Part 14 (2/2)
”An' wot?” queried The Sky Pilot
”Dere's de swaested Soup Face
”I was tinkin' of de swamp,” said Columbus Blackie
”Eddie and I will return Miss Prim to her bereaved parents,” interrupted The Sky Pilot ”You, Blackie, and Soup Face can arrange matters with The Oskaloosa Kid I don't care for details We will all ht toon this job, boes”
”You spit a mout'ful then,” said Colu way and means
”We'd better wait until they're asleep,” counseled The Sky Pilot ”Two of us can tackle this Bridge and hand him the ko quick Eddie and Soup Face had better attend to that Blackie can nab The Kid an' I'll annex Miss Abigail Prim The lady with the calf we don't want We'll tell her we're officers of the law an' that she'd better duck with her live stock an' keep her trap shut if she don't want to get mixed up with a murder trial”
Detective Burton was at the county jail in Oakdale adree to Dopey Charlie and The General when there ca distance telephone call for him
”hello!” said the voice at the other end of the line; ”I'ain?” queried Burton
”Really,” asserted Willie ”I knohere she's goin' to be all night I heard 'euy an' the girl I seen with the dead ot a BEAR!” It was al Mr Priht south of Payson, an' say, do I get the whole reward?”
”You'll get whatever's co to you, son,” replied Burton ”You say there are two men and tomen--are you sure that is all?”
”And the bear,” corrected Willie
”All right, keep quiet and wait for ht on ht up into the air When you see it coet into the middle of the road and wave your hands to stop us Do you understand?”
”Yes,” said Willie
”And don't talk to anyone,” Burton again cautioned him
A few minutes later Burton left Oakdale with his two lieutenants and a couple of the local police at ever accelerating speed as it left the town streets behind it and swung sht when four ht nor any sign of life within as they crept silently through the doorless doorway Coluht around the interior revealing four forms stretched upon the floor, deep in slumber Into the blacker shadows of the far end of the rooht for the first flash had shown hi out their quarry the intruders e awoke to find twoto rainand full of the vigor of a clean life, he pitted against their greater numbers and cowardly attack a defense which was infinitely more strenuous than they had expected
Columbus Blackie leaped for The Oskaloosa Kid, while The Sky Pilot seized upon Abigail Prim No one paid any attention to Giova, nor, with the noise and confusion, did the intruders note the sudden clanking of a chain from out the black depths of the roo
Soup Face entangling hi the latter to the floor while Dirty Eddie kicked viciously at the prostrate ail Prih the girl fought valiantly to free herself her lesser muscles were unable to cope successfully with those of the man Coluain and again the youth struck hi down the sli viciously at body and head until, at last, the boy, half stunned though still struggling, was dragged from the room