Scott who had hod hulled balled him hini the tine rider spurred again arul down the till draw und and before Trucy's Tracys shack hack hods hod's sake sakI he muttered unit mut B from trum hl Lila hla saddle where Is everybody rh Selwood recognized tC th tbt the voice olce arid and the there 11 at lit the same Instant and stepping out Into the moonlight hl p k to fhe rt horn h hit KA y staggered stiffly Into the shark shack after tic Selwood t d the 1 tuo 10 0 other oilier men IllI n m crowd t Ins 1111 nc In behind him lihu he Ill lantern Scott lifted Ih the Ian hot that thU Selwood had hall chucked bottom up I over the smoking Url tire and pointed to 10 the thc stool Neither he nor Scott mull madu any of- of fort tort t to hurry time the foreman It wits win I enough for them to study hI his t liot tot eyes s until he should be I relI ready to tu explain mm what hat was to fer is 1 peculiar mental condition and O iris liU tl nt it I. I ill it II nut ul tn ii I the Ihl box t t nt nr n et nl met with his left lett ALl ut Mm him stood and Scott wb who had risen from the hearth while Selwood Set Sel wood stood with his back bock to the tire studying McAlpIn by Its light and the th light of ot the lantern oJ olt oA the table tobie wondering won won- wondering dering whether could be he wounded and how badly or whether he tie was running a huge hugl bluff John exclaimed the barn born bow boss darting darling his bloodshot glance at Sel Seb wood sued ha y l' got any I Kelwood Selwood answered only after a pause and then theo Impassively Of A A few tev Jim Jim wIlY why McAlpIn holding hh his left forearm and hand pretty well ell up spoke to Scott Bob noh he said take lake your knife knit und and silt that sleeve up a bit Im I'm nicked In the arm John but Its It's naught Carpy Corpy bound It for tor me John theres there's plenty doln doin In Sleepy Cat Col Have tI time the they hung anybody snapped Tracy fiercely Hanged flanged anybody echoed McAlpin McAlpin pin turning toward Tracy on the cot cotI I want t tell y Dave Due the tho biters biter's bit J mow w i- i V t V e alt Tom Tov Sneaked M Ms Me Out o o 0 oTher There Ther There th night In SI Sleepy py Cat It If anybody anybody's s hanged there thero the night It'll be mates 1 l Selwood alone made no lion tion He Ill stood quiet with his bis eye eyes s fixed on tho the wounded courier What do you ou mean Jim yen ven ventured en- en lured Scott patiently I 1 mean man exclaimed McAlpIn th the c gamblers are on top topi I h They've e turn turned Id I'd the tables tahle They've rallied hell hell- bent drove e the tho Vigilantes to cover over u P town town crowding crowding em to the river close e to the new v railroad station station station-I 1 mea mean n John Cole Is wounded Abe Abo Cole 1 Is s wounded Chris J Is to dead Doc Carps Carpy Is fa wounded and Starbuck k Is boss of ot Sleepy Cat Cat that's that's part of ot o t It It and only part of ot It How flow mea v y got J John oho Menning they need am mr I I Meaning the minute Starbuck tool took t hold of ot the light fight he tie doubled bled tit lie e blamed Vigilantes up like a Jn ac jack e. e knife stole knife stole a II march on the tho suckers sucker rs s behind their hacks backs got Into John n Coles Cole's store where I wa was VM all nil their ammunition ammunition am stole tolo It and burnt the tho store lore e that's another part port of ot It It Are Arc the time turns hums gone naked asked Sol Set wood harshly Not yet et on and the wagon lon n boys net art built both the burns barns bu mt ut If it the wind cornea comes urn un thi they v wont won't anve 10 em cm III There aint enough left of your ur big hall holt on Cn the bill to 10 roast roust a chestnut chestnut chest chest- nut John Jolin Tracy halt half pra sprang from the trot cot lip Lie p poured n II torrent of fit wrath on the Mates and II the gamblers IIII with Incidental I. incidental tal shots nt lit the fate that had kid him away from Crom whore where be lIe mull could stand In defense o nn any und and oil nil corners comers of lit his hi own Selwood II waited without an 11 Interruption Interruption Inter Inter- for the time fur fury of or the Ihl to abate Old Din David ld Id I stopped flopped only o when ph physically sally exhausted Now sow he ht pant ed ed looking malevolently nt ot I 1 hope joure youre sall satisfied Youve You've played your our ur game 1 aint jon uI 7 Son Sent I everything thin weve we've got un on the hill hili up lu smoke k And Ami n I 1 can n turn out t. Ol when I 1 get up with n pa pack k of ot null cards and start all nil over pr again I but sixty years old Why dont don't you oU say 10 Rom some something thing he demanded lUI i Intently turning toward hI hits his partner part nor ner r rested his elbow Ilbo on tin the rock rok ledge above t the 1111 he fireplace c. took from hl hU his lips ups the char III he hind lighted and lind nl lit a 1 lot I Isay In say Tm rm afraid Dave more Dame more than I r want to tn say fin ay to n man mill half halt I sick k hIll bat lt its it's pot gut to In be hp said lilt 1 whether I 1 like HUe 1 It II or lr you CIU like It or nolI notI notI not nol I want you jou to remember r nave Dave first drat of ot nil the IIII-the the hall is I K or M orvn was mine minI all 11 nil I took over r your jour Interest J esterday afternoon In III Sleepy Cut lIt U I and turned over to you ou my Interest st In III the Thief laver mine It wn a t. t trade fair to you rot fair to me mC you Auld aId I J wits was 11 half halt a n clO dozen what I was IM getting i 1 wasat but hut Iva I r va IVI was 1 shins In you OU a n square deal doal and ind I sou on It wu was u b Mauro Iuro deal and amid I t J know It was tot tL TraC Tracy tried to Interrupt Selwood patiently but firmly |
