Show M alk A A N ap D MAWN by H C WIRE service 0 D appleton century inc CHAPTER XVI continued 10 the rest of the C C people came jogging along the street putting boot toe to his stirrup walt gandy said only see you again bailey the texan nodded it was all understood der stood horsechief Horse thief fisher had got in touch with his bards helen cameron pulled over as gandy joined the mounted group and rode beside him and there was a question in her brown eyes yet he wanted time for that question was one he could not answer he pushed up close to hollister Hollist cr paul champion and fisher to avoid rid ing alone with the girl thus for a little while they all jingled across the bench top together hitting onto the sand flat walt wall pushed up beside the girl trying to forestall what he knew she was about to ask wed better not hang back helen lets talk later she turned to him leaning out with one hand braced on her thigh did you get it again he said not now helen later but did you gandy hesitated walt I 1 want that bt bullet illet he shook his head we cant talk here waiting for us hollister HoU ister and the other two had stopped on the far side of the wash A sudden fear was in the girls dark eyes as she rode on gandy avoided them covering a cold uncertainty that he himself had been in for the past hour the letter which he had mailed to his post office box the day of the chino drake inquest was not there he had found the box empty folded in that letter was the small square of helen camerons handkerchief and a bullet the inquest evidence the ranch home was not reached until after dark and walt on duty as cook asked paul champion to unsaddle and turn out his palomino then up at the house he got together a meal cash camerons vacant place at the head of the long pine boards acted upon all in a way that held even the youngest cowboy to silence gandy pulled out helens chair for her across the table hollister HoU ister and horsechief Horse thief fisher hitched their bench in close he remained standing uncertain wheres lavic heads lifted and eyes went around the room as if to pick the man out of a corner somewhere it was helen who answered why bent was at the corrals I 1 thought he followed us she turned her head and looked up at him at other times the question would have aroused nothing the old fellow had queer ways whether he came to the table with the crew or scuffed in later was of no concern but tonight the air was charged to hair trigger tension any uncertainty carried threat hollister swung one leg over the bench and started to rise bill helen began next one hand flew to her throat and the whole room was jarred by the shock of the kitchen door being banged inward bent lavic came scuffling rapidly across to the dining room arch his face was more twisted than ever in a soundless working of his mouth his good right arm made short jabbing gestures lavic was trying to convey something the motion of his arm was first toward helen cameron then with a start gandy saw the old fellow indicate him it seemed a warning Batt battle let lavic managed and wa was S cut short then by the sheriff himself looming in the kitchen doorway over his shoulder the law of emigrant county threw a word to someone outside faced around again kicked the door shut behind it him m and came on in bent lavic had stumbled along the wall to the far end of the dining room walt gandy was still standing at helen camerons side his left hand almost touched the girls shoulder across from him hollister and horsechief Horse thief fisher sat bolt upright as rigid as two figures cast in metal in the dining room arch ed battle brought his ponderous form to a halt and pushed up his hat leaving it on the back of his head his mouth was set in a twisted grin for a full minute he waited letting his presence make its dramatic effect then slowly he drew a long ion 9 padded envelope from the inner pocket of his black horsehide coat his grin slid away he glowered and his voice rumbled up in its deep vibrations know what hat this is im only the damn fool sheriff of this county battle mocked 1 I know but well let that pass what have you got to say about this envelope gandy ill say walt answered dryly that you think of looking in 16 the post office all by yourself battle no no said earldy for he be knew now how this discovery had come about pete kelso of the 77 told you I 1 had been there battles heavy head jerked he roared youre some wise all right arent you well youve got your neck in a sling this time no lie he added at once im not arresting you keep but dont try to leave last thing I 1 expect to do sheriff eyes shifting downward battle went on that goes for you too miss helen dont leave the place im sure sorry you got in with a fellow like this but your handkerchief having your initials on it anyway being in with the bull bullet t stolen from my inquest is mighty bad im sorry girl he continued to the room in general weve got two slugs from ranger powells body and now weve got this one they all came from the same rifle you might as well tell cash cameron to come on in the games up abruptly he faced hollister will you take that word to him or will I 1 only a twitch of jaw muscles betrayed that bill hollister winced under the unexpected question he said nothing and looked off away from anyone there in the room speak up battle thundered think I 1 dont know where cameron is want me to say hes over in mexican hole to walt gandy watching the laws reddening face it seemed that ed battle had taken this last shot in the dark but it had sudden effect upon bill hollister his glance moved quickly not to the sheriff but to helen cameron under heavy brows his eyes sought her in one short look and then he was up on his feet perhaps only gandy knew the control that was behind the even flow of hollisters Hol listers words battle I 1 told you the oth other erday day what you were I 1 repeat it youre a skunk battles mouth opened H ollister hollister went on why dont you arrest me ed youve got the bullets and I 1 suppose youW youve got my rifle one of your deputies took it from the house while we were gone to the first inquest he do your duty then I 1 killed drake and ranger powell he held out his arms wrists close together as if for the i handcuffs put them on ill go it took ed battle a full minute to collect himself you fool lie he thundered you in a sudden forward step hollister was up close to him and his hi s voice no longer flowed in even control it lashed out like a whip then get out of this house you travel dont you ever stick your foot on the C C again until you know what youre here for and come with a warrant he advanced hammerhead fists clenched at his sides battle retreated backing to the kitchen he reached the door there he be stood heavily balanced uncertain eyes blinking in the lamp glow all right hollister he said ill be back in less than twenty four hours with a warrant the door closed on his ponderous form from the moment that battle had pulled out the envelope and told loud voiced what its contents meant walt gandy had been vaguely conscious of a change in bent lavic now he looked across the narrow room to where the deformed man was crouched against the side wall and the thing he had been only half aware of showed itself understanding was in the sunken gray eyes and t they hey were fixed upon him then they dropped to helen cameron resting upon her in the same pointed gaze after that the old fellow hunched into his place beside horsechief Horse thief fisher and began to eat gandy went out for hot coffee brought the pot back and f filled all cups the meal lasted through a wordless fifteen minutes A little later working in the kitchen frio he was again aware of the drilling gray eyes following him hollister horsechief Horse thief fisher and paul champion had filed outside helen had c contrived to busy herself in the dining room lavic stood beside the stove and all at once he seemed like a dumb animal trying to talk plainly he had something to convey and as plainly was vai waiting ting for the girl to leave twice she ahe came to the dining room arch looked lookado at bent turned back and carl continued linued to be busy after the second time the old man tools took his hat f from lm a nail and scuffed out the door doer stacking white china plates on a shelf gandy gave a scowl scowling ing gi glance anc e over his bis shoulder tor for he bel believed that helen had deliberately kept bent lavic silent almost as soon as the old fellow had gone she passed through the kitchen and into her wing of the house CHAPTER YING back smoking in slow in L ha lations walt gandy felt that he had been a long time on this ranch a long time waiting for what the next hours must bring he had been called up here to take part in the C C trouble so far that part p art had been a blind one as uncertain as what lay under the trouble itsell itself yet any hour surely before another day ended the sheer push of events was bound to rip the whole thing wide open next instant he dropped his cigarette and crushed it for at his movement something darker than the night had flicked out of the buildings inner patio someone had been bryin trying g the door to cash camerons office cameron had como come back in the dark separate animals were hard to distinguish gandy made a complete circle around the split log enclosure before a thing was clear and suddenly significant cameron had not come back at least his mount was not at the feed rack nor had it been turned into this bunch instead bent davics gray nag was missing movin moving 1 I rapidly back to the shed for his saddle he pictured lavic riding tonight out somewhere to get in touch with the 77 battles thun dered words had given him news to carry guesswork perhaps gandy realized yet he determined to trail the gray nag gandy swung up onto his palomino and followed at first lifting 0 t n 0 know what this is the horse into an incautious running walk bent lavic was deaf he could crowd close to the man I 1 and yet those gray eyes were sharp as an owls he pulled down beyond timber and out upon the bench the trail forked one west one south and again with a match held low gandy found fresh tracks holding to their southward course in an hour it was certain they were leading to willow spring he moved at last along the dark hollow of the hill cove came to a familiar shallow ravine sloping gently upward here he dismounted as on that first day and left the palomino the ravine topped out a good hundred yards above the black looking willow clump nothing showed down there to indicate life either animal or human and then as gandy stood uncertain waiting for a guide sign a gray shape moved a little near the edge of trees and there came the restless thud of a hoof he had located the gray nag when he be was within five paces of the nag the gray head lifted turned hung for a moment suspended in air then it dropped wearily without sound gandy took a free breath and entered the corridor now he could see nothing trees rooted low overhead and the tight thicket of their trunks made walls walli spaced no fa farther arther apart than the width h of a steer ile he reached a point where the pools reflection was dimly visible the trick of squinting in the dark brought a sharper outline of the water and its surrounding basin and then the surface broke ripples formed and widened across the faint gray disc at once there came a sucking sound as of a boot pulled from soft mud in less than two minutes after that walt gandy knew someone was coming stealthily ste alth along the black corridor of tree trunks he had no time to move aside but stood hands down one lifting lift ing on the butt of his thirty eight then a better plan came and he waited as rooted as a S the thew willows themselves until human h urn an closeness could almost be felt As ft s the dim blob of a face emerged horn fro ln the pitch dark his arms shot out closed instantly he would have released them for they were locked around the body of a girl she W went ent all at once limp with only a single e short outcry and gandy knew it was H helen elen cameron hugged there hard against him lie he spoke her name but the unnerving jar of his lunge reacted in violent trembling after the momentary shock and swiftly putting one hand under unde r her knees h he e lifted the girl and turned to carry her out upon the open hill slope at the willow edge she stiffened suddenly in his arms dont stop herel here I 1 walt get away from the spring with within in gandy himself a dull bitterness was rising helen had come here to meet someone he could see nothing else in this secret night ride and that one must be stoddard she had seen the 77 man yesterday afternoon now again by the time he reached the ravine bottom the dull bitterness had grown close to a flood of anger he set the girl on her feet and released her dropping the gray nags reins close to the palominos for a moment saying nothing he looked down into the upturned face then before gandy could launch his accusation helen cameron flared what do you think youre doing coming here like this I 1 told you once beford walt gandy that everything you do is all wrong now what do you mean following me what did you expect to find 1 I out anyway they stared at each other through the vague light until at last gandy said in a quiet even voice 1 I expected to find a traitor to the C C helen and I 1 think I 1 have you were meeting stoddard you 1 I was meeting 1 the words choked off in a gasp A gloved hand flew to the girls mouth wide eyed she stepped back from him oh she uttered and then he be had a display of the cameron temper so what you think where you hold me in in your mind meeting the 77 out here she spun around and would have fled but his two hands gripped her shoulders listen helenl helen listen to what I 1 mean he turned her until at arms length she was facing him again 1 I 1 I aluli t follow you I 1 trailed the gray nag and thought lavic was r riding id but now its you I 1 found what am I 1 to think cant you tell me helen cant you put me straight she moved a little closer to him then still with his hands holding her shoulders and the flare of temper was gone in its place came a gentleness of surrender not to him nor anything he might ask but to what she was going to say no walt I 1 was not meeting jeff stoddard out here and I 1 rode the gray nag because my roan had already been in to emigrant and back I 1 her voice trailed off the word ending and yet hanging strangely upon the night in a way that filled walt gandy with a dull foreboding it was a moment before she began again 1 I must talk to you walt youre right only I 1 dont know how ive been putting it off hoping I 1 dont know what for her eyes pierced through the dark to his he laughed softly uneasily go ahead I 1 can take it I 1 guess all but one thing what is that she asked quickly never mind he evaded evade d out of the silence helen asked will you do something for me he turned his head to her what it was a wary question regardless of what he had just felt do as I 1 asked you to do the other day leave this country go now tonight head off south where you came from sure he said fine and have the sheriff of emigrant emigran t county on my trail for a year or so she shook her head no battle wont trail you I 1 can that you can yes walt gandy looked down at this puzzling girl helen he asked why do you want me to leave because she answered irr rr afraid of you afraid yes you know to too much you know about the inquest bullet and me and youre gathering facts all the time and putting them together walt you listen if you knew bill hollister was clear of all trouble then go you what you came up here for I 1 know well he is bill is safe walt gandy denied it with a slow movement of his head no he im not convinced that hollister is guilty here but ed battle will do his best to hang it all onto him battle has three bullets now if he has bills rifle ile he |