Part 23 (2/2)
”Perhaps uncle will retain you as cook,” said Randy, mischievously, and then he stopped short, for he did not wish to hurt Fred's feelings The supper passed off pleasantly, and Fred announced that he felt a hundred times better than the day previous
It was around ten o'clock, and the sun had just set over thethe Hollow in an uncertain, pale-blue light, which would last until sunrise at four, when athe trail frooin' on down to Sht a sneak thief by the naoin' ter ittin' down thar, if ye want ter see justice done!”
CHAPTER XXV
MORE WORK IN THE GULCHES
”They are going to lynch a fellow named Guardley!” ejaculated Earl ”I wonder if it can be Jasper Guardley”
”It must be; it's not likely there is another Guardley up here--the nao?”
Earl hesitated There was so, to his mind Yet he was curious to know more of the crime for which the prisoner was about to suffer
”Yes, we ht as well--if Fred atch the camp,” he answered
”I'll watch it as well as I can,” answered Fred The work he had been doing had tired hih to take it easy He knew Guardley, but took small interest in the man his father had sent up more than once for petty crimes
In less than fiveover the hills and along Gold Bottom Creek as rapidly as their tired limbs would carry them Smedley's, a settlement of two-score of tents and one board cabin where a few odds and ends could be bought, was nearly two miles distance, yet they arrived there in less than half an hour--fast time when the state of the trails they had travelled was taken into consideration
They found that the prisoner had been bound, hands and feet, and placed in the storerooht feet by twelve and hardly high enough for a uard, one with a gun, and the other with an old-fashi+oned horse-pistol over a foot long
”What do you want?” demanded one of the h the fast-gathering crowd ”This ain't no place fer a young rooster like you”
”I would like to see the prisoner, please,” answered Earl ”I think I know him”
”You ain't the feller's pard, are ye?” deuard, suspiciously
”No I am froings I wanted to find out if it was the same man”
”Say, is that Earl Portney?” canized Jasper Guardley's voice ”If it is, I'd like to talk to him”
”Yes, Guardley,” answered Earl ”What's the trouble?”
[Illustration: ”I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PRISONER, PLEASE”--_Page 196_]
”Can't you couards will allow it,” and Earl looked at the ot one,” was the reply, from the man who had first addressed Earl
”I haven't any pistol,” said the youth, and passed into the shed Randy was about to follow, but the guard stopped hih, my lad; you wait outside” And Randy fell back into the crohich kept increasing every minute
Fro held for the theft of eighty ounces of gold dust, which had been buried by aof his tent Cozzins had , and three otheraround the place, in company with another one, and Guardley had been ”collared” just as he was about to leave for Dawson City The , and it was likely that Guardley's crime would cost him his life