Part 38 (1/2)
His hand fell upon Crumb's collar and jerked hiun and turned it upon the intruder; but he was too close Billy grasped the barrel of the weapon and threw the er Then he wrenched it fro it once above his head and crashed the stock down upon dink's skull
dink went down and out for the count--for several counts, in fact Crumb stumbled to his feet and made a break for the door In the doorway he ran full into Bridge, winded, but ready The latter realizing that theto escape, seized a handful of his tangled beard, and, as he had done upon another occasion, held the traid position while he planted a series of blows in the fellow's face--blows that left Crumb as completely out of battle as was his e the shotgun Then he turned his attention to the wo knife that was to have ended her life he cut her bonds Re arms and carried her to the little horsehair sofa that stood in one corner of the parlor, laying her upon it very gently
He was thinking of ”Maw” Watson This woman resembled her just a little--particularly in her comfortable, motherly expansiveness, and she had had a kind word and a cheery good-bye for hi as he had departed
The wo just a little
The shock had been almost too much even for her stolid nerves Presently she turned her eyes toward Billy
”You are a good boy,” she said, ”and you coot all my money It's in their clothes,” and then a look of terror overspread her face For the otten what she had heard about this man--that he was an escaped convict--a convicted murderer
Was she any better off now that she had let him know about the money than she ith the others after they discovered it?
At her words Bridge kneeled and searched the two tramps He counted the bills as he removed them from their pockets
”Eleven hundred?” he asked, and handed the money to Billy
”Eleven hundred, yes,” breathed the woazed upon Billy's face She didn't care for the money any more--they could have it all if they would only let her live
Billy turned toward her and held the rureen mass out
”Here,” he said; ”but that's an awful lot o' coin for a woht not to a-done it”
She took the ers It see it to her
”But I knew it,” she said finally
”Knehat?” asked Billy
”I knew you was a good boy They said you was a murderer”
Billy's brows contracted, and an expression of pain crossed his face
”How did they come to say that?” he asked
”I heard them telephonin' to Kansas City to the police,” she replied, and then she sat bolt upright ”The detectives are on their way here now,” she almost screamed, ”and even if you ARE a et you after what you have done for ood boy My boy would be about as old and as big as you by now--if he lives He ran away a long tio--maybe you've met him His name's Eddie--Eddie Shorter I ain't heard from him fer years
”No,” she went on, ”I don't believe what they said--you got too good a face; but if you are a et out now before they co direction”
”But these,” said Billy ”We can't leave these here”