W. C. Tuttle

“ Then, out of the storm, came some bulky-looking objects, which, when they came into the glow of the lantern, proved to be two men and a horse.
They stopped, almost in reach of Bud, blocking him from the lantern, and began unpacking the horse. Neither of them spoke until their unpacking was done. The horse moved slightly ahead, and Bud saw one of them, the one on the further side, pick up a keg, balance it on his shoulder and disappear under the lantern.
“Put out the light when you come in,” ordered the man with the keg, and the one at the horse grunted a reply. ”

“ There was no question but what Joe was in league with Magee’s gang, and Bud smiled to himself at the thought of Grandon hiring Joe to spy on his own crowd.
Joe had mounted to the top of the bar and shouted for silence, as he held up a cupful of liquor.
“Listen to Joe Burgoyne!” he called. “Three days no police come to Kingsburg. Three days more and lots of them come. I know the police—me. I have not watched Eagle’s Nest all time for not’ing. I am goin’ to quit before the police come.
“When they come they find not’ing. I’m give this place to Magee, but he runs only hootch. ”

“ We left the team about a hundred yards from the burnin’ cabin, and when we came back it was gone.”
“The team and wagon gone?” Joe screamed, shaking the man by the shoulders. “Mon dieu!” He struck the man full in the face and sent him reeling against the wall.
The room was in an uproar. Came a sound of someone hammering on the wall, almost directly behind Bud. One of the men shoved Bud aside and flung the door open.
A man fairly fell into the room; a man who was hatless, coatless, and whose face was streaked with blood. One of the men grabbed him and held him against the bar. ”

“ He had no idea of what was ahead of him, and swore at himself for being a fool, but kept on going. He had left his rifle outside and was unarmed. As near as he could tell he had gone about a hundred feet, when he turned a corner and saw the light shining through an open door. ”