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Show By J. ALLAN DUNN 1 S ! ' OorriLt, isa.br J, AUoitui o i il V. A BENCH WARRANT STNOrSltWTo the Three-Bar ranch, Arliona, owned Jointly by Bandy llourka, "Mormon" Peters and "floJa-Water Sam" Manning, a fine colli makes Its way, In the - lait singes of exhaustion. Inscrlp- f tlon on Hi', collar says Its name la b Grit, 'property of P. Casey." 0 Bcontlnst a deiort trasody, Bourke . and 8am mount and let the dog 11 lead them. The two find a dying u man, Patrick Casey, pinned under t! an overturned wagon. Knoollng i, benlde the wagon li his young daughter Molly, fifteen. They ex I trlcate the old proipector, who dies K repeating "Molly-mlneal" 'Til S look out for that, pardner," aaya i. Sandy. It la agreed that Molly ' ataya na mascot tst the ranch, ihe 1 and the "Three Musketeer" bo- V coming partners In the mlnee. Bandy Insists upon an education i. for Molly. Jim Pllmsoll, gambler, visiting the ranch. Insults Molly. 8 lie claims he srubstakod Casey, g which made him the old man's o partner. Mormon drives him off. 0 Starting with a gold eagle, Molly's . luck piece, Bandy, with Sam, plays 11 faro at PllmaoU'a place, winning 0 110.000. It Is arranged that Molly c shall go East to bo "eddlcated." A neighbor, Miranda Bailey, warns . the ranchers that Jim Pllmsoll, as' " Patrick Casey's "partner," claims tl guardianship of Molly, and the au- Bl thorltles stand In with him. Bandy n determines to take the girl to New Mexico, to nn old friend, Barbara Redding, for advice. J I ll ' P I , CHAPTER VI Continued. fl V f ,' Molly enmo out on tho porch enrry- J r Ing a nmnll grip pnekod with her few w 'i belongings, Orlt beside her. Sandy t' nodded to her, busy giving lnstruc- n tlons to two riders, Monnon and Sam nl waved and sho went over to them, li winging up to tho roll beside them. t "Jim," said Sandy, "I want you b should rldo out to'ards Hereford nn' o hide out atop of Bald butto. You d don't need to stay thero any later than noon. Tnko a flash-glass with s you. If any of the sheriffs crowd n ' comes erlong, anyone who looks llko h , he might be servln' papers, snbo, you r ' flash n message. Make It a five-flash fo' anything suspicious, n Uiree-flush li ,, fo' anyono shackln' this way, oven If v I you flgger thoy'ro plumb harmless." c "Seguro, Miguel." With the slang phrase, Jim, an upstanding young f, chap, despite his horse-bowed legs, t walked over to tho bunk houso for u llash-mlrror and gun, camo back to b his nlready cnught-up and saddled f, hone, and went streaming off for tho Bald butto In a cloud of dust. Sandy called to Duck Porches, oldest of his k riders, whoso exposed skin matched tho leathor of his saddle a "Buck, of any visitors arrives whllo wo'ro gono, you entertain 'era a same as I w'ud. I w'udn't bo but- i , prised but what Jim Pllmsoll 'ud bo a r moseyln' orlong, with Sheriff Jordan t an' raobbo ono or two mo'. Mo' tho roorrler. Thoy'U bo lookln' fo' mo an' d Miss Molly with somo rcadln .matter that's got a seal to tho bottom of It s We won't bo to homo. You'll be tho q r only one to homo 'ccpt Pedro an' Joo. b Thoy've got their Instructions to know b i nothln'. You you'vo stayed to the ti ' ranch to da seme flzln' of yoro saddle. c 5 Started, but como back when yoro I cinch bu'stod. Babe? All the rent r ef the riders Is on the rnngo 'tendln t business. When tliey left, an' when h I you left with 'em, me an' Mormon nn' ' Sam, with Miss Molly, was all here. I V So you supposed. Don't let 'em think f yo're planted to feed 'cm Info'matloa. iUp to you, Buck, to act natclierul." n "I'll sure do that .I,sabe the play." ' "Then well light out aoon's we're g packed. Got yore war-bag, Molly f' "I haven't said good-by to Dad, or w Orlt," she said. I Sandy nodded, "Beckon you'd llko ' ,to do that alone. Suppose you tako b i Orlt with ydu to tho spring an' then lea to him up In yore room." "Ho knows I'm goln'. I told him last night, but he knew It 'thout that" I Molly spoko In a monotone Sho was I pale and her eyes showed lock of I sleep, but sho had fought tho thing I -out with horself and she was going J ' ' to be game. She gavo Sandy her grip R and walked off toward tho cotton- f woods. Orlt nosed along In her shadow, his muzzlo touching her skirt h It was still cool, tho dust rose about f ithcra In eddies as the thrco Muskotcers land Molly crossed the slowly descend- !lng slope of tho sink that presently mounted again" toward tho far-off range. Klthcr Mormon or Sam sat always with neck twisted, watching for a flnsh-slgnal from the buttc. Some- ;tlmcs Molly relieved them as lookout, f "but hour after hour pnsscd without It 'fiitm. , Close to noon they reached a watering water-ing nolo, with water none too cool or ;' 'sweet, but still welcome, Thero tho 1 buckskins wero unhitched, rubbed down and, after they had cooled off, Ittven water and grain. As they ate cactus, Sandy suddenly gavo a grunt of satisfaction, pointing with out- t .stretched forefinger to tho butto. Flvo t flashes had flickered up. They were f repeated. Jlin had signaled a suspl- I 14; clous party on tholr way to Throe i Star. Tho sheriff was out with his 1 I Vsporn. ' L "We got five hours staht," Bald I W ;8nndy. "Made close to thirty mile', i l iThej'vo got thirty-five to make. Tako 1 K ftm mo'n two hours, countln' ques- ' ; jtlons with Buck- Oood enough. Seo 1 ! 'anything of the boys, Sam? Tliey i lif (OBght'te b oUowln' uq;' I told 'em i X)b tlms," announced Sam. The andy rode out of a straggling thicket h f cactus and skirted tho lava flow, l lach led a sparo horse, unsaddled. c t CHAPTER VII I Bolsa Qap. r Sheriff Jordan had a high-powered t ar purchased, not so much from tho e ecs of his ofllco aa with his perqul- v lies, a word covering a wldo rango o f possibilities, all of which tho slier- 0 T mndo tho most of. Ho had taken c p his brothcr-ln-Iaw'e grievance with j ho greater zest since ho had a half- itcrcst In Pllmsoll's Oood Luck pool nrlors, n share that had cost htm c ood money. On top of that had como i landy's flouting of him on tho bridge i front of tho sheriff's own followers, f lo had to save his face, politically as ,-cll as personally.,, j Armed with tho necessary warrant, t acked by an assurance that, unless ( omo cxtraordlifary howl went up, tho i irl would bo given Into tho custody i f Jim Pllmsoll as guardian, by vlrtuo f his claim to partnership wltli her nthor, tho sheriff, Pllmsoll and two thcrs, nil thrco deputized for tho oc- aslon, started tho car from Hereford v t a quarter of twelve, after nn early i inch. At n few minutes after twelve s licy reached Thrco Star, whero Buck, n eatcd on tho porch, his saddlo astrldo 0 sawhorse, stitched nway at a cinch. v Buck played his part well, allowing f ordnn to ferret out Information to Is own satisfaction. It appeared (, lain that all thrco partners had taken i Ight with tlio girl In the buckboard. "Bomeone tipped this thing off," ti ordan said sternly to Buck. "Who ij as It?" "Mcanln this visit's offlshuiy nsked i uck. "Wlint's It fo', Sheriff? Moon- c line or hawss stcalln'?" lie spoko f i a Jesting noto, his weathered faco 0 npasslvo as tho shell of a walnut, ut Pllmsoll scowled, noting tho turn i f Buck's bland countenance In his n Iroctlon for tho first tlmo. It was c rhlspcrcd that tho brands on PI Irani Ira-ni l'a horse ranch wero not those usu- j lly known In Uio county, nor oven j l tho counties adjoining. Tlicro wero utnors, smotliercd by Pllmsoll's stand H ith tho authorities, of bands of s orscs, driven by strangers, arriving ( renrled and always by night at hla r orrals. fl "It don't matter to you what It's t ar," answered Jordan. "I'll overhaul e sra an' bring "m back. Ef thoy try j Idc-out tactics or put up a scrap, It'll i o kldnapln' an' that's a penal of- c diiso." j Buck whistled. s "Tliought you wasn't goln' to lot mo now," ho snld. "It's tho gel." ( "Who's been hero to Up It offr t sked Jordnn. j Buck looked nt him serenely, took ( . plug of chewing from his pocket, ook his knlfo, opened It deliberately nd slowly cut off a corner of tho j obacco. t "Search mo," he drawled. "Me, I t lon't stay up to tho houso." Jordan, temporarily discomfited but ( till conlldent of bringing back his t unrry, marked tho trail of the buck- j onrd in tho alkali soil, noted tho ioof-prlnts of Uio diverging riders and i odded with tho scml-smlle nnd half- t losed eyes of conscious superiority. Io had already elicited apparently cluctnnt Information from Pedro na o the four passengers In tho buck- oard. 1 "You 'tendln ranch?" Jordnn asked l. luck. ( "Yep. Till I get fresh orders." r "I'll bring you back those orders, .Iso yore bosses, before sundown." 1 Buck permitted himself bis first ) Tin. I "You'll have to go some," he said. Ooln' to bring 'em back in Irons? , riggerln' on abduction T' r Jordan gave no hint of how Buck's 1 haft mlghfhave targeted his lntcn- c 3ut Hour After Hour Patted Without ( Sign. ' Ions, but climbed Into the enr and itnrtcd It Reaching tho lava strip t vhero the buckbonrd had halted for ' voter and the noon meal, they found ho trail skirting tho flow toward tho ; touth. The main mass of the mesa, irokon up Into gorges, gaps, stair- : ivay cliffs, marked by purple shad- i iws, scanty In tho early afternoon but i gradually widening, was about fifty miles away. Jordan turned to ono I it his deputies. , "Which way do you flgger they're "Dam'flno. Ono thing's sure an' ccr-aln. ccr-aln. Them fellers from tho Thrco Itar usually know whore they aro cadln. Trail's nlla." "Sure Is." But Jordan scratched ils head a trifle doubtfully. If Sandy lourko and his chums had been tipped iff, this trail was a Uttlo too plain to io truo. "Thoy'ro on about us gettln' tho pn-ora,'1 pn-ora,'1 Bald rllmsofl. tli had not said ouch on ihe trip so far. "Too much afk nowadays. Bourko Babes that ;ettlng tho girl out of tho county iron't do any good ho alms to r, r ut of Uie state and any Arlzonn r sheriff Jurisdiction. IIo's b tins f tho outfit Wo'vo got to titer, ordnn." "You ain't tell In' mo a thing I don't now, Jim. But there's one thing you an tell me. Is that tip you got about ynamlte a sure ono?" Pllmsoll, sitting bcsldo Jordan, lashed him a look of contempt "Do you think I'm chasing this girl ccnuso I'm stuck on her? One of ho party with this eastern crowd topped Into my place and talked. Icro is whero I get back tho money put up td( "grubstako Casey." Jordan gavo him a grin of derision. "You an yoro grubstake," ho Jeered. Pllmsoll said nothing more. "No shootln' In this deal," Jordan ramed. "Como to a showdown, lourko won't buck tho law Boon's wo how papors. So long's ho ain't been otlfled tho court Is makln' a ward f tho girl they ain't dono uothln' rrong. But If ho resists, that's (liferent" (lif-erent" "I ain't goln' to bo awful anxious a start shootln'," said Jim. "Sandy Jourke's a two-handed lead fllnger n' Sodn-Wator Sara's no slouch. Nel-licrs Nel-licrs Mormon. Mo, I'll bo pcaceablo less It's forced on mo otherwise." They entered the split In tho mesa. ?ho floor was fairly smooth, swept lean by occasional cloudbursts, savo or tho skeleton of n treo and another f a too-far wandering steer, both lanchcd whlto as tho alkali-crusted lowldcrs. It was nearly level going nd tho car pounded along, nil tho oo upnnts looking for trail sign. "Keep an eyo peeled for rain," said ordan. "I'd sure hnto to got caught n hero with n cloudburst" ' Ahead was an abrupt turn. Jordan lowed. Making tho curve, a fenco tretched across tho gorgo, reaching rom wall to wall, a four-strand bar-lor bar-lor of barbcd-wlro, strung on pntent tccl posts. Jordan braked with emergency. emer-gency. Tho sight of such a fence In uch a place was as unexpected ns ho sun-dried carcass of a steer would io on Broadway. Pllmsoll and Jordan :urscd, tho former In pure anger, the attcr with somo appreciation of tho trntngem for delay. "Wo can tear It down qulckern they Ixod It? ho said. "I'vo got n pair of tippers in tho tool kit Thoy can't invo driven In thoso posts, deep. Jomo on." A voice floated down to them. "You leavo that fenco alono, gents, ( you please. I went to a heap of roublo puttln' up that fence. It's my once." They looked up, to soo Mormon (catcd on tho top of a great bowlder hat had land-slipped from tho cliff nto tho gorge. From thirty feet above hem ho lookod dowa, amiably enough, hough there was a glint of blued nctnl In his right hand. Jordan advanced to tho foot of tho ock, producing his papers. "I havo a bench warrant hero to irlng Into court for tho appointment if a proper guardian, tho child Mclly 3asoy, sho being a minor and without intural or legal protectors. Tvo got -oro namo on tbeso papers, Mormon ctcrs, as ono of tho throe parties vith whom tho girl Is now domiciled. : warn you that you aro obstructing he process of tho law by yore actions. l'ou put up that gun an' como down lore an' help to pull down this fence, llegally erected on property not yoro wn. Otherwlso you'ro subject to irrcst" "That Is sure an awful long speech o a hot day," said Mormon equably. 'But I don't sabo that talk nt all. ilolly Casey ain't here, to begin with, for she ain't been here. An' I don't labo no obstruction of tho law by icttln' up a fence In a mesa canyon o round up broom-tnlls." Ono of tho deputies snickered. "Broom-tnlls?" cried Jordan. "That's oo thin. Thero's no mustangs hnngln' ound a mesa llko this, 'thout feed or vatcr." Ho flushed angrily. "You never kin tell about wild mwses, or oven branded ones," said ilormon pleasantly. "Ask Pllmsoll. Io picks 'era up In-nil sorts of places." Pllmsoll cursed. Mormon still held ils gun conspicuously, and ho ro-itrnlned ro-itrnlned his own Impulse to draw. "You como down an' help removo his fenco," Jordan shouted up at tho railing Mormon, "or I'll start some-hlng. some-hlng. It ain't on yoro property nnd t's hindering tho carrying out of my vnrrant" "It nln't on a public highway ncl-hcr," ncl-hcr," retorted Mormon. "But I'll Kmo down. Don't go to cllppln' those vires nn' destroyln' what Is ray prop-irty." prop-irty." Ho slid down the rock and :ommcnced to unbend tho metal straps that held tho wlro In place, rordan nnd ono of his men followed lutt with pliers from the motor kit Clio Job took several minutes. "You'll como along with us," said fordan. "You lied about tho girl :oraln this way. I'vo a notion to tnko rou in for that But I reckon you can io back In tho buckboard with yoro partners." "Beckon I'll truvcl In the buck-joard, buck-joard, when you catch up with If laid Mormon. "But I'll como erlong vlth you fo a spell of my own free ed ns ho took nn extra scat in tho ton-ncau. ton-ncau. Jordnn mndo no answer but started tho engine. Tho wny zigzagged foi half a mllo and then they came to a second fence. No buckboard was In sight Leaning against a post stood Doda-Waler Sam, smoking a cigarette, his gun holster hitched forward, th butt of tho weapon closo to ono hand. Jordan and his men leaped out as th car stopped, Mormon following mo slowly. "Afternoon, hombrcs all," said Sam "Joy-rldln'?" Jordan wasted no more explana tlons. "You tako down this fence," ho fatrlj shouted. "What fo'?" "Ask yoro partner." "Sheriff claims wo'ro cumbcrln' th landscnpo with our 111 corral, Sam,' said Mormon, "no's got n paper thai gives him right of wny, ho Bays. Seer anything of Molly Cnscy?" "Not for qulto n spell. Oo easj with them wires. Sheriff. Price oi wire's rlz considerable." Tho second barrier down and th car through, Jordan ordered Sam tc get In tho car. "Jump, or I'll put tho cuffs on you,' ho said. "Not this trip," replied Sam coolly "No Benso In my cllmbln In there. M Jordan Advanced to the Foot of thi Rock, Producing His Papers. nn' Mormon's through with our U' Job. We'll go back In tho buckboard It's round tho bend. I was Jest goln to hitch up." "Yo're sure goln' to have troubli turnln' yoro car right here," Sam wen on lmperturbably. "Kind of mean t bnck down, too. It's worso higher up Matter of foe tho gap peters out Jes round the turn. Look for yo'self, I you don't believe mo." Jordan nnd Pllmsoll strodo on U tho pitch. Mormon followed, San stnyed with the two deputies. Arouni tho bend stood the buckboard wltl tho buckskins In a patch of shadov under a scoop In tho ending wall tha turned tho so-called pass to a bo: canyon. "I told you tho gel warn't erlong,' said Mormon. "She and Sandy wai with us fo' a spell. But they're goln vlsltln' nn' they shifted to saddlo wa; back, out there by the spring besld tho lava strip." Mormon's bland snillo masked i sterner Intent than showed in hi eyes. Jordan, furloua at being out wlttod, dared not provoke open com bat Mormon hitched up the buck skins, but followed Uio sheriff and Ui scowling, silent Pllmsoll back to th car. "See that notch, way over to th no'thT' said Mormon, bent on oxploll Ing Uio situation to Uie full. "I reckoi Sandy and tho gel's shackln' througl there about now. Hawss trail only 'Frald you won't catch him, Shcrlfi They aim to ketch the soven o'clod train nt Caroca. It's tho on'y pnsi over the mesa. If Sandy had knowet you wanted him ho might have waited Why didn't you phone? Ninety mllo around tho mesa, nenrest way, an' I must bo nil of flvo o'clock now, bj the sun." "Catch tho soven o'clock train a Caroca?" Bald Jordnn. "Thanks foi tho Information, Mormon. Tha schedulo was changed last week whe: they pulled off two trains on tho mail line. Tho train leaves at nine-thirty an', If I can't mnko ninety miles li four hours an' n half, I'll make yoi a present of ray car. Stand bnck both of you. No monkey buslnesi with my tires. Cover 'em, boys. Thi law's on my sldo, you two gnbblni word-shooters." Ho hnndled the car wonderfully backing nnd turning her, nnd, whlli Mormon nnd Sam stood powerless, thi former crestfallen, tho latter sardon Icnlly gnzlng nt his partner, the ma chlno went tilting, snorting down tin gorge. "You sure spilled the beans, Moi raon," said Sam flnnlly. "I'd havi thought them three wives of yores 'ui havo taught you tho vally of silence' "I nln't got a d 1 word to saj Sam. But I'd bo obliged If you'd klcl mo good. Use yore heels. I seo yoi got yoro spurs on." "I'm plumb shamed of myself. Jest like a d d gel to act that way," (TO BB CONT1KUEDJ |