PAGE f
Ym,
if i tafedl
"Y know how
much toasting im
proves bread. Makes
it taste good. Of course
more ilavor.
Same with tobacco
especially Kentucky
Hurley.
Huy yourself a pack
age of Lucky Strike
cigarettes. Notice the
toasted flavor. Great!
Nothing like it. The
real Hurley cigarette.
Ql Gunranteed by
CROOKED TRAILS
STRAIGHT
COPYF2.IGHT.riV G.W. DILLIGHAM COMPANY
PART I
ii Curly.
I CHAPTER I.
Following a Crooked Trail.
Across lry valley h dul cloud ti h 1
been moving for hours, it rolled Into
Kaguacho at the brisk heel' of n bunch
f horses Just about Hie time tli town
was settling Itself to miij mt. From
out of tlw Ik-h it of It cantered h rider,
who swung Ills pony us on a liulf dnl
lar, and J-fl -T ! thu reinuda toward
Chunu's corral.
The rlil?r was In the broad rimmed
felt liat, the gray ft. tlif plain leath
er chaps of a vmiuero. Cndcr other
conditions lie might have been a col
lege freshman for age, but Hie compe
tent conhMeuee of manhood sat eiiNlly
ou bis broad shoulders. Curly r'lun
drau hud more Itinn onee looked Into
tii Chill eyes of ileiith.
The leaders of Hie herd dribbled Into
the corral through the open pile, mid
the others crowded on Ihelr heels.
Three more riders followed Curly Into
the Inclosure. One of them, u red
haired young fellow of about the same
ace as Curly, kmiii sliilly fcom the
saddle.
"Me for a square meul first off," he
gar out promptly.
"Not till we've tlnlshed this business,
Mac. We'll put n deul right through If
Warren's here," decided a third mem
ber of the party, lie was u lough look
ing customer of nearly fifty. "Hail Hill"
Cranston be whs culled, and the inun
looked us if he had en rued his sobri
quet ""And what if lie Hln't here?" snarled
Lute Blackwcll. "Are you aiming to
It down and wait for him?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we
come to It," Hud Hill answered. "Curly,
want to ride up to the hotel and a;k
If Mr. Dave Warren U there? Bring
Mm right down If be Is."
The young mini cantered up the
dusty street toward the hotel.
"Thought you'd fixed It with this
Warreu to be right ou the sp; so's
we could unload on him prompt."
Klackwell grumbled at Crunston with
out looking toward the latter.
"I didn't promise he'd be banging
round your neck soon us you hit town,"
Crunston retorted coolly.
The owner of the corral sauntered
from the atuble and glanced over the
bunch of horses milling around.
"!rlve all the way from Har Double
M?" asked the keeper, his eyes on the
brund slumped ou the flunk of a pony
circling past.
"Yep."
Had Hill turned nwny and began to
unsaddle.
"Looks like you been hitting the road
at a right lively gnlt."
Mac cut In. "Shoulder of my brone'e
chafed from the saddle. Qot anything
that'll heal It?"
"You bet I have." The man hurried
Into the atuhle and the red-headed cow
puncher winked across the back of his
horse at Hill.
The keeper of the stable and the
young man were still busy doctoring
the sore when Curly arrived with War
ren. The buyer was a round bodied
man with black gimlet eyes that saw
inuch he never told. The bargain he
drove was a hard one, but It did not
take long to come to terms at about
one-third the value of the string he
was purchasing. Very likely he had
bis suspicions, but he did not voice
them. No doubt they cut rt figure In
the price. He let It bo understood
that lie was a vupply agent for the
rebels In Mexico. Hel'ore the bills were
warm In the pockets of the sellers, his
vuqucros were mounted and were
moving the remuda toward the border.
Curly and Mac helped them get
started. As they rode buck to (he cor
ral a young man came out from the
stable. Flandrau forgot that there
were reasons why fee. wanted. Just ttaw
to lie a stranger In the land with his
Identity not advertised. He let out a
about.
"Oh, you. Slats Da vis I"
"Hello. Curly I How are things
a-coniln'?"
"Fine. When did you Mow In to
Saguache? Ain't yon ofT your run
some?"
They hal ridden the range together
and had frolicked around on a dozen
boyish larks. To put It mildly the
meeting was likely to prove embarrass
lug. "Canve down to see about getting
some cows for the old man from the
Flddlebaek outfit," Davis explained.
"You riding for the I'.nr Double M?"
There was a momentnry silence.
Curly's vigilant eyes met those of his
old side partner. What did Sluts
know? Were bis suspicious already
active?
"No. I'm riding- foe the Mat of
Texas," Flandrau answered evenly.
"Come on, Curly. Let's go feed our
faces," Mac called from the stable.
Flandrau nodded. "You still with
tbe Hashlcnlfe?" he as lord Davis.
"Still With 'em. Tve been raised to
assistant foreman.
"Bully for you. That's-great All
right, Mac, I'm coming. That's sure
great, old hoss. Well, seo you later,
Slats."
Flandrau followed Mac, dissatisfied
with himself for leaving hLs friend so
cavalierly. He guessed Slats would be
hurt, but he hud to think ef his part
ners In this enterprise.
After supper they took a room at
the hotel anil drvlded the money War
ren had paid fr the horses. None
of them had !1t for thu last fifty
hours and Mac proposed to tumble
Into bed at oncv.
Bad Bill snook his head. "I
wouldn't, Mac. 'Lot's hit fhe trail and
do our sleeping m Hie hills. There's
too many telephone lines Into this
town to suit me."
"Shol Our plas isn't to lilke out
like we were scnAed S,UT or some
thing. What e want to do Is to act
as If we could'look eviery Earned cltl
ren In the faxe. Mac's feure rfght,"
Curly agreed. '
"You kids Viake ne tired. I'm going
to dust -muy prtonto," mack well
snarled, i
"Sure. Whenever you lHt. You
got to srfllt up anyjvow," Mao said.
Bad Will looked at Blucku.ell and
nodded. "That's fright. We dVn't all
want to pull a blue streak. Thnt
would be a dead jgtve away. Eet the
kids atay If they ivant to."
"So) as tQqry can round on us if
they're nabbext," Blackwell sneered.
OnatMton called hint dofvn roughly.
"Thjat'U be enough along that line,
Lute. I don't stand for auy more
cra,kM like It,"
'BltCkwe.lL not thr mouth out
frotn fhe penitentiary, faced the other
with an ukI.V look In his eyes. He was
always ready to quarrel, but be did
not like to fight unless he had a sure
thing. '. ,
"Didn't mean any harm," the er
convlct growled. "But I don't like this
sticking around town." -
"Then I wouldn't stay If f were
you," Curly suggested promptly, "Mac
and I have got a different no
tion. Bo well tie to Saguache for a
day or two."
As soon ai the older rnen tmd gone
the others tumbled Into bed and fell
asleep at once. Daylight was sifting
In through the open window before,
their eyes opened. Somebody was
pounding on the bedroom door,
Mac was already out of bed when
hi partner's feet hit the floor.
"What's up. Mac?"
I
- i -n. i i a. i n ii
K . t -T" II"1.
v I I 'I
MM
I ; J , V
K7
! ith i
"They're After You." He Sai-J.
The eyes of the relbeH!ed puncher
g!eiiTiiP( with excitf-tnent. His six
tun v.hs In his hand. By the look of
him he was about reiidy to whang
xe through the door.
"Hold your horses, you chump,"
Curly sung. out. "It's the hotel clerk.
I left a call with him."
"That you. Curly? For God's sake,
let me InJ'
Xlefore he had got the words out the
door was open. Slats came in and
shut It behind him. lie looked at
Flandrau.
"They're after you," he said.
"Whor fired Cnrly back at him. '
"The Har Double M boys. Thej
Jtint reached town."
"Put up that gun, Mac, snd move
Into your clothes Immediately," or
dered Curly. Then to Davis: "Oo on.
Unload the rest. What do they know?"
They Inquired for you and your
frier.d true h,u at the Legal Ten
der." "Have we got a chance to make ohr
getaway?" Mac asked.
Davis nodded. Slide out through
tbe kitchen, cut into the alley, and
aero Ion to the corral. We'll lock
the door and I'll hold them here long
as I can."
"(Jood boy. Slots. If there's a neck
lie party you'll get the first bid,"
Curly grlnnnd.
S::ifs looked nf hlrn, cold and steady.
I'lalior than words he was telling his
former friend that he would not Joke
wl h ii horie thief, fur the sake of old
times he would save him If he could,
but he v.ould call any bluffs about the
.(hole thins b-llis u lurk.
Cuily's ees fell away. It came to
him for the first time that he was no
looir-r an honest man. Cp till this
e-i-iiptoie he had been only wild, but
now he hud crossed 'he Hue that sep
arntes decent folks frotn outlaws.
Not another word was said while
they hurried Into their clo'lits. Hut
as Curly passed out of the door he
ended bark htiskf.'y." "Won't forget
what you done for us. Slats."
A;;a!ri their eyes m-t. Davis did
not speak, hut the chill look on his
face told I'iundrau that lie had lost a
friend.
The two jouTin men ran down the
buck sta rs, passed through the kitch
en where u Chinese cook was getting
hreaki'ant, auj out Into the bright sun
light. "Won't do to be In any hurry. The
play Is we're gentlemen of leisure, Just
out for an amble to get the mo'nlng
air," Curly cautioned,
A town is judged largely by Its
batiks. The First National Bank of
Springfield is one of this town's
greatest assets. Are you helping to
make it stronger by your patronage?
News, $1.75 per year In advance. .
7
"SSmbert" will pay these extremely
high pr!cc3 for Oregon Furs
hi tXISA LAsi G j N;l LARGE I N?l MEDIUM
N3I SMALL
TO VtACl
N9 2 "
1
M 1 N EC
Fine, Dark 125.00 to 20.00 !S.00tOl3.W 14.C0 to 12.00 10.00 to 8.00(10.00 to 5.00
Usual Color 18.00 to 14.00 12.00 to 1Q.C1 9.091a 7.53 7.00 to 6.C0 7.00 to 3i0
Coast ll2.0u to 10.00 9 C0 to 7.5) 7.00 to 6.00 1 5.50 to 4.50 5.50 to 3.00
- MUSKRAT
I Winter I 6 00 to 5.00 1 4.75 to 3.b 3.50 to 2.75 1 2.50 to 1.75 I 2.50 to liO
I Fall 1 4.50 to 3.75 1 3 50 to 2.75 2.50 to 2.00 1 1.75 to 1.50 1 1.75 to 15
SKUNK
' ' UUTUtAfiai Nil LARGE N?l MEDILM I Ni) SMALL I tiOOU CKPUMB
IMMf.l 1'T3 AvIICI H'RA TQ VtBV0I HTATQ AVgMfcl J TO $ 1 aMUTY
BaaaaaaaB sia - - -1 T - - ' T r -' - ' ' '
BLACK 15.00 to 12.00 11.00 to 9.00 8.50 to 8.00 7.50 to 7.00 7.00 to 3i0
SHORT 10.00 to 9.00 8.50 to 7.50 7.25 to 6.75 6.50 to 5.50 6.00 to 3.00
NARROW 7.50 to 6.50 63 to 525 5.00 to 450 4.00 to 3.50 350 to 150
BROAD 5.00 to 4.0Cf 350 to 3.C0 2.75 to 225 2 CO to 150 150 to .75
k NAME.
ii yr-
1
L
These extremely high prices are based on the well-known "SHUBERT'
liberal grading and 8re quoted for immediate shipment. No. 3, No. 4,
and otherwise interior skins at hiphest market value. For quotations on
other Oregon Furs, write for "Cfct aVljubrrt gVbipptr." the only relinblo
and accurate market report and price list of its kind published. It'a FREE
Writ for it.
A shipment to "SHl'BEBT" will result In "more money" "quIckar.M
II you have no "SHUBKHT TAG ENVELOPES" on hand, cut aut tag
below paste on piece ul cardboard aad attach to your thlpmeut.
Dept. 1948
.R.F.D..
.BOX N?.
STATE,
COUNTY-
THE LARGEST HOUSE IN THE WORLD
DEALING EXCLUSIVELY IN
AMERICAN RAW FURS
25-27 WEST AUSTIN AVE CHICAGO, U.S.A.
I