Page:Ritchie - Trails to Two Moons.djvu/255

 But just the minute I see this, in through the window there comes Timberline Todd and a lot of others, and they tackle me and put me out. What's the answer? They 'd grabbed her just before I come in and were planning to rush the jail through this way while a bunch of their outfit was keeping the town crowd busy on the street out front."

The leader of Teapot Spout strove desperately to get a grip on himself. The other's deductions seemed unassailable; he could conceive no reason why Hilma should have fled the protection of the sheriff's quarters, particularly with the uproar and shooting on the street; there was none in Two Moons, he believed, to whom she could have gone. But—kidnapping by the cow-punchers—why—why? Suddenly a thought drove home:

"Red, you did n't see this here Original Bill pile in through the window along with the rest?"

"No, Zang. That long old pine marten Timberline Todd 's only one I recognized, and when I land a warrant on to him, he's going to look through bars a mighty long time. What makes you mix up Blunt in this thing? He always plays 'em from the top of the pack pretty