The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7944, 6 October 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

LOCO JONES'S MISTAKE. (Continued.) Orcar's tongue was loaded with pulpit c-xh«rtations, but "Reing a man of excellent sense, he retrained from replying, knowing thai■,•"'>"';"" »£J be illicit to these h*"h'»« scoundrels would he worse than u=<.""""Coinc here, Hill," la>co said, as his companion returmd wilh the »">' ponies ; "Wing a lariat with you. V\e will have to bundle him up, I reckon, for he might play up with, us if we let him run loose. Put your hands behind von. Clear." "I shall do no such tiling, ' drear cried indignantly. "Already 1 have |xrinitlod \ou too inueli liberty with an ordained minister of the gospel. You had better ideas' me at o'lee and Rive over vour villatous designs. l!c sure no gn«l will come to you In.m UK" clolhes you wear." Hill guffawed again, bin Lic.i smiled, dangerously. "Dear me," hv said with a lisp, "our littl.' lam:i has (eeth. Hut put your hands behind your tack, man. Do as I trfl yew, ' be snarled, as Orear shovrid no sign 01 obciing; and the tempestuous lire tt«l sprang into his eyes was as certain a warning as the buir of a rattlesnake. Greur complied with an ill 'race* and in a moment he was lyingC bound and gaffed, upon the werd-grown nV.r of the old cabin. "There," Loco said, "good-bye. Orear. I really don'i know whether or not anyone comes near Ibis place; bu( if yiou hear footsteps I would advise you to groan ; and if you are not taken for a jtliost you may lie K leased. Otherwise '' ""ome on, rot it !" shoiifed Hill, and Loco bowed and wavul bis baud from the doorway. "My partner is rather impetuous," « be said, ' 'and his summons seems pressing. By the way, Orear, 1 may take a notion to tell the bank prosj- ; dent where to find you." He stepped outside, and the sun- . ll.chl streamed in upon the dirt Hour. - For a time fircar lav quiet, listcnim \ .to the ring ami clatter of the ,-. horses as (hey slowlv went down the blllsKle: and then he groaned aloud ', His bonds were well fastened strug-

•>le as 1,.' w.mld. !„ cttU ii"l*stau .? kno! ..I in any t. Ip rolli.l '." '-'< doorway .''however, an 1 alter some trouble tumbled out into Hie open. Here he c«,iild 1..0k down ! Ute wtiod.il mil into the valici helow, when- tie white „aggoii-rond Wound along the nook botiom. Il might l,e p. to i"H down the 1.111. Ilillliilmg met the l-e'.is and iwis'.ut" ii.r,.U';h the t lin.Kf. but that would lair se-.ti.il h..iiis. ami would leave him m no condition to tell Ins slot y t.l |ilil lbe I own oi ltlaek Y alley en its -.. it,:. An I. abo'.e everything e!s.', (ileal waimil I> iruslialo (he plans oi whose who had treated I.mi so iraially. ile bad always supposed luniselt a mild mannered and gentle man, hut now-bis l.iiiV'.'i was ihoroughlv aumstti. he foigot that be was lite l.ct.-.i ol St. IViei's. an.l |he tbrobhid with a von-ciul passion as he sliain.-.l at lb-' r«l»'s. He tumbled ami wiithcl over the ground, andal last, utterly vvvaiud. the lav (line!. Ins ciasl tumulluotisly 'beavihg. -The camp-fne still flickered and Miiouhlii'.i in at by, and .is' tb ■ wini! blew a stn-am oi smoke aens-i ; the mints!el s face, he suddenly tailed and s, t his l.eth together. A new e\;:i.-x. il setibd.n b:si.i-' a.s ; be slowlv wormed his way «».Vard.s lbe lire"; Ihi n h- knell, leaned backward and si rained until his hound hands hovel,,! ovei a nick*ring log'llis face uvw p..le. Hushed ci illlson. laud pal«-d~ a,ain. an expression ol lagoiiv spread itself over his features, I but he steadiasllv retained his posi- ! tiun. Willi a snap the last si lands lot the hunicd rope fe'l away, and the minister tumbled over upon tin, 'ground ami smothered the lire Horn i bis fiannel shirt, lbs wrists and ■arms were hurn.d so badly that the ■skin already was peol.ng away, although m his eagerness his pain seemed oi little moment. He removed the gag and untied Hie rope That bound his ankles, ami then, catching 1 up Loco's bro..d-hriniiiied. dirty hat, ' he turned ami ran down tin- hill. 1 ■ H seeim-d almost providential lo , bim that, when he came out frum among the pines and again caught sigln of the road. ~ liorsunan was slowly riling 10w.u.l- him. Invar rc- ', S doublid Ins speed, and the traveller. '' as he saw ti'ie ligtire racing towards L ' him, reined in his horse. Cirear tri- ' led to irv out. but his voice was '. I gone, and' only an inaiticulale shout :.sounded. .1 "What's the mattir ''' criil the ', ;.-,tr..r.gi-r. "Wl.* ar. you .' Hold <m ' . there ! Don' come any m-are!'," and ' | be drew a iuavv revolver, and bran- ; idished it wamingH. Hut Clear ran on. ' | "Wait !" iw gasp;d. "Haiik-Lo-i '-L..C-I '" sa.eiil.d the lider, his face ', sutldeiilv liiinai; ash, n wi-ii fei.i. 1 "(iciHl God •■• He tnm'ib.l Ironi lis J horse, sci, :nide.i lo Ins let I, ,:il with , a mi'il oi "Don't :-!n-.oi '' sprang terror-s.nck. ;i, towards the woodc', I l:i:i behind him. " I (irear t,;.|;.|Kd end • >,w I Js he " liiioppnl 1.,s blow "Win.! shall I " 'do -.'•' he ihoni'iit. "llh ' what shall II -1 do'.' 'il.,-v will ..el awav '" s _ j Tli-n he isj.nd II:.' .:r„n_e: s n- {' jvolver I-, ing in the .hist no r whtre |ll,e hois, was qiiiellv c|-oi';-i:g the '■ !road,i..V -iv.s. r I "I'll do il myself.'' he excitedlv • |Cricil. as he eanghi np t|„- revolver ■" land s!.j., v ,| ~ ,„,„ -,],_. ~,..,,:.,■ | ; „1- " Istti. I„ a „ „,it more Ike horse's ( ' (brad vva- T ■-! lit <1 ait, and ill- Hev. It'ltal'is Circ.r was niadlv nailoping • ilowai'is I'.lac;, \allev. 11 I The ln.rv was insj. . ll; ,l i],., sharp ~ |roWels i.! in,- t.lil ia'.V VVele ll■ e i With la viguii;- .oi! a !h,-mg!i:les, inieltv s that at a:iv ..ihi r tine wo:i!.l have y shock, il H„. minis:, r inn:,,: ..ir.J.lv. 1- Up hill ~ml ibran h- ra<v,l. i'.e r..ck v spurs ea'elnr.g lbe vvihl and i- echoim: it i ; .• hn.dn.l 1.-.s. ' Il.ro '■ (ami there s ; .n„c.i;e peend at him g j from a cabin, or a team basic jlily turned aside lo giv ( . him a free ie passage. Tin n a i,,| ine.vd.: ni-igay-I. ine lor.mt-,1 np ~n the inige i ,j. t -* = ji If :- 'him. and, i.mmiing the summit he

saw below him the cluster of houses that constituted Hie town. llis horse was liicked with white, and his own face was ijlaekened and idust-grinied pasi recognition. A lew 'men began to appear in the main |stnet, and as ho rushed past Hie first houses he hoard a loud shout of "Loco:"' The men before him tumIhlotl into houses and bars, anil a rifle-bullet sang past somewhere in the rear. Hut before much shooting could be done, lie bail piilltvl the horse to its haunches before the door oi the Hlack Yalley Hank. The, llev. Charles (irear had that day done many things, the narration oi which would surprise and shook Ins parishioners, but he was destined u, do much more. He had hardly leached the door of the hank when a bullet skinned his cheek, and through the Miioko he saw the bearded face of Hill Cuniniiiigs lowering at himAnother bullet knocked Hie hat from his head. "Take that !" yelled Hill with' an accompaniment of lurid oaths. "And that !" Ureal' shouted hack, adding something which no minister should say under the heaviest provocation. He whipped out his own revolver, ami as Hill's third bullet sang past, he replied to it. Hill uttered a yell of agony, and doubled up on the floor. A! the same in.i tan I an inner door hurst open, and lbe ministerial Loco sprang out, while, from the street half a dozen rillrs anil revolvers began a fusillade. It was pure luck that the ministor's shot hit Loco's right baud as the revolver was raised, hut it did so, and the outlaw dropped his weapon and danced about in agony. Then there was a wild uproar. Clerks anil patrons sprang up Iro'ii behind, the impromptu ban itade'\ Ike wbiti-haired pnsihnl rushed mil ami fell upon Hie outlaw, and the citizens of Hlack Valley, headed by their marshal, stormed Hie haul:.

Why be was not instantly killed Kii.o.i- did nut know. He had a contused idea of matiy lingers on his I'r.-al, and ih, n he found the president shaking hands with a fervent zeal, while the marshal ,-nd as many citizens as could crowd neat were punctuating the bank official's eulogy with sundry yells and thumps upon the chest. The lest of lbe citizens seemed to be cm-aged in dragging Loco and bis partner lo ih,- log jail.