“Thank you, madam, for your offer, but I’m used to this life now and don’t want to change.”
The woman thought of the sleeping baby upstairs, and a tender smile came to her lips. That robbery was not reported to the police.
THE REWARD
By Herbert Heron
No one knew just how popular Cobbe was till Dick Walling shot him. It was Cobbe’s fault, but Walling didn’t wait to explain. Like others, he didn’t know the degree of the deceased’s popularity but he had a fair idea, and left Monterey as fast as his horse could take him. The animal was the speediest in the county.
He stopped at Parl’s on his way up the valley. Parl greeted him cordially. For half an hour they talked. The ’phone rang.
“That’s for me. I told Cobbe I’d stop here,” and with that Walling took down the receiver.
“Hello! This Mr. Parl’s. Oh, yes, you want me. What? Well, I’m damned! Not a sign. I’ll watch. Sure. What? How much? Whew!” He ended in a long whistle, and hung up.
“I’ll be sliding along now.” He shook hands, mounted, and rode toward Monterey till Parl shut the door. Then he circled, and went on up the valley. A thousand dollars reward, dead or alive! He knew now how popular Cobbe was.
They hadn’t even waited till the sheriff had failed to get him.