Six Feet Four

geing her cheeks as, withdrawing her regard from Thornto

l Henry Pollard

nness away from Templeton's lips. But it was gone in a

ow that you k

t seen him since I was six years old. I hardly know what he looks like. But y

vaguely. "Maybe they have disagreed about something. M

th her quirt. Then quickly, just as the banker was open

or bringing the money here? It

and Pollard made. Ten thousand down, five thousand in three days from now, the other five thousand in six months. Why, right now I wouldn't attempt to carry five

did

the table, and upon the prompt appearance of the cashier said crisply, "Five thous

care of himself," the girl said th

about upon her,

o? Varney is dead and the money he was carrying is gone, that's the chance he had! What chance has any man had for the last six months if he carried five hundred dollars on him and any one knew about it? They chase

eated again very sof

operating in broad daylight in this country now to separate a fool and his money! The Lord know

n to succeed," she we

ton sh

abruptly, looking at his watch. "The stage leaves

p and smiled at

its way, Mr. Templet

im mouth did not relax; there was anger in the gesture with which he slammed a blotter down on the big yellow envelope on which his wet pen h

down at him. "But this will do just as wel

ed by a look of muc

went inside. In the front part of the long, dreary room was the bar presided over by a gentleman in overalls, shirt sleeves and very black hair plastered close to his low forehead. At the rear wa

ckie," he s

d pink sheet spread on the bar, looked up quickly. For a short second a little gleam as of su

ied genially. "Where

spun a silver dollar on t

and putting them before the cowboy bes

news out you

ed. It was evident that the new owner of the Poison Hole was something of a stranger here. He called an order to the Chinaman at the sto

g personally the animal had its grain, and had come back to the saloon. Blacki

e high life, Buck?"

swinging about suddenly came back. "Bank business," he added quietl

the bartender's eyes, a great deal of significanc

Buck," he offer

on Hole? Yes. It's the b

your tail pocket an' get away with it wit

hrugged hi

t's one man with a confederate here and there maybe to keep him

ed his bar and

made a clean-up right in here playin' stud. They got his wad before

than one?" demande

seen the trail their horses made goin' through

t and left of him. But he heard their scraps of talk, noting that the one topic of conversation here in Dry Town was the work of the "stick-up party" manifesting itself in such episodes as the robbery and mur

a sheriff for. This sort of gun play's been runnin' high for nigh on six months now, an' Cole Dalton ain't boarded anybody

ican ticket, an' you ain't never saw a man yet as wasn't a Demmycrat as you'd admit was any 'count. Give him time. Cole knows what he's doin', an'

creak of the great lumbering vehicle and the quick thud of the hoofs of the four running horses several men

whip cracking like pistol shots over his leaders' heads, drove on until he had passed the Last Chance. An

ily. "Git a move on, will yo

de with a rifle between his knees, the two passengers craned their necks with much interest, the guard bestowed the box under the seat, the driver loosened his reins, threw off his brake, and the s

mused the tall cattle man, a look

. Then he looked swiftly at the man in front of him. It was Blackie, the bartender. When Blackie turned abruptly Thornton looked squarely int

heir shooting irons before they see the

lackie, making no answer, followed, going behind his bar. A little dusky red had crept up into h

k to the range, Buc

m, a little smile in his eyes. And then, as an after thought, "I follow the stage road for

ded Blackie in th

fun," Thornton told h

cki

ure something's goin' to

upon his heel,

ly. And then, "Say, did you notic

eal of emphasis into t

was that crooked eyed jasper I saw you stakin

r's hand dropped swiftly out of sight under his bar. Thornton's back was turned square upon him. And yet, as though he had seen the gesture and it had been full of significance to him, he whirled with a movement even quicker than Blackie's had been, and standing loosely, his hands at hi

y funeral," he muttered to himself. "But if they do, I know one little

ocking stage sweeping on to the south-east, already drawing close to the first of the wooded foothil