OCR Text |
Show ..ii, -n ri,rjwi.;,,,,i:'r.trS;;g3a,,., ,. , - IHT? Tn TYT) yra T70 9 m w r-s ' .-erar:iBCTms-rare.i . I j-UTER IX Continued T -11- time during the night he '-reasoned. As lie lay there, ion. a soft hand touched his ".:,,) A whisper brought lilm -i .Hike, transfixed nnd thrlll- Tj: . . . Wake up. It Is I." j u knelt beside him. Jim sat a violent start ;f ! . . What Is It? Has that 'd p! Not so loud. Nothing , j vned. . . . Hut I couldn't 'slid I must talk to you or -! S1 f my mind." THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING n I" i!l;.,yk0,Vi0W!r Ton ST 7yr"1R' Bec"a n now fle" HorrloU. who ha Slf' ". V I "". "V8 workl"K for " KellHhman. steal tholr employ,.? , c, ttu , ? ' "yS "n1 "ihara are P'""lnB to to ,lrlv. off tl'.o flr8t u h o caule " I, h'-'""'"nl. ride away cattle rustler,. ,H1, v H , 8 ""f"'" rival among the doul,l,-rro..ll him IllrrlY JLm, ncet h" ( 1 1 Oman's) partner and Helen. HerrU-U s .N , ' J'm "? B0 to 0ra"d Junction to mee, 13 a desperado of t, , t 'Sj.T.". l taCt that h (Jlm l-v Hays betravs unus ml Inter est 1 ,,, B '""J" U, '"'"'"atlon llpht-himself llpht-himself falling In love v 1, II the,c"mlns "f Mlsa Horrick Jim finds htm. but relon.s. L, d asl I'S' flnn,! kla" h" She disease, hnvlK Bold the cat lo and hr"".., "u7 'hB Hays" men return, imperative, llavs tel s Ms 1T 1' thf m,uy A c"l;li getaway ls He comes, with Helen llerrh-k a c- nH " a1- ,th;lt Jol" them later rlek and stole He f " ra c ex'' a'"i"K that he robbed Her-she Her-she falls Into IIeese"nan clutches Ilm ",e E"'' Wi" be worse off lf Heeseman-s riders are discovered .'n 1 ,7 wlth H;,nk and hi men Imer, one of Hav men Is wnnniJ v"rs"1- Aft" battle In which Lat-The Lat-The Robbers' Roost He'fore he d e' 'Ca'S "18 KanB lnt0 a nyon- that t.ays has oX her, cocked the gun again, an' held Hays up then all of us. "We was slttiu' at the table. She made us all stand, hands high, an' then she performed the! little trick with Hanks gun agin my gizzard. Ilm, 1 hope to die If I didn't go cold an' stiff. P.nt I promised on my word of honor as a robber thet I'd tie Hank up, an' make the other fellers play square. It was so ''unny, too, thet I near bust. Hays, soon as he was helpless, got over Ills scare, an' then was he mad! 1 reckon no one on this earth saw a madder man. He cussed so terrible ihet she made me gag him." "Well, I'll be hlowed 1" gasped Urn. "No wonder. We was wuss. We'd ;iad breakfast, an' Hank was tryln' o face us fellers. I'll say he came rlean, Jim. He divided all the money he got from Herrick an' his lister, an' the gold things an' diamonds. dia-monds. 'Fellers,' he said. 'I could lie an' say I meant to give this to vou later. But I'm not built thet vay. I double-crossed you all first 'ime In my life. I meant to keep It all, an' the ransom fer the girl. But now there won't be no ransom. or I'm not goin' to give her up. She's mine, an' I can do as I want, in' lf any of you don't like It you an make your kick now.' . Wal. we was so plumb flabbergasted thet ve didn't see the gurl, who came lose on the sun side of Happy's shelter. She heard the whore d n' how. . . . .Tim, I wish you could K Ml 1 9K r v v 'The Thing Is Boss Will Wo Get It?" ie starlight her race had the .r(!ej trl-white tint as the clouds. rijjlit. Talk but It's risky," ; serod huskily. His hand pon the blanket. jynt lower, so that her face 3 Uer, and she could whisper ac: I want to tell you how zzln it h:ls come home to me reqt ranee, my failure to believe niit you, even after you so-:uMj.; so-:uMj.; Insulted me that day up ! mountain trail. If I had 03I faith in you then I It's too ijtut I want you to know I i-y fsith now- Only the fear j suspense are wearing me I irou are well all right still? M He hasn't harmed you? has not harmed me. and fclt ill. I'm losing flesh be-rV be-rV can't eat. But that's noth J . Lately I don't sleep be rm horribly afraid he will hd smother me -or choke il can't cry out. I've slept lift the daytime. . . . Jim. the 1 1 can't stand it much long-is long-is S;nk I frightened him. But ! sve I can feel Oh, Jim, for ras take, do something to end scral.or "ned or fell forward In the Jjjj jjS of the moment, her head jtn j.im. He stroked It gently. atedM" as far from that pas-king1; pas-king1; and mocking embrace at ifferl:ii as could have been pos-nenti pos-nenti rA&h don ' s've up'" be re" r CJUt70u Dave Deen DraTe And treat ne better tllau we could 3 i . . Only a little while ie I. lha, :-'ht steal away now." j I've thought of that. But and;et lost and starve or die herein these brakes." ss :, almost would be better I, Ml. 'a can't stick It out we'll 1 go say tomorrow night. iti have food, horses. . . . OSTEI llonest- though, to tell you :es are a hundred to one 4 1 3. . . . We've got an even its wait." iK 'can you think that?" -i2ang Is about ready to go guj'like. There'll be a terrible ilWItys surely will be killed. ! as surely, more than he. i leave a proposition I can ; '-mt risk to you." hen we still have to find ii23.l of this awful place." ji'Jt I'd have time, and I k water and food. . . . ils' me' lt s ttie best p'an-" llClltake me back to my broth- 3 00'fe you ttle rans(irn" insult me,"" he replied, bit- oare h ily at she drew up suddenly, ditimi? aer nair hack from her rtable,lrgive me. . . . You see, L.ca,n"it my mind. That never 33 .'o me before. But I'll re-NDED re-NDED ji in 8ome way r why: jre saved you wl be fl) "I4f i 3 1 ask and more than I stelry . . You have forgotten i tK, 1.. 33SJ'e you- ! hud," she whispered. Her 3 studied him in the star-jlf star-jlf the fact had a vastly HjgTj i significance here than It fftJ she stiffened. Over her ,i 'm's eye was arrested by ;,Stv.F starlight upon a bright &.''' the ground. Above and S'V' a shape darker than the jibl'ii- j-ronnd, gradually took the . ' ' ' a man on hands and -z&4 or assailed Jim Wall, de-'m de-'m nerve. That was Hays lent POn them Wlth 8 SUD tig tide of Dlood through ! paralleled the lightning jijpj' thoughts. Death for both i EaSA ;s terribly close. His gun j" his pillow. Helen knelt pn and, the robber. A pven th slightest kind j'tal. Cun'njng must take !' of action. SSSJs." he whispered, scarce-! scarce-! "Follow me now." "Ing all his will to speak e said aloud: "No, Miss l" sorry, but I can't onlige - g''l approve of Hays' kid TT! "ut It's done. And I'm tE;ij0f his band. I would going against him, let to run off with you." a tense silence, fraught i with much apprehension for Jim. Would she be able to play up to him? There was just a chance that Hays had not beard any of their whispers, In which case It was possible pos-sible to deceive him. Helen comprehended. com-prehended. "I'll give you the ransom money," she said, quite clearly, and certainly most persuasively. "My brother will reward you otherwise." "You can't bribe me," he rejoined. "And I wouldn't advise you to try it on Smoky or any of the others." "Hays may have had only money in his mind at first, but now " "Don't move, Jim I" came a low, hard voice from the shadow. Helen gave a little gasp and sagged on her kuees. Jim waited a moment. "1 won't. Hank," be replied. Then Hays' tall form loomed black above the rise of ground. He strode forward. If he had sheathed his gun, Jim would have made short work of that interview. But he held it half leveled, glancing darkly In the starlight. The robber chief gazed down upon Jim and Helen. His features were indistinguishable, but the poise of his head was expressive enough. Still Jim sensed that he bad been misled. "You cat!" he declared, roughly. "If I ketch you again tryln' to bribe any of my outfit I'll treat you so you won't want to go back to your baby-faced brother. . . . Now you git to your tent I" Helen rose unsteadily and vanished van-ished In the gloom. "Jim Wall, you ain't been with me long, an' I don't know you, but I'm takiu this deal to heart," Hays said slowly. "I'm much obliged. I reckon you're the only man in the outfit who could of withstood thet woman." "No, you're wrong nank. Smoky wouldn't have listened to her. And I'm sure the others would have stood pat."' "My faith was near gone." "That's in you. Hank. You've no call to lose it You've about split your gang over this woman." "Wal, I'm not askln' judgments from you or any of the outfit," growled the chief gloomily. "You'll all be good an' glad to git your share of the ransom." "The thing is boss will we get it?" Hays made a violent move like a striking snake, "What you mean by thet?" "I'm askin' you." "Air you lnsinuatln' you mlghn't git yours?" demanded Hays. "No. You might say I was askin' for all of us" replied Jim curtly. "Wal, I'll git the outfit together an' do some askln' myself." "It's a good Idea. It might prevent pre-vent the spli t provided you divide the money you stole from Herrick." "I'll wring thet white cat's neck" hissed the robber. "You're wrong, boss. She didn't tell me. She doesn't know ou robbed her brother. Sparrow confessed con-fessed before he died." Hays swore a mighty oath. "An' he squealed?" "Yes. To Smoky an' me. We kept it secret until we had to tell. They knew somethin' was wrong." "All the time you knowed I" There was something pathetic in the fallen chieftain's shame and amaze. By this time he seemed to realize his crime. "You see, Hank, how your outfit hns stood by you, even In your gU"AhuhI . . . If it ain't too late I'll make amends," he rejoined hoarsely, and stalked away in the darkness. Jim had breakfasted before the othe" men were up. With rl.le In hand he headed toward the western '"'Loneliness was paramount. There WnS no sound-only an Immense sTnce. No life at all I Not . w U, led creature hovering over that gl adly region 1 But over th s ; scene of desolation slowly spread the sol emn blight of boating, blazing sun soon to mantle all in Illusive copper "before that hour arrived, Jim W X ok. S !Tthe field glass. Below the camp the men were laz , tn n late breakfast. me Then the tall form of nays stalked out. He yawned. He stretched wide his long arms. His ruddy face gleamed In the glass to that 'sight Wall's whole being leaped. "By heaven I" his voice rang out "Hays, that's your last morning's stretch. . . . Before this day's-done day's-done you'll stretch forever!" Let his men have their hour thought Jim darkly, but if they did not mete out Justice to their chlet the end was nevertheless fixed and unalterable. Jim settled back and rnlsed his tleldglass more from habit than an; semblance of the old watchfulness There was nothing to see but the stark denudation of the brakes. Suddenly Into Jim's magnified cli cle of vision crept dark objects n long line of them. He was so startled that the glas.-wavered glas.-wavered out of line. He moved It to and fro, searching. What could thai have been? An error of sight, a 11m of cedars, a conception of ldh mind ! "There!" he breathed, ne had caught It again. Not cedars not brush, but moving objects I . . . "B. heavens!" he muttered. "Am 1 dotty?" Horses! A line of dark horses' His straining eyes blurred. He low ered the glass with shaking hands "So help me It looks like riders 1' A third time Jim caught the oh Jects. He froze the glass on them Horses and riders horses with packs! A bursting gush of hoi blood ran all through him. It lookeii like Heeseman's outfit, at least three miles away, approaching slow ly by a route far to the south oi that over which Hays had come. "About three miles," muttered Jim. "Coming slow. They're lost . . . But that wash they're In heads Into the Hays trail. ... If thej strike that they'll come fast. Noi enough rain yet to wash out oui tracks. We've not time to pack and ride out ... By thunder, they've cornered us! Now, Hank Hays ' Jim took one more straining look No hope! It was a big outfit am1 not traveling so slowly, either. Tin leader bestrode a black horse. Jim remembered that horse. Snatching up his rifle he slung the field-glass over his shouldei and ran down of the bluff to the camp. To his profound amaze he espiei Hays bound hand and foot, with n stick behind him and through his el bows. The robber sat In an uncom fortable posture against the wood pile. In a second Jim saw that Hays bad been gagged and his face was so contorted by rage that It ap peared scarcely human. "What's up I" cried Jim, breaking out of his bewilderment Hays gave vent to an innrtlculati sound, but It was expressive. Jin1 wheeled to stalk under the shack his tiand on his gun, as lf he hall expected Heeseman to have arrived before him. To his amaze Miss Her rick was sitting at the rude tabh eating breakfast. A big gun. that Jim recognized as Hays' property lay conspicuously In front of her Happy Jack, whistling as usual, was serving her. "What does this mean?" demand ed Jim. "Ask the men," she replied, curtly Outside and below the shack sai Smoky on a rock, with the others standing near. "Mawnin", Jim," drawled Smoky with a grin. "You see we've got a new chief." "Who hawg-tled the boss?" "Beckon I did with a little help.' "What for?" 'D D' If I know. Our lady pris oner made me do It." "Miss Herrick forced you to tie Hays up?" queried Jim, trying to conceal his exultation. "1 should shiver she did. Struck Hays' hair-trigger gun cocked-right cocked-right into my belly, an' says: 'Win you tie tills villain an' swear b your honor uut to release him or al low any of these other men to do so or will you have me shoot you?' "How'd she get thai gun?" 'Wal, she snatched It quicker'i llghtniii'. that's how. An' when she cocked it with both hands it weni off bang! The bullet went between H.-rnk s'legs. Tickled him. Vou cai, st.e the hole in his pants. Scared' My Gaw.l, you never see a man c scared. Thet gurl, cool as a cucum iave seen her when she stepped up 0 Hank. 1 don't know what did It -mebbe her eyes but he shore vilted. It was then she snatched is gun." "So that's the deal!" ejaculated Mm. "What are you going to do?" "Don't ask me. I gave my word in' I'll keep It For that matter the est of our outfit air fer the gurl, ansom or no ransom." Suddenly Jim awoke out of his :tupefacfion to remember the ap-iroach ap-iroach of Heeseman. 'Smoky, I know what you're ill toing to do, and that s tight" he lashed, curtly. "Heeseman's outfit ;s coming. I sighted them perhaps hree miles. Traveling slow, but uire. We've no time to pack an' ;et away. We've got to find the iest place to stand an' fight, an' ack our stuff into It pronto." "Heeseman I" cried Smoky, coolly. So It's come. I reckoned on thet. Mt busy, men." Jim strode under the shelter to ace Miss Herrick. She had heard, or she was white. "We're all but surprised by Heese- iian's outfit. You will be worse off if you fall Into their hands. I'm orry I must release Hays. We need dm." "Too late!" she exclaimed. "Back your tilings quickly and lurry over to the cave on this side.'' Then Jim picked up Hays gun from he table and ran out. First h removed re-moved the gag. then In terse terms ;ie stated the situation. Next he released the robber from his pain-.'ul pain-.'ul fix and handed him the gun. "Heeseman, huh! Wal, so he it!" ilays said. "How far are they 1 way?" "Two miles." "We've got half an hour mebbe. Did you think to look fer the losses?' "Eight horses In the valley, irhers not in sight." "Fine scout you air. How come .ou didn't spy them soon enough fer is to rustle out of hyar?" "I couldn't have seen them half h nile sooner," snapped Jim. "They atne out from behind a hank." "Hell's tire! Tell thet to me? ou was sleepin ." "You're a liar," Hashed Jim. loap-,ng loap-,ng clear of the others. "Open your rap to nie a lt;i 1 n like that!" TO BK Of KTINUEa |