Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
. - ,-,-;:ta.Y.u.‘
speaking in a manner not pleasing to his listener. Never-3
theless, he resolved to announce his belief boldly.
“Park Dwight had no hand in the murder of that
man. VVhatever else he may be, a crime like that is
beyond him. But it's useless to say so to the mustangers:
not only useless but perilous, in their present excited
state.
“I don't pretend to know how the thing occurred. nor
what has become of Dwiglit."
The frown on the ranchman's face had been growing
more forbidding‘.
"One would think you knew all about it. to hear you
talk. If Park Dwiglit didn't kill llroncho Bob. who
did ?”
“XVith your permission, that's what I propose to find
out. I want you to release me from my work here a
few days."
For a moment lilessington seemed inclined to refuse
the request.
“I don’t think that a search will amount to anything."
looking earnestly at Marniaduke. “Park l)wiglit either
in hiding not many miles from where the deed was coin-
mitted, or lie is on his way with the mustangs to some
market. In either event, he can hardly fail to be cap-
tured."
“Aiid if captured?"
“Iiiing’!"
"You will ;2;ive me the time ?" Marmaduke urged.
presume I shall have to. tliough I know you can
do zioiliing to prove your friend's innocence. Perhaps
I ctzuglit to blame you for wanting to try, But there's
one ‘tliing, Mat Klarmaduke: lf the inustangers learn
what you are doing‘ to tluvztrt them, there may be trou-
ble!"
Tliere was an undercurrent of deep meaning in these
words.
“I'll :'i.‘. it!" Ilarmaduke declared, understanding full
well the l1l(l(lt‘!l threat.
The niiistangei‘s would not be pleased to have one
of their number question the correctness of their judg-
ment, and take active measures to set aside their purpose;
and lllessington, if he so chose, could make this state-
ment a source of deadly peril to the detectixe.
Yet, realizing this, Mat Marmaduke left the house.
fully resolved on his line of conduct.
CHAPTER IX.
DwionT’s ADVENTURES.
The Mustanger Detective was right in his general
conclusion concerning Park Dwight. The young man had
been pguilty of neither murder nor theft.
On the night which witnessed the slaying of Broncho
Bob, the two had gone into camp without a thought of
danger. They had made a hard drive that day. and
the iiiii.-ttaiigs were now hoppled so that they could not
stray from the little valley in which they were held.
Near morning" Dwight was aroused by a rifle shot: and,
spiiiigiiig up, found himself covered by ritles in the hands
of two masked men, and Broncho Bob lying dead at his
feet.
The camp Fire had burned out, and only the faint
light of a waning moon served to reveal the tC1‘i’ll)iC
Sight.
Not a word was spoken by either of the men; and
Dwight was too liorror-stricken to utter a sound.
.- BRAVI.‘ AND BOLD.
r - . f tl men continued to threaten him with
a iifielktlitieotciheriietame forward and deftly secured his
hands with a bit of cord. I
Then they beckoned him to niovg 0" 1.“ ‘>!dV3“C‘3-
“VVhat is the meaning of this? he indignantly d9-
manded, finallv regaining his tongue-
Th.; only aiiswer was a prod from one Of the Weapons-
]-‘or 3 time fear kept him still. Then he broke out
dgiilnwant to know where you are taking me’ and What
vou intend to do with me ?" ,
' ..h- W“ (10131 :<l]L‘L up, I'll blow the top 0 yer ‘head
off!" was the consoling reply; ."Rettcr 7bC Saym Yer
prayers ‘stead o' argifyin'l “e re argom to treat you
well, if you'll let us." . H U ,
He faiicied there was something familiar in the dis-
guised and husky tones of the speaker. '
With (1 desire to draw further words from him, he
continued:
"“'hat did lironcho Bob or I ever do to cause you to
use us in this way?" ,
"The sniartest nien air them what holds their tongues.
If mu mm ,0“ much, Va 1i‘];1c to find yerself in the same
condition as llronclioiliob. if that's what ye called the
feller." . ,
This assumption of ig11Or2111CC, Dwight bcllevedl W35
meant to deceive him.
He hoped the other masked man would say some-
thing; but no sentence of his could draw a word trom
that individual.
For more than an hour he was marched through the
hills: and after manv twists and turns intended to be-
wilder him, he was brought before the door of a dug-
out. Dav was not vet at hand, and he could see little of
the nature of the <liigout's surroundings. It was located
in a hollow, and was well screened by busllcs. This
much, and only this much, he could determine.
The dugout was opened; and when the bonds had
been removed from his wrists, he was thrust into it,
and the door closed and barred behind him.
There was one narrow aperture just above the door,
and through this he could see the men as they moved
awav. A familiar something in the walk of one of
them-the one who had so pertinaciously remained silent
-brought to him a startling suggestion. Heretofore he
had not been able to observe the peculiar stride of this
man, owing to the fact that he had been forced to move
in advance.
“It cant be!" with starting eyes, as he peered after
the receding figures. “Surely, it can be! And yet, I
would know that walk anywhere. It must be the ranch-
maxi himself-and the other is Pinto Bill!”
The discovery-if it was a discovery-was so over-
whelming in its suddenness and unexpectedness, that for
a time his mind reeled, and he could only gasp his sus-
picions in a horrified and parrot-like way.
Previous to this. he had no thought that John Blessing-
ton could be in any way connected with the killing of
lroncho Rob. And even now, he could not fully believe
that he had seen and guessed ariglit.
“"tiy should Blessington commit or abet in so foul a
crime? What could the ranchman expect to gain by it?
Ile hrid apparently reposcd full trust and confidence in
the mustanger. Certainly Broncho Bob had done noth-
ing. so far as Dwight knew, to merit such a fate at the
hands of the ranchman.
. . . -e.v..-....,.‘..,.........
l
4
me...“