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Show gBaaa ' - . sk . JBBBUBl V e CROOKED TRAILS STRAIGHT COPYRIGHT.13Y G.W.DILLINGHAM COTirVVJr' 8YNOP8I3. Part I. CHAPTER I. Adventurous and reck- i 1ms, rather than criminal, and excited by llauor. Curly Flandrau and hla chum. . Mac. both practically mere boy become involved In a horss-steallng adventure, i Disposing of the etolen itock In the town ft Saguaoha, Arli , the band separatee, 1 Ourly and his partner staying- In town. They are awakened and told a posse Is i In town In pursuit of them. They elude their pursuers. Overtaken next day, Mao Is killed by the posse and Curly made captive, after he has shot one and him- elf been wounded. The man ahot la ' Luck Culllson. CHAPTER Il.-Culllson's friends, all cattlemen, determine to lynch Curly as ' an example to cattle thieves. With the rope around his neck he Is saved by the Intervention of Kate Culllson. Luck's daughter. CHAPTER in.-Hls wound greased. Ind further violence not apprehended, Urly Is sent for by Culllson. He ques-Ons ques-Ons the boy concerning a notorious out-iw, out-iw, Soupy Stone, real leader of the rus-rs rus-rs who had been Curly'g undoing, landrau learns that Soapy Stone Is Cut. Ion's bitter enemy and exercises a bale-11 bale-11 Influence over the ex sheriff's son im. who has quarreled with his father. Ulllson goes ball for Curly. CHAPTER IV. A Bear Trap. The winding trail led up to the poruh pines and from there north Into tile hills. Curly had not traveled far when he heard the sound of a gun flred throe times In quick succession, i Be stopped to listen. Presently there tame n faint call for help. Ourly cantered around the shoulder of the hill and saw n nmn squatting on the ground. He was stooped for- I ward In an awkward fashion with his back to Flandrau. I "What's up?" At the question the man looked over "What's Upr his shoulder. Pain nnd helpless rag burned in the deepset black eyes. "Nothing at all. Don't you see I'm just taking a nap?" he answered quietly. Curly recognized him now. The man was Soapy Stone. Little bends of perspiration stood out all over his fore-hend. fore-hend. A glance showed the reason. One of hit hands wus caught In a bear trap fastened to a cottonwood. Its Jaws held him so that he could not move. The young man swung from the back of Keno. He found the limb of j cottonwood about as thick as his toNHini in low 1 he elbow. 1 ins he Ml Close to tho trap. "Soon as I get the lip open shove her In," he told Stone. The rescuer slipped the toes of his boots over the lower lip and caught the upper one with both hands. Slow ly the mouth of the trap opened. Stone slipped In the wooden wedge nnd withdrew his crushed wrist. By great good fortune the steel hud caught on the leather gauntlet he was wearing. Otherwise It must have mangled the 11 rill to a pulp. Even now he wns suffering a good deal. "You'll have to let a doc look at It," Curly suggested. Slime agreed. "Iteckon I better trlke for the Bar 00." Ills horse hud disappeared, but Curly helped him to the hack of Keno Together they took the trail for the Bar 05). On the face of the wounded mini gathered the moisture caused by Intense paid. "Hard sledding, looks like," Curly sympathized. "Reckon I enn stand the grief," Stone grunted. Nor did he spenk again until they reached the ranch and I. mini London looked at him from n frightened face. "What is it?" "Ran a sliver In my finger, Miss Laura. Too bad to trouble yon," Soapy answered with a sneer on his thin lips. A rider for the Hnr 00 had Just ridden rid-den up and Liuiru sent him nt once for the doctor. She led the way Into the house mid swiftly gathered bandages, band-ages, n sponge and a basin of water. Together she and Curly bathed and wrapped the wound. Laura was as gentle as she could be. "I know I'm hurting you," she said, her fingers trembling. "Not a bit of It. (Jreat pleasure to hnve you for a nurse. I'm certainly In luck." Curly did not understand the bitterness In the sardonic fnce and he resented It. That something was wrong between them Curly could see. Sonpy wns very polite In nplte of his bitterness, but his hard eyes watched her as a cat does a mouse. Moreover, the girl was I afraid of him. He could tell that by the timid stnrtled way she had of answering. an-swering. Now, why need she fear the man? It would be ns much as his life was worth to lift n hnud to hurt her. After the doctor had come and had attended to the crushed wrist Curly stepped out to the porch to (ind Laura. "I'm right sorry for whut I said. Miss Lnura. Once In a while a fel low makes n mistake. If he's as hig h chump ns I am It's liable to happen a little oftener. Hut I'm not really one of those smart guys." Out enme her gloved hand In the firmest of grips. "I know that now. You didn't think. And I made u mistake. I thought you were taking advuntuge because 1 had been friendly. I'm glad you spoke about It. We'll forget It. There's something I want you to do for me." "I expect maybe I'll do It." "It's about that boy he has up there." She gave a hopeless little gesture ges-ture toward the hills. "Sam Culllson?" "Yes." "What ubout him?" "He's bent on ruining him, always has been ever since he got a hold on him. I can't tell you how I know it, but I'm sine And now he's mors set on It than ever." "Jealous, Is hef .-..i "Yea, If he can drng Sam down ' ami cot him Into trouble he'll pay off ! two grudges at once And be will too. ' You'll sec. He's wily ns an Indian For Mint matter there Is Apache blood In him. folks say." "What ubout young (."ulllson? Can't he make a tight for himself?" "h, you know how boys are. Snm Is completely under this mnn's infln eine." Her voice broke a little. "And I can't help him. I'm only n girl. He ' won't listen to me. What Sam need-Is need-Is a man friend, one Just ns strong nnd determined ns Sonpy but one who Is good nnd the right sort of an Intlu- onee." "Are you picking tne for Hint responsible re-sponsible friend who Is to be such a powerful influence for good?" Curly asked with a smile. "Yes yes, I mil," She looked up at him confidently. Curly met her on the ground of her own seriousness. "I'll tell you something. some-thing. Miss Lnura. Maybe you'll be glad to know that the reason I'm going go-ing to the horse ranch Is to help Sam Culllson If I can." He went on to tell her the whole story of whnt the Cull linn hnd done for him. In nil that he said there was not one word to suggest such n thing, but Lnura London's mind Jumped the gaps to a knowledge of the truth Hint Curly himself did not hnve. The young nmn was In love with Knte Culllson. She wns sure of It. When Curly wnlked hnek Into the house, Stone laid down the paper he hnd been rotidlnp. "I see the Sentinel hints Mint Mr. Curly Flnndrnu hnd belter be lynched," he Jeered. "The Sentinel don't nlwnys hit the bull's-eye, 8oapy," returned the young man evenly. "It thinks I belong to the Soapy Stone outfit, but we know I haven't that honor." Sonpy frowned at him under the heavy eyebrows thnt fare htm so menacing men-acing an effect. "Better come back with me to the raneh till you look around." "Suits me right down to the ground If It does you." Some one came whistling Into the house anil opened the door of the room. He wns n big lank fellow with n shotgun In his hnnds. "From Missouri" Mis-souri" wns stumped all over his nwk-wnrd nwk-wnrd frnme. He stood stnrlug at his unexpected guests. His eyes, clnshlng with those of Stone, grew chill nnd hard. "So you're bnck here ngnln, are you?" he asked, looking pretty black. Stone's Up sinlle mocked him. "1 don't know how you guessed It, but 1 sure nm here." "Didn't I tell you to keep nway from the Har 10 you and your whole cursed outfit?" "Seems to me you did mention something some-thing of that sort. Hut how was I to know whether you meant It unless I came bnck to see?" Laura camo Into the room and ranged herself beside her fnther. Her hand rested lightly on his forearm. "He got caught in one of your bear traps and this young man brought him here to wait for the doctor," she explained. ex-plained. "Hmp!" The Mlssourlan stared without civility civil-ity nt his guest, turned on his heel, nnd with his dnughter beside til in mn relied out of the room. He could not decently tell Stone to leave while he was under the care of 11 doctor, hut he did not Intend to make him welcome. wel-come. "We'll pull our freights right away, Curly," Stono announced as soon as hla host had gone. The young man went to the stable ! and saddled Keno. While he wns tight-cuing tight-cuing the cinch a shadow fell across his shoulder. He did not need to look round to see whose It was, "I'm so glad you're going to thei horse ranch. You will look out for Sam. I don't know why, hut I have the greatest confidence In you," the owner of the shadow explained sweetly. Curly smiled blandly over his shoulder shoul-der nt her. "Fine! That's a good uplifting up-lifting line of talk, Miss Laura. Now; what Is It I'm to do for you?" She blushed and laughed at the same time. Her hand enme from behind her back. In It was a letter. "That's to be my pay for giving Master Sam his billy doo, Is It?" "How did you guess? It Is a letter to Sam." "How did I guess It? Shows I'm sure n v. Iz, don't It?" She saw her father gomlng and handed him the letter quickly. "Here. Take it." A spnrk of mis chief lit her eye and the dimples came out on her cheeks. "Good-by, Curly." CHAPTER V. Bad Medicine. The house nt the horse ranch was a long, low I. shaped ndobe structure. Two men were seated on the porch playing seven up. One was Had Bill. the other Hlnckwell. At sight of Curl. they gave up their game, Hi llo. kid! Where did you drop from?" Cranston asked, A muscle twitched In Flatidrau's cheek, "They got Mae. Han us down near the Olrcla 0. Mac opened fire i ' killed him." "t ' i him, or V" Curly was left to .-!!c-. the other hnlf of the question, ol hlin and took me prlsotll r." "Thoj couldn't provs i thing, could llu ; iuld prOVS I wounded Culll son That was enough for them, Thej i i ' ul to hang me. Later they changed their minds, " "How come ow here? Old you e cape?" MNops, Friends dug up ball. Say, Soapy lias been telling me that the Oil-Maon Oil-Maon kid Is up here. I reckon we bet ter not sny nnylblng nbout my mlxup with his folks. I'm not looking for any trouble with him." "All right. Curly." Curly sat down on the porch and told an edited story of bis adventures to them. Baton he had finished a young fellow rode up nnd dismounted. After he had unsaddled nnd turned his pony Into n corral he Joined the others on the porch. Young Culllson hnd sented himself In the chnlr next to Flnndrnu. He had, so Curly thought, a strong family re semblance to his father nnd sister. Still n boy In tits ways, he might any day receive the Jolt that would trans form him Into u man. Curly studied the characters of those present. Hill he knew nlrcnd fairly well ns a tough nut to crack, gnme to the core, nnd stnunch to his friends. Hlnckwell was n hnd lot, treacherous, vindictive, slippery ns an eel. Kven his confederates did not trust him grently. Hut It was Soapy and young Culllson Mint interested Flnndrau most. Sam wns nt an I in pressloiiable nge, Inclined to be led by any man whom he admired. Curly knew that be could gain no Influence over him by preaching, lie hail to llvs the rough and tumble life of these men who dwelt beyond the pule of the law to excel them at the very things 0 Which they boasted. Hut In one respect re-spect he held himself apart. While he was at the horse ranch tie did not touch a drop of liquor. Laura London's letter was not delivered deliv-ered until the second day, for, though she had DOl told her messenger to give It to Sam when lie wns alone. Curly guessed this would he better. Sam ran over his letter two or three times, it was such n message as any brave-hearted, Impulsive girl might send to the man she loved when he s emed to her to walk In danger. Culllson Cul-llson loved her for the interest she took In him, even while lie ridiculed her fears. As they rode back to the ranch. Curly mentioned thnt he hnd seen Snm's people a tiny or two before. Culllsfui asked no questions, but he listened Intently while the other told the story of his first rustling and of how Miss Knte nnd her fnther had stood by htm In his trouble. "If I had folks like you have, the salt of tc earth, nnd they were worrying worry-ing their hearts out nbout me, seems to me I'd quit helling around and go bnck to them," Curly concluded, "The old mnn sent you to tell me thnt, did he?" Hard and bitter was the voice of the young man. "No, he didn't. He doesn't know I'm here. Hut he nnd your sister hnve done more for me Minn I ever enn pny. Thnt's why I'm telling you this." Sam answered grullly, us n mnn does when he Is moved. "Much obliged, Curly, but I reckon I can look out for myself." "Just whnt I thought, and In September Sep-tember I have to go to the penlten-tlnry. penlten-tlnry. They've got me cinched. But with you It's different. There's noth-l noth-l Ing to this sort of life. The bunch up j here Is no good. Soapy don't menn I right by you, or by any young fellow ! he trails with." "I'll not listen to anything against Soapy. He has been a good friend to me. I'm not going to throw him down." "Would it be throwing him down to go back to your people?" "Yes, It would. Ws'vs got plans. Soapy Is relying on me. No matter what they are, but I'm not going to lie down on him. And I'm not going back to the old man. He told me he was through with me. I'm not begging him to take me buck, not on your life." Curly dropped the matter. But as the days passed he kept one thing In his mind, not to miss uny chunce to win his friendship. They rode together a good denl, and I landrau found thnt Snm liked to hear him tnlk about the Circle C and Its affairs. Hut often he was discouraged, for he made no progress prog-ress In weaning him from his loyalty to Stone. The latter was a hero to him, and gradually he was filling htm with wrong Ideas, encouraging him the while to drink a great denl. Thnt the mnn '.ind some definite purpose Curly was sure. Whut it was, he meant to find out. Because lie could not persuade him to Join In their drinking bouts, Stone nlcknnmed Curly the good bad mnn. Curly Lashed Out Hard With His Loft. Hlnckwell picked on the youth to be the butt of tits coarse pleasantries. Day after day he pointed hla Jeers st Curly, who nitlniitd to grin ullki did not cure. i When the worm turned, !t happened that they were all sitting on the porch. Cor!, was sewing n broken stirrup leatli.i. Hlnckwell had n quirt In his! hand, nnd from time to time flicked It at the bnck of Ids lctlm. Twice the lash siimg. not hard but with pepper enough to hurt. Knch time the young nmn ns,., pigs (,, stop. I'huKwcll snapped the quirt ones ion liflHl, When he picked hllMtlf ml of the dust five seconds later, he was i he maddest man in Arlzonn. Like a I till be lowered his bend and rushed. 'tlrh sidestepped and lashed out Ijiird "I'll Ills left. It was a sledge hammer bout, with no rules except to hit the other man 'Hen and hard. Curly wntched his hatiee. dodged n wild swing and hrvi himself forward hard with bis 'I, 'iiidcr against the chest of the con- i'M The man staggered back, tripped ' In' lowest step of the porch at.d w. ni down hard The fall knocked 1 lie t'l i.'ltll out of hla, "IL d enough?" demanded Curly. In answer Hlnckwell hit Handrail's thtttnll savagely. "H nCS you like It so trail, have mi Oilier lasie." Curly, now thoroughly Bligry, sent a short arm Jolt to the ' mouth. The man underneath tried to throw him o!T. but Flundrnu's lingers found his hairy throat nnd tightened, "You're killing me!" the coin let gasped. "Enough f "Y-yes." Curly stepped bnck quickly, ready either for n l.nlfe or a gunplay. Black-well Black-well got to his feet mid went Into the house, swearing to get even. His face was livid with fury. "You wouldn't think n tittle thing like a whaling ghen fair and square would make a man hold a grudge. My system bus nbsorbed se-ve real without doing it any harm." Sam stooped to Inspect n rapidly discoloring eye. "Say, Curly, tie hung n peach of a lamp on you." Sonpy mnde no comment In words, but he looked nt Flnndrau with n new respect. For the first time n doubt as to the wisdom of letting him stay at the ranch crossed his mind. His suspicion wns Justified. Curly hnd been living on the edge of n secret for weeks. Mystery wns In the nlr. More than once he had turned a corner cor-ner to find the other four whispering over something. Occasionally a man had ridden Into the yard late at night for a private talk with Stone, nnd Curly wns morally certain that the man wns the little cowpuncher Dutch of the Circle C. Through It nil Curly wore n tnnnner of open confidence. But all the time his bruin was busy with questions. Whnt were they up to? Whut wus It they hnd planned? Stone nnd Blnckwell rode nway one morning. To Curly the word was given that they were going to Mesn. Four dus later Soupy returned alone. Lute hud found n Job, he said. "Thnt a p;.per sticking out of your pocket?" Flnndrau nsked. 8onpy, still astride his horse, tossed the Saguache Sentinel to him ns he turned toward the stntile. Caught between the folds of the pn-per pn-per wns n mllrond time tnble. It was a schedule of the trains of the Texas, Arlzonn A I'nclflc for July. Curly turned the pnges Idly till a penciled mnrklng cnught his eye. Under Number Num-ber 4's time wns scrawled, Just below Saguache, Mie words Tin Cup, and opposite them the figures 10:10. The express was due to leave Saguache at fl:f7 In the evening. From there It pushed up to the divide nnd slid down with nlr brakes set to Tin Cup three thousnnd feet lower. Sonpy could not wnnt to cutch the train fifteen miles ' the other side of Sngunche. But this J note on the margin showed Mint he was Interested In the time It reached the water tank. There must be u reason rea-son for It. Flandrnu's doubt had been convert- . ed Into a lively suspicion. Presently he took a gun and strolled off to shoot birds. Whnt he renlly wnnted wns to be ulone that he could think the matter over. Coming home In the dusk, he saw Stone and young Culllson with their bends together down by the corral. cor-ral. Curly sat down on a rock nnd watched them, himself unobserved. They nppenred to be rehenrslng some kind of n scene, of which Soapy was stnge director. The mnn on the rock smiled grimly. "They're liuvlng u qunrrel, looks, like. . . . Now the kid's telling Soapy to go to (itilnen, and Sonpy's pawing around mini as a bull moose. It's all n ploy. They don't mean It. Hut why?" Curly's mind wns so full of guesses that his poker was not up to pur that night. About daylight lie began to see his way Into the maze. Ills first gleam of light wus when a row started between be-tween Sonpy nnd Culllson. Before anyone could say n word to stop them they were going through with that Identical corrul quarrel. Flnndrnu knew now that they had been preparing It for his benefit. Cranston chipped In against Sam and, to keep up appearances, Curly backed the hoy. The quarrel grew furious. At Inst Sam drove his (1st down 00 In-table In-table and said he was through with tin- outfit and was going back to Saguache. "Vo tambleii," agreed Curly. "Not that I've got anything against the imrse ranch. That ain't it. But I'm sure pining for to bust the ban!: at Branson's, I've got forty plunks burning burn-ing my Jeans, I've got to separate myself from It or make my roll a thousand." The end of It was thut both Sam ami Curly went down to tin- corrul and saddled their ponies. To the last the i splrators played op to their parts. According to program, Sam sulked for the first few miles of their Jour- M iicv Hut heroic (htj rem bed the Har flfl 00 lie TtW sunny again. SH "I'm going to hao a tnlk with H Lnura while I'm near." lie ox- H plained. "Vou drift In . . . Just Imp- M pen along you know. I'll stay In the H scrub plneS up here. If the old mull Is H ahsent scenery, mui Wave vour 'inn- H sB "I'll Stay in the Scrub Pines Up Here." 1 d.'innn real Industrious. If he Is nt home gie Laura the tip and She'll M i.now hare to Bad aae." The owner of Ihe ranch, ns It hap pencil, was cutting trail over by Agun H M "lo you want to see him very bod, Mr. Flnndrnu 7" asked Miss Lnuru U ' demurely. H "No, I cun't sny I've lost Mr. Lon- H "You Inquired for him." "Hmp! That's different. When I M used to come home from the swim- H tidng hole contrary to orders I used to H nsk where dud was, hut I didn't want to see him." H "I see. Old you Just come down H from the horse ranch?" H "You've guessed right." U "Then I nm sorry I can't nsk you to M 'light. Oad's orders." H , "Anything In those orders ubout you H meeting one of the lads from the horse K ranch up on the hillside where It Is U neutral ground?" M "Old Sum come with you?" she cried. M "He's here. Oh, I know he's here." "Whnt do I get for bringing good M news?" M "I didn't sny It wus good news." M "Shoi Your big eyes are shouting M H "Was thnt the news from the horse ranch?" M "Thnt's part of It, but there Is more. M Snm nnd Curly are on their way to M Saguache to spend the Fourth of July. 1 Sam Is going for another reuson, but M I'm not sure yet whnt It Is. There's M ' something doing I don't snvez, some M big denl on foot thnt's not on the level. 'W Snm Is In It up to the hocks. He Is M supposed to bo quitting Sonpy's outfit for good. Hut I know better." White to the lips, she fnced him H bravely. "Whnt sort of trouble Is he M lending Sum Into?" M "I've got a kind of notion. Hut It M won't benr talking about yet. Don't M 1 tell him whnt I've told you, unless you M want to spoil my chance of helping M him." "I won't," she promised; Mien added. H with quick eag.-rni-.s: "Mnybe I can M help you. I'm going down to Saguache M to visit on the Fourth." M "I'll look you up. Trouble Is that M Snm Is bent on ruining himself. Seems M to thlhk Soupy Is his best friend. If M we could show him dlflVrcut things M might work out nil right." M While she climbed the hill to Sam, I Curly wittered his horse nnd smoked -H a clgurette. He wus not hired to fl chnperone lovers. Therefore, It took M him three quarters of an hour to reach M the scrub pine belt on the edge ol tho M At once lie saw that they bad been M having a quarrel. The girl's eis were M led, and she was still ibibhlng at them -H with her handkerchief when he came H whistling along. Sam looked dlscour- M aged, but stubborn. Very plainly thev ggfl hud been disagreeing about his line of M conduct. M The two young men took the trail gH again. About noon the next day they M reached Saguache. After they hud H eaten, Ourly strolled oft by himself to Hj the depot. OH "(ilmme n ticket for Tin Cup for this M evening. 1 want to go by the express," M he told the agent. M The man looked at him and grinned. - - -H "You're so darned active, maybe you Hjj could get Off No. 4 when she Is fog- R glng along sixty miles per. Hut most folks couldn't, not with any comfort." H "Meaning that the flyer doesn't B "Not at Tin Cup." jH "Have to take the afternoon train H "I reckon." Be punched a ticket M nnd shoved It through the window WM toward Curly. "Sixty tho c . H i please." i gggl Flandrau paid for and pocketed the jV tlckol be did ot Intend to us,., n bad fOUl hat he VI 'lied ' Q This thrilling story will be con- H tinued in the nei of I ha B H ord, A good serial story, sell cted sgssg.B1,gggsHH from the W'oil.. of the lie. t ronton- gBjBTW'"iftfrtgBff authors, will henceforth In .J regular feature of The Record. an-laB will ajone be worth the suhscriptio-sH price of the paper. See t ha tsSBjRjgV subscription is kept paid in f-Wft 3nSKBjmw3l ' , and do not miss u single nurnHH |
