Nebraska Newspapers

    THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE
CopynghV by WiUiom. MacLeod
SYNOPSIS
POIIBWOIID. Motoring through Arl-
5ona, a party of easterners, father and
iughter and a male companion, itop to
witness n cattle round up. The girl leaves
the car and la attacked by a wild steer.
A masterpiece of riding on the part of
one of tho cowboys saves -her life.
CHAPTEK I. Clay Lindsay, range-rlder
on an ArUona ranch, announces his Inten
tion to visit the "big town," Now York.
CHAPTER Il.-On the train Lindsay
hrnmf.a Inf prnntpil In n. vounir woman.
ifltty Mason, on her way to New York
to Decome a motion-piciuro acirunn. o
marked as ruir prey by a reuow irav-
Jar,
Jorry Durana, unrig politician ana
prize fighter,
Perceiving his Intention,
adsay provokes a quarrel and throws
Jurand from the train.
CHAPTER, III.-On his first day In New
n. Janitor, that Individual the range
rider punishes summarily and leaves tied
to a fire hydrant. A young woman who
tites the occurrence Invites Clay Into her
house and hides him from the police.
CHAPTER IV.-Clay's "rescuer"
Intro
duces herself as Beatrice WlUtford. Lind
say meets her ratner, conn wnuioru, aim
f Invited to visit them again. He meets
Kitty Mason by accident She has been
disappointed In her stage aspirations, and
to support horself Is selling cigarettes In
a cabaret. Clay visits her there.
Chapter IV Continued.
lie offered Instant reassurance with
a strong grip of Ms brown hand,
"You've got one, little pardner. I'll
promise Hint one big liusky will bo
on tho job when you need htm. Don't
you worry,"
She gave blni ber shy eyes grate
fully. There wns u mist of tears In
them.
"You're good," Bho Bald agnln
naively.
CHAPTER V
Arizona Follows IU Lawless Impulse
The Sen Siren was already begin
ning to till up when Clay descended
three Bteps to a cellar and wns warily
admitted. A near-Hawaiian orchestra,
was strumming out a dance tune and a
few couples were on the floor. Walt-
ressett, got up aa Loreleln, were mov- j
lng about among tho guosts delivering
orders for refreshment.
The westerner sat 'down In a corner
nud looked about him. Tho walls were
decorated with crude purple crayons
of underfed sirens. A statue of a nude
woman distressed Clay. He did not
ralnd the missing clothes, buo sho was
so dreadfully emaciated tlxtt ho
thought It wise for her to cling to the
yellow-nnd-rad draped barber polo
that rose from the pedestal. On tho
base was the legend, "Tho Weeping
Lady." Aftor he had tnstod tho Sea
Siren fare tho man from Arlrona sus
pected that both her grief and her
anaemia arose from the fact that Bho
bad been fed on It.
A mun In artist's velveteens, minus
u haircut, with a large, fat, pasty face,
sat at an adjoining table and dis
coursed to his friends. Presently, dur
ing nn Intermission of the music, he
rose and took tho rest of those present
Into his confidence.
"Bourgeois to tho core," he an
nounced, speaking of tho United
States. "What aro tho Idols wo wor
ship? Law, tho chain which binds an
ensfuved people, thrift, born of childish
fear; love of country, which is another
name for craBSnrovlnclallsm. I I am
r OosmopolIterTiot nn American, .Bo
hemia Is my land, nnd all free souls
arc my brothers. Why should I get
wrinkles bocause Germany sunk tho
Lusltanlu a mouth or two ago? 'Hunt's
her business, not mliio."
Olay leaned forward on n search for
Information. ','Excuso mo for buttln
In, and mo a stranger, But Isn't It yoro
business when sho murders American
women and children?"
Tho pasty-faced man looked nt him
with thinly disguised contempt. "Yom
wouldn't understand If I explained."
"Mebhcso I wouldn't, but you take
a whirl at it and I'll listen high, wide,
and handsome." "
The man In velveteens unexpectedly
found himself doing as ho was told.
There was a suggestion of compulsion
about tho grny;bluo eyes fastened on
his, something In tho clamp of tho
strong Jaw that brought htm up for
a moment against stark reality.
"Tho Intelligentsia of a country
know that tliero can be no freedom
until there is no law. Every man's
duty Is to disregard duty. So, by far-lag-Tar
on tho wings of desire, ho helps
break dbwn tho slavery that binds us.
Obey the Cosmic Urge of your soul re
gardless of whero It leads you, young
imn."
Ii was unfortunate for tho poet o
Bohemia thut at this precise moment
Kitty Mason, dressed In sandals nnd a
lilad-pattcrned smock, stood before
klpa with a tray of cigarettes asking
ft hi trade. Tin naive appeal In her
s&'t eye Kad Its weight with the poet
Wkt la the us of llvjng in Bohemia
ifteoa cannot be free to follow tin
psJac? JIa sJlppedyBii arm about the
girl and klswd the crimson 4lps up
turned to him,
Kitty started back with a little cry
t
1
bund
by
MMacIeodRgine;
Kustraftons by
Raxn
l of distress,
The freedom taken by tho nenr-poot
was Instantly avenged.
A Cosmic Urge beat In the veins of
the savago from Arizona. He took the
poet's ndvlco and fallowed his Law
less Impulse where It led. Across the
table a long arm reached. Sinewy
fingers closed upon the (lowing neck
wear of the fat-faced orator and
dragged him forward, leaving over
turned glasses in tho wake of his
course.
Tho man In velveteens mot the eyfcs
of tho energetic manhandler and
quailed. Tills brown-faced barbarian
looiccd very much like business.
"Don't you touch me I Don't you
daro touch me 1" tho apostlo of nnarchy
shrilled ns the tnble crashed down.
"I'll turn you over to the police I"
Clay Jerked him to his feet. Hani
knuckle pressed cruelly Into tho soft
throat of the Villager. "Git down on
yoro ham bones and beg the lady's par
don. Tell her you'ro a yollow pup, but
you don't reckon you'll ever pull a
bone like that again."
Tho companions of the poet rushed
forward to protest at tho manhandling
of their leader. Those In tho rear
Jammed tho front ones close to Clay
and his captive. The cow puncher
gently but strongly pushed thorn back.
"Don't get on tho prod," he advised
in his genial drawl. "Tho poet he's got
an Important engagement right now."t
A kind of scuffle developed. The pro
prietor Increased it by his hysterical
efforts to prevent any trouble. Men
Joined themselves to tho noisy group
of which Clay was tho smiling center.
The excitement Increased. Distant
corners of the room became the refuge
of the women. Some one struck at the
cow puncher over the heads of those
about him. Tho mass of closely packed
human beings showed n convulsive ac
tivity. It became suddenly the most
popular Indoor sport at the Sea Siren
to slay this barbarian from tho desert
who had Interfered with tho amuse
ments of Bohemia.
But Clay took a lot of slaying. In
the rough-and-tumble life of the out
door West he had learned how to look
out for Ids own hand. The copper
hair of his strong lean head rose above
the tangle of the melee like the bro
mldlc Helmet of Navarre. A reckless
light of mirth bubbled In his dare
devil oyes. The very number of the
opponents who Interfered with each
other trying to get at him wus sk guar
antee of safety. TJio blows showered
nt hi m lacked steam and were badly
timed as to distance
The pack rolled across tho room,
tlppedover a table, and dolugcd an
artist and his alllnlty with hot choco
late before they could escape from the
avalanche. Chairs went over like
ninepins. Stands collnpsed. Men grunt
ed and shouted advice. Girls screamed.
The Sen Siren was being wrecked by a
cyclone from tho bad lands.
Arms threshed wildly to and fro. The
local point of their destination wns the
figure at the center of the disturbance.
Most of tho blows found other marks.
Four or five men could have demol
ished Clay. Fifteen or twenty found It
n tough Job because they Interfered
with well other at every turn. They
were packed too close for hard hitting.
Clay was not fighting hut wrestling,
no twed his nrms to push with rather
than to strike blows that counted.'
The Arlzonnn could not afterward
remember at exactly what stngo of tho
proccotllngsjtho faco of Jerry Durand
Impinged Itself on Ills consciousness.
Once, when the swirl of the orowd
flung him closo to tne door, ho caught
a glimpse of It, tight-lipped and wolf
eyed, turned to him with reloutlcss
mnlce, Tho gang leader was taking
no part in die fight.
Tho crwd parted. Out of tho pack
a pair of strong, urms and loan broad
shoulders plowed a way for a some
what damaged faco that still carried
a 'debonair sialic. With ptftithcrlsh
Utltcttcss tho Arlzonon ducked ti
swinging blow. A moment, and ho was
outsldotaklng tho threo steps that led
to the street.
Into his laboring lungs he drew de
liriously tho soft breath of tho night.
It cooled tho fever of his hammered
face, was llko an icy bath to his hot
body. A little dizzy from tho blows '
that had been ruined on him, ho stood
for n moment nncertnln'vhlch wny to
go.
Then agalu ho becamo uwnro of
Durand. Tho man was not nlono. no
had with him u hulking rufllqn whoso
"hc,avy, hunched shoulders told of
strength. There was a hint of tho
gorilla In the way the long arms hung
straight from tho shoulders ns he
leaned forward. Both of tho men woro
watching tho cow puncher ns steadily
ns alloy cats do a houso finch.'
"Hrl's going to pop In about threo
seconds," nnnounced Clay to himself.
SHootly, without lifting their oyes
from their victim for an instant, tho
two 'men moved apart to take film on
both sides. Ho clung to tho wall, forc
ing a frontal attack, The laughter had
gone out of his eyes now. They nad
hardened to pinpoints. This time It
was no amateur horseplay, lie was
fighting for his life. No need to tell
Clay Lindsay that the Now York
gangster meant to leave hli os good
as dead.
The men rushed him. He fought
back with clean, hard blows. Jerry
bored In llko n wild bull. Clny caught
him off his balance, using a short arm
Jolt which had back of it nil that
twenty-three years of clenn outdoors
Arizona could give. Tho gangster lrlt
the pavement hard.
He got up furious and Charged again.
The Arizona:), busy with tho other
inau, tried to sidestep. An uppcrcut
Tha Men Rushed Him. Ho Fought
Back With Clean, Hard Blows.
Jarred him to the heel. In that Instant
of time before his knees began to
sag beneath him his brain flashed the
news that Durand hnd struck him on
the chin with brass knuckles. He
crumpled up nnd went down, still alive
to what was going on, but unable to
move In his own defense. WenKly he
tried to protect his face nnd sides
from tho kicks of n heavy boot. Then
he flonted balloon-like In space and
vanished Into unconsciousness.
Clay drifted back to a world In
which the machinery ef . his body
creaked. He turned his head, and a
racking pain shot down his neck. He
moved a leg, and every muscle In It
ached. From bend to foot he was
sore.
Voices somowhere In space, detached
from any personal ownership, floated
vaguely to him. Presently these re
solved themselves Into words and sen
tences. "We're not to make a pinch, Tim.
That's the word ho gavo me before ho
lofifc. This Is wan nv Jerry's private
little wars and ho don't want a Judge
askln' a lot of unnlcossary questions,
y' understand."
"Mother av Moses, if tills ho-man
from II l's Hinges hadn't the luck
av tho Irish, thcre'd be questions
a-plenty nsked. He'd bo ready for the
morgue this bllsscd minute. Jorry's
a murderln dlvvle. When I breezo In
I find him croakln' this lad proper and
he actsllke a crazy man when I stand
him nnd Gorilla Davo off till yuh
come a-runnln'. At that they may have
given tho byo more thnn he can carry.
Maybo it'll be roses and a nice black
carriage for him yet"
Clay opened his eyes, flexod his arm
muscles, and groaned. Ho caressed
tenderly lira aching ribs.
"Some wreck," he gasped weakly.
"Th&y didn't dp a thing to mo out
sldo of bcntlu' mo upland stomplh' on
me and rutinln' a steam roller over
tho dear departed."
"Whoso fuult will that bo? Don't
yuh know better than to start a tight
with a rlglment?" demanded tho ser
geant of pollcetsovercly.
"That wasn't a fight. It was a
waltz." The faint, unconquerod smile
of brown Arizona broke through the
blood and bruises of tho face. "The
fight began when Jerry Durand mid
his friend rushed me nnd It ended
when .Torry landed on me with brass
knucks. After thnt I wnB n football."
Tno words enmo In gasps. Every breath
wns drawn In pain.
"We'd ought to pinch jwh," the ser
geant said by wuy of reprimand.
"Think yuh can come to rlaw York
and pull your small-town stuff on us?
We'll show youse. If yuh wasn't, al
falfa gpeen I'd glvo yuh a ride." Tho
officer dropped his grumbling com
plaint to a whisper. "Whisht, bje.
Take u straight tip from a man that
knows. Bent It out of town. Get
whero the long arm qf of a friend of
ours can't roach yuh. He's a re
vlngcful lucmy If ove thero was wan."
"You .mean that Durand "
"I'm not namln' names," tho officer
interrupted doggedly. Tra tellln yuh
somcthln' for your good. Tako It or
leavo It"
"Thanks, I'll leavo It. Tills Is a free
country, and no man Hvln' can drlvo
mo aw'ay," answered Clay promptly.
"Ouch, I'm sore. Glvo mo a lltt, sor
grant" Thoy herped the cow puncher to his
feet, no took a limping step or two.
Every move was torturo to his out
raged flesh.
"Can yoiuget roo a taxi? That is,
If you'ro sure you don't want mo In
yoro calaboose," tho range-rider said,
leaning against the wall.
"We'll let yuh' go this time."
"Mucji obliged to Mr. Jerry Du
rand. Toll him for me that maybe Fll
meet up with him again soma time
nnd. hand him my thanks personal for
this first-class waUophV." From 'the
bruised, bleeding face there beamed
ugnln the smile indomitable, the grin j
still gny nud winning. Physically ho
hod been badly beuteti, but In spirit
ho wns stilt the mun on horseback.
Presently lie ensed himself Into n
taxi ns comfortably as he could.
"Home, James," he said Jauntily.
"Where?" nsked the driver.
"Tho nearest hospital," explained
, Clay. "I'm goln' to let the doctors
j worry over me for a while. Much
obliged to both of you gentlemen. 1
always did like the Irish. Friend Jerry
Is nn exception."
The officers watched the cab disap
pear. The sergennt spoke the com
ment that wns In the mind of them
bvth.
"He's the best single-barreled sport
that Ivor I met In this man's town.
Not a whimper out of the guy nnd
him mauled to a pulp. Game ns they
come. Did youse sec that spnrk o' the
dlvvle In his eye, nud him not lit to
crawl Into the cab? S'long, Tim. No
report on this rough-house, mind yuh."
"Sure, Mike."
CHAPTER VI
Beatrice Up Stage.
If you vision Clay as a man of bat
tles and violent death, you don't see
him as he saw himself. He was n
peaceful citizen from tlie law-abiding
West. It wns not until he had been
flung Into the whirlpool of New York
that violent nnd melodramatic mishaps
befell this Innocent.
This wns the version of himself thut
he conceived to be true nnd the one ho
tried to interpret to Bee Whltford
when he emerged from the hospital af
ter two dnys of seclusion nnd pre
sented himself before her.
It wns characteristic of Beatrice thnt
when she looked at his battered face
she asked no questions nnd made no
exclamations. After the first startled
glance one might have thought from
her expression that he habitually wore
one black eye, one swollen lip, one
cauliflower enr, and a strip of gauze
across his cheek.
The dark-lashed eyes lifted from him
to take on u business-like directness.
Sho rang for the man.
"Have the runabout brought round
at once, Stevens. I'll drive myself,"
sho gave orders. .
With the light ease that looked silk
en strong she swept the car Into the
pan. Neither sho nor Clay talked.
Both of them knew thnt an explana
tion of his nppenrnnce was due her
and In the meantime neither cared to
fence with small talk. She drew up
to look at some pond lilies, nnd they
talked about them for a moment, after
which her direct eyes questioned him
frankly.
He painted with n light brush the
picture of his adventure Into Bohemia.
Tho details he filled In whimsically,
In the picturesque phraseology of. the
West. Up stage on his canvas wns the
figure of the poet In velveteens. That
Son of the Stars he did full Justice.
Jerry Durand and Kitty Mason were
accessories sketched casually.
"I gather that Mr. Lindsay of Ari
zona was among those present," Be
atrice sold, smiling. 3
"I was glvln' the dance," he agreed,
and his gay eyes met hors.
Since sho wns a woman, one phase
of his story' needed expansion for Miss
Whltford. She mado her comment
carelessly while she adjusted tho mile
age on the speedometer.
"Queer you happened to meet some
one you knew down there. You said
you knew tho girl, didn't you?"
"We were on the same train out of
Denver. I got acquainted with her."
Miss Whltford asked no more ques
tions. But Clny could not quite let
tho matter stand so. He wanted her
to Justify him In her mind for what
he had done. Before he knew It ho
had told her the story of Kitty Mason
and Durand.
"I couldn't let him hypnotize that
little girl from the country, could I?"
he nsked.
"I suppose not." Her whole face be
gan to bubble with laughter Irr the
"Put You'll Bo a Busy Knight Errant
If You Undertake to Right tha
Wrongs of Every Girl You Meet In
New York."
way ho liked so well. "But you'll be a
busy knight errant If you undertake
to right the wrongs of every girl you
meet In New York. Don't you think It
possible that you rescued her qut of n
Job?"
Tlie young man nodded his head rue
fully. "Thnt's exactly what 1 did.
After all her trouble gettln' one I've
thrown her out again. I'm a sure
enough futliead."
"You've been down to find out?" she
nsked with n sidelong tilt of her quick
eyes.
"Yes. I went down this nmwnln'
with Tim Muldoou. He's n policeman
1 met down there. Miss Kitty hnsn't
been seen since that night. We went
out to the Pirate's Den, .the Purple
Pup, Grace nodwln's Garret, nnd nil
the places whore she used to sell cigar
ettes. None of them hnve seen any
thing of hor."
"So thnt really your championship
hnsn't been so great n help to her after
all) has It?"
"No."
"And I suppose It ruined the busi
ness of the man that owns the Sen
Siren."
"I don't reckon so. I've settled for
the furniture. And Muldoou says
when It gets goln' ngnln tlie Sea Siren
will do n big business on account of
the fracas, it's Kitty I'm worried
about."
"I wouldn't worry about her If I
were you. She'll Innd on her feet," the
girl said lightly.
Her voice had not lost Its sweet
cadences, but Clny sensed In It some
thing thnt was nlmnst n touch of cool
contempt. He felt vaguely thnt he
must have blundered In describing
Kitty. Evidently Miss Whltford did
not seo her quite ns she wns.
The young woman pressed the start
er button. ' We must be going home.
I hnve nn engagement to go riding
with .Mr.' Bromfleld."
The man beside the girl kept his
smile working ami concealed the little
stub of Jeulousy that dirked him.
Colin Whltford had conllded to Llnd
suy thut his daughter was pructlcally
engaged to Clnrendon Bromlleld and
that he did not like the man. The
range-rider did not like him either, but
he tried loynlly to kill his distrust of
the clubman. If Beatrice loved him
there must be good In the fellow. Clay
meant to be u good loser anyhow.
There hud been moments when the
range-rider's heart had quickened with
a wild, Insurgent hope. One of these
hnd been on a morning when they were
riding In. the park, knee to knee, In
the dawn of a new clenn world. It hnd
come to lilin with n sudden clamor of
the blood that In the eternnl Tightness
of things such mornings ought to be
theirs till the yfluth In them was
quenched In sober uge. He hnd looked
Into the eyes' of this slim young Diana,
and he had throbbed to the certainty
that she too In thnt moment of
tangjed glances knew a sweet confu
sion of the blood. In her cheeks there
hnd been n quick flame of flying color.
Their talk hnd fallen from them, and
they had ridden In n shy, exquisite si
lence from which site had eslcaped by
putting her honse to a canter.
But In the sober sense of sanity Oluy
knew that this wonderful thing was
not going to happen to him. He was
not going to be given her happiness to
hold In the hollow of his hand. Bee
Whltford was a modern young woman,
practical-minded, with a proper sense
of tho values that the world esteems.
Clarendon Bromfleld was a catch even
in New York. He was rich, of a good
family, assured social position, good
looking, and manifestly In love with
her. Like gravitates to llko the land
over.
Bromfleld, too, hnd no doubt that
Bee meant to marry him. Ho was In
love with her as far as he could be
with anybody except himself. He
wanted her tlie youth, tho buoyant
life, the gay, glad comradeship of her
and he had always been lucky In
getting what he desired. That wbb
the uso of having been born with a
silver spoon In his mouth.
But though Clarendon Bromfleld
had no doubt of the Issue of his suit,
the friendship of Beatrice for this fel
low from k Arizona stabbed his vanity.
It hurt his clnss pride ana his personal
self-esteem that she should take pleas
ure In tho man's society. Bee never
had been well-broken to harness. He
set his thin lips tight and resolved
that he would stand no nonsense of
tills sort after they were married. If
she wanted to flirt It would have to bo
with some one In their own set.
Beatrice could not understand her
self. She knew that she was behav
ing rather Indiscreetly, though sho did
not fathom the cause of the restless
ness that drove her to Clay Lindsay.
Tho trnth Is that she was longing for
nn escape from tlie empty life sho was
leading, ffad been seeking ono for years
wltlibut knowing It. Surely thiSiround
of social frivolities, tho. chattor of
these silly women ana smug tnllor
mndc men, could not be nil there was
to life. She must have been mndo
for somothlng better than that.
Arid when sho was with Clay she
knew she had been. 4 He gavo her a
vision of life through eyes that had
known open, wldo spaces, clean, whole
some, nnd sun-kissed. He stood on his
own feet and did. his own thinking.
Simply, with both hiaids, he too', hold
of problems aud examined them
stripped of nil trimmings. The man
was elemental, but ho was keen nnd
broad-gauged. It amazed her ono day
to learn that ho had read William
Jamelj aud understood his philosophy
much better" than she did.
There was in her mind no Intention
whatever of letting herself do any
tiling so foolish as to marry him. But
thews woro moments when tho thought
of It had a dreadful fasclnntion for
her. Sho did not Invite such thoughts
to remain, with her.
For she' meant to accept Clarendon
Bromfleld In her own good time and
mako her social position In New York
absolutely secure. Sho hnd been In tho
fringes too long not to appreciate a
chanco to get Into the social Holy of
Hollos.
A bow-legged little man In a cheap
wrinkled x suit with a silk kerchief
knotted loosely round hla neck stepped
In front of n window where a girl was
selling stamps.
"I wnnttn see the postmaster," i
"Corrld'y'rlght Takel'vatorthlr'door-
left," she said, Just ns though It were
two words.
At that the freckled-face little fellow
opened wider his sklm-mllk eyes and
his " enk mouth. "Come ngnln, ma'am,
please."
"Corrld'y'rlght. Tnkel'vntorthlr'door.
left," she repeated. "Next."
The Inquirer knew us much ns ho
did before, but he lacked the courage
to nsk for an English translation. Ho
shuffled away from the window and
wandered helplessly, swept up by the
tide of hurrying people that flowed
continuously Into the building and
ebbed out of It. From this ho wns
tossed Into n backwuter thnt brought
hlm to another window.
"I wnnttn see the postmaster of this
burg," he announced again with a
plaintive whine.
"Whut about?" nsked tho man back
of the grutii'g.
"Important business, nmlgo. Where's
be ut?"
The man directed hlm to n door upon
which wns printed tho legend, "Super
intendent of Complnlnts."
"Well, sir I Whnt can I do for you?"
the man behind the big desk snapped.
"I wnnttn seo the postmaster."
"What nbout?"
"I got Important business with him."
"Who nre you?"
"Mo, I'm Johnnie Green of the B-In-a-Box
ranch. I Just dropped In from
Arizona nnd I wnnttn see the postmas
ter." "Suppose you tell your troubles to
me."
Johnnie changed his weight to tho
other foot "No, suh, I allow to seo
the postmnster himself personal."
"He's busy," explained tho ofllclal.
"Ho enn't possibly seo anybody with
out knowing his business."
"Thnt's nil right I've iost my pal.
I wnnttn see "
The superintendent of complaints
cut Into his parrot-like repetition.
"Yes, you mentioned thnt. But tho
postmnster doesn't know where he Is,
does he?"
"He might tell me where his mall
goes, ns the old sayln' Is."
"When did you lose your friend?"
"I ain't heard from him since he
come to New York. So bcin' as I got
a chanct to go from Tucson with a
Jackpot trainlond of cows to Denver, I
klnda made up my mind to come on
here the rest of the wny nnd look him
up. I'm afraid some one's done him
dirt."
"Do you know where he's staying?"
"No, suh, I don't."
The superintendent of complaints
tapped with his fingers on the desk.
Then he smiled. The postmnster was
fond of a Joke. Why not let this odd
little freak from the West have an In-,
tervlcw with him?
Twenty minutes later Johnnie was
telling his story to the postmaster of
the city of New York. He had written
three times to Clay Lindsay and had
received no answer. So he had como
to look for him.
"Is your friend like you?" asked tha
postmnster, Interested In spite of him
self. "No suh." Johnnie, nllna the Runt,
began to beam. "He's a sure-enough
go-getter, Clay Is, every Jump of tha
road. I'd follow his djfst any day of
the week. He's the llvest proposition
that ever come out of Graham county.
You can ce'talnly gamble on that"
The postmaster touched a button. A
clerk appeared; received orders, and
disappeared.
Tho clerk presently returned with
three letters addressed to Olay Lind
say, General'Dellvery, Now York. Tha
postmaster handed them to the little
cow puncher.
"Evidently he never called for them,"
he said.
Johnnie's chin fell. He looked a pic
ture of helpless woe. "They're the let
ters I set down nn' wrote him my own
Be!. Something litis sure happened to
that boy, looks like," ho bemoaned.
"We'll try pollcejieadquarters. May
be we can get a fine on your friend,"
tho postmaster said, reaching for the
"Go to Police Headquarters, Center
8treet, and Take This Note to Cant.
Luke Byrne."'
telephone. "Bui you must remember
New York is a big place. It's not lik
your Arizona ranch. The city has
nearly elgnt million innabitants.' YouU
understand that when one man geta
lost It Isn't always possible to find
hlrtL
TO BE CONTINUED