The Long Dim TrailHooker, Forrestine C. (Forrestine Cooper)
General
The Long Dim Trail
Hooker, Forrestine C. (Forrestine Cooper)
Arizona -- Fiction; Cowboys -- Fiction; Ranch life -- Fiction; Western stories
"One of 'em. The others had a good start; but a strong posse with relay
horses is trailing them. Three-fingered Jack is dead." Graham watched
the effect of his information.
Alpaugh started, but recovered himself. "Dead? Was he one of them? Well,
you know he's always had a fishy reputation."
"He was wounded by the express messenger. Lived long enough to make a
full confession."
"Who?" asked Alpaugh, trying to appear unconcerned.
"Hold up your hands, Dick. Don't make trouble. I've got to arrest you."
Limber controlled his amazement, and in obedience to a nod from Graham,
removed the pistol from Alpaugh's hip pocket. Then Graham told his
prisoner he might put down his hands.
The constable laughed in amusement. "Well, I might get mad if it wasn't
all so darned foolish. I can't figure out whether you are off your
cabeza, Tom, or if it was Three-fingered Jack trying to get back at me
because I arrested him once." His voice dropped and his face grew
serious. "I don't want my wife to know this. It's all a big mistake and
you'll find it out later on; but I don't want her to worry. You've got
to do your duty, Tom, so I haven't any hard feelings against you or
Limber. I'd like to make an excuse to Jennie about going away, if you
don't mind."
"All right. Don't stir up trouble, Dick; that's all," warned Graham.
"It's too silly to make any row over," Alpaugh answered with open
contempt as he walked to the hall door and called to his wife, "I've got
to go out of town at once, Jennie. Graham wants me. There's been a
hold-up near Cochise. Don't get worried if I'm gone several days. I
won't need any war-bag. Be back as soon as I can make it."
Mrs. Alpaugh was a plump, quick body, with brown eyes, brown skin,
smooth brown hair and alert way of cocking her head on one side, much
like an impudent sparrow. She came on the porch and smiled at them.
"I might as well be an old maid," she pouted. "Dick is away nearly all
the time, lately."
"Good-bye, Jennie," interrupted her husband, fearing she might
innocently complicate matters.
"Don't let the train-robbers catch you all," she laughed as they headed
across the street, where Alpaugh was taken to a room in the hotel, to be
held in custody until the Sheriff from Tombstone, the County seat,
should arrive.
Limber and Graham walked together from the hotel. "Got to get our
horses," said the officer.
At the Cowboy's Rest they were joined by other men who were waiting.
Limber flung the saddle on Peanut, adjusted the headstall of the bridle
and mounted.
Out on the street Graham rode up to him, and Limber's eyes met his. "Who
else, Tom?"
"Glendon," was the reply.
The cowboy twisted quickly in his saddle, his face filled with
consternation. "How did he get in?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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