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Show THE LEHI SUN. LEHI, UTAH I ! . : " : ill 1 ill I! it -"-"-"- . ' ft BESEEtT'S By William MacLeod Ralno WNU5w Ceprrid br Wfiim MacUod Rtins CHAPTER V Continued Before the doctor left town on his .way to the Circle Cross It was 'known all over Mesa that Wlls McCann Mc-Cann had got Matt Stark and that jhe was himself desperately wonnd-ed wonnd-ed and a prisoner In the hands of 'the enemy. Within two hours It 'had reached the Flying VY and Peter Pe-ter McCann was organizing a rescue res-cue party. "Better go klnda easy to start with," Wes Tapscott suggested. "I figure we're almin' to spy oat the land this trip an' not exactly call for a show-down. This business asks for some deep-plomacy, as the papers say." "We'll three of ns go yon an Lyn an me," McCann decided, "An' Dusty will follow with a wagon to bring the boy home." If you get him," amended the foreman. "If Uiey don't give him up I'll round op the boys an tear the ranch house to pieces," Peter answered, an-swered, his mouth set grimly and his eyes hard as jade. "Ion want me to tell the Starks that Wlls was to blame after the old man bad posted him all over the country? That It?" "Not exactly, Pete. But play yore cards close. Lemme rWe ahead an' see how things stack up. IU bring Doc Sanders out to yon an' Tea not going home without seeing see-ing Wlls. Ton can't talk me outa that, Wes." Privately Tapscott was of opinion opin-ion that the Starks would never let McCann into their house alive. It was not reasonable to expect it, with old Matt lying there dead at the hands of Peter's son. But he did not say so bluntly. "We'll see how It works out. Maybe they'll be willln' to let ns move Wlls. Tell you our play Is to smooth down their fur till we get Wlls safe In our hands. A deef an dumb blind man would get that without argument, Pete," 1 McCann recognized the Justice of his foreman's views. "All right, Wes. I reckon you're right You rns It an' let's see where we get oft at" Peter McCann and his son Lyn waited at the pass above the Circle Cross while Wes Tapscott rode down Into the valley alone. lie rode leisurely across the open and swnng from . the saddle. He was conscious con-scious that at least two nien . watched him. One was at the cor-.'raL cor-.'raL the other lounging In the doorway door-way of the house. Tapscott did not tie to the shiny bar, even with a slip knot lie might have to leave In a hurry. So he dropped the reins to the ground. Practically speaking, this would fasten the cow pony until he gathered up the reins again. Tapscott Jingled his way house-ward house-ward with the bowlegged swing of the dismounted horseman of the plains. "Hello the house!" he called. The man In the doorway was Phil Stark. He was no longer lounging. He stood straight, face keen as a blade, "What you doing herel" he demanded. de-manded. Then, before the words had died on his lips, he ran swiftly down the steps and Joined the Flying VY man. - For there came a puff of smoke, the spit of a bullet striking sand. The man running from the corral had fired. Tapscott turned swiftly, hand on gun. But he did not draw. Phil Stark was between him and Carl Gltner. "Put op that gun," the boy or dered the Texan. "Don't you see he's here as a messenger?" 1 see he's Wes Tapscott Tha's enough for me," the hired bully answered an-swered heavily. 'Get outa the way there, boy, or I won't be responsible." respon-sible." A slim figure flashed past Tapscott Tap-scott and Joined PhlL "Don't you dare shoot" Julia cried. Out of the men's bunkhouse came Stone and at his heels Rafferty. To the Flying VY man Rafferty put a blunt question: "What yyou want here?" "I drapped In to see if wecouldnt fix things np an' to get the correct facts. Tm hopln' the story we've heard ain't true," Tapscott replied amiably. "We've heard stories and & course we're not lookin' for trouble, trou-ble, so we figured I'd better come to headquarters an" RaEerty ripped out a sudden savage sav-age oath- "That lowdown mangy coyote Wlls McCann waylaid an' killed Matt Stark this mo'ning, since you're here for facts." Mildly Tapscott protested. "I don't reckon Wlls would waylay anyone, any-one, Kick. Who says he waylaid him? I know for a fact that Wfls wasnl lookin' for trouble." Phil's voice broke shrill and high. "Wasn't he? Well, he's found It You 2 back an' teU tnem 80 sent you." BEGINNING THE STORY Wilson McCann, young Arlsona ranchman. finds an Jld frUnd, Jim T.rb with aVok.n leg. Julia Btark, daug bter of Mj ttJ hew Btarlc. lnveterat. enemy of the McCanns ts rendering first aid. TaK-tng TaK-tng a meesaae from Julia to her father, Wilson la fired oa by Jasper BUrt. Julia's brother, but Is unhurt Julia learn. MeCann-a Meat ty and dlemisse. him In anger, the old feud rankling. Ann Olffort. with her young .Ister, Ethel. Is sheep ranching and on that cc0"Dt un popular with the cattlemen. "Night riders" shoot a McCann jancn h.nd. Peter McCann. Wilson', father, offers a reward for the dls-Sr. dls-Sr. of their Identity. Wll.on McCann hor.ewhlps Jasper, he aSoWher lo'v.r. Jasper "killer" hold sinister secret conferences. A Star riaer, im eh. .nil PhlL her younger brother, accuse McCann of tha kimna- cesnlU M vehement denial. Wilson Is shot from tha chap-SVhUe chap-SVhUe standing over Matthew Stark's body Believing r hi-dying, hi-dying, Julia and her brother hava him taken to the Stark home. "Meanln' he's been hurt?" Meanln' he lying In the house here shot through an through." "Tha's bad." "Bad for the McCanns," retorted Rafferty. "I reckon you ain't wor-ryln' wor-ryln' none about Matt" "Tha's bad, too," Tapscott replied. re-plied. "I was hopln' we could patch op this range war before It got too late." ' "You can't," Phil Interrupted, with a touch of hysteria in his boyish boy-ish voice. "Not till I've got two-three two-three McCanns." The foreman of the Flying VY Ignored this. He had not come to make or receive a declaration of war. "What does Doc Sanders say about Wlls?" he asked. "Gives him a day or maybe two," Gitner cut In triumphantly, with a raucous laugh. "How can I go back an' tell his old dad that? It'll sure break his heart He sets the world an' all by that boy.- What can we do? His old dad Is out there In the mesquite waltln' for me to bring him news of his son. What am I to tell blm, ma'am?" Julia's eyes were of a sudden little lit-tle wells of brimming tears. She thought of ber own father and of how he would have felt If she had been dying In the house of an enemy. en-emy. She hated the McCanns, every last one of them. They had struck at her a mortal blow from which she would never recover. All her life she would cherish revenge. But even so she could not keep a father from the son whose life was ebbing. If she did that she would always despise herself. "Tell him he can see his boy." "If he feels like he wants to take the chance," Gltner added with an evil sneer. For the first time Stone spoke, in the low drawl of the Southland. "If Miss Julia says Pete McCann can come here, why I reckon It'll be all right with you an me, Carl, won't It?" Gltner's eyes met his reluctantly. There was something compelling In the cool, steady gaze of the little man, something that was a menace if not a threat In the even murmur of the voice. The big Texan said no more. Julia drew her brother aside and urged opon him impetuously her point of view. He listened, half resentful, half consenting. The youth In blm, the milk of his tender ness not yet dried np, appreciated and shared her feelings. But he had to remember his loyalty to his dead father within. Would It be construed as weakness for him to let Peter McCann Into the house? Did his honor rather demand that he shoot the man on sight? The boy In him was for the mo ment dominant "All right Have It yore own way. I know you will, anyway," Phil said, a little sullenly. "Tell Tapscott to have him come down." "No, that wont do, PhlL I don't trust that Carl Gitner. We'd better go and meet him, you and L We'll ride one on each side of him." To this Phil assented. The three rode up to the pass and Tapscott waved bis bandanna as a signal to the McCanns. There was an answering an-swering handkerchief, and presently Peter McCann and his son Lyn came out of the brush to meet them. "Meet Miss Julia, Pete Mr. Mc Cann, Miss Julia. Her brother, Mr. Phil Stark Lyn McCann." Thus Tapscott as self-elected master of ceremonies, by way of breaking the Ice of a cold silence. None of those named acknowledged acknowl-edged the Introduction in words or by an Inclination of the head. They looked at each other with chill and bitter hatred. But as the elder McCann looked at Julia, there came a change In his face. Beneath the shaggy brows she caught a glimpse for an Instant of his souL it was there during the beat of a pulse, and was gone, a look that had amazingly softened t he grim countenance. coun-tenance. Later she was to puzzle over It and wonder at it "Well?" demanded Peter harshly. "Doc Sanders Is lookin after the boy," Tapscott said. "How la Wllsr "Pretty bad. Doc says. Shot through the lung and in the side." Not a muscle of the old cattleman's cattle-man's face twitched. "Can he be moved?" "Not a chance. He's a mighty sick boy, Pete." "I'll go to him right now." Instantly Phil bristled. He would show McCann whether he could ride roughshod in this high-handed way to his end. "I'll have something to say about that You'll go unarmed if you go." There was a moment of signifi cant silence while the eyes of the old and the young man clashed. "Let's get this right," McCann said. "If I go, do I go as a prisoner? pris-oner? Or am I free to leave when I want to?" Phil's boyish voice lifted in a high note that was almost a wail "My father's lying dead down there, killed by the son you're going to see. Some day we'll wipe yore whole d d outfit off the map. But not today. If you go in now you can walk out when you've a mind to." "How do we know youH play fair? How do we know some of yore killers won't shoot Dad?" Lyn asked. "You don't" There was a flare of Insolence In young Stark's scorn- 1m JmIiJS Her Dark Eyes Flashed Defiantly Into the Light Ones of the Cattleman. Cattle-man. ' , ful eyes. "We're not askin' him to come. It's his own say-so. " If he's scared why he can stay away." For the first time Julia spoke, eyes flashing, lips tremulous. "We're not murderers, like you." 'Now folks," interposed Tap scott hurriedly. "This la a mighty bad business all round. One thing's sure. We can't make it any better bet-ter by that kind of talk. Tax dawg-goned dawg-goned sorry myself. Miss Julia, but I'll bet my boots they ain't the way you think they are. I know Wlls McCann. Mc-Cann. You don't That's the difference. dif-ference. Now I reckon we got this all fixed up. You ride along with these young people, Pete, an' well stick around till we hear from you. So-long." They rode down from the pass in silence, the hearts of all three bitter bit-ter with anger. But as they came Into the valley the Starks fell back till McCann was almost abreast of them. They drew their ponies close to his. so that it would be difficult for anybody to take a shot at him without danger of hitting one of them. In close formation they moved to the porch and dismounted. Togeth er they went Into the house. Julia led the way to the room where Wilson McCann lay. After stepping aside to let his father en ter she left at once without a word. A Mexican woman was taking care of the sick man under instructions from Doctor Sanders. "Don't you let him die, Doc," the father begged. "Not if I can help it If he lives you can thank Miss Julia. She looked after him fine till I got here. McCann made no comment on that "You'll stay right here with him?" "Till morning anyhow. Well see how he Is then." "How about sending for a doctor from Los Angeles or El Paso? It's not that I dont trust you, but If he'd have a better chance why" "All right Wire for Doctor Elder El-der from El Paso. He's a first-rate man." Peter turned to the nurse and asked her in Spanish to bring Miss Stark. Julia came. She stood In the doorwsy, straight as an arrow. Her dark eyes flashed defiantly into the light ones of the cattleman. She waited for him to speak, not ask Ing what he wanted. And again, for an instant she saw In his face the expression that had puzzled her before. She knew him to be hard and fierce as the Painted desert What was back of that look in his eyes, almost wistful and yearning, that broke through the cold mask? If it had not been for her father's body lying in the next room it would have disarmed her, for it undermined un-dermined her prejudices. She did not want to believe it, bat she knew that there was a aide of him human and probably likable. "Miss Stark, I want to send to El Paso for another doctor, an I want to stay here all night with my boy," be said. It was on her tongue tip to tell him that he could not possibly stay, that neither she nor her brother would consider it But her eyes were drawn past him to the stricken figure on the bed. Something In her that was deeper than hate, than the demand in ber for revenge stlred within her heart She re-stirred re-stirred within her heart She re-refuse. re-refuse. . "If you'll give me the message to your son I'll take it myself," she said. Doctor Sanders wrote the telegram tele-gram so that there might be no mistake mis-take in verbal transmission. Julia took it and walked out of the room without another look at either of the McCanns. Her pony was still saddled In front of the house. She rode out of the valley toward the pass, ber body shaken with anguished sobs. Never before today had life seemed to her so empty and so futile. A sound startled ber. She turned, to see Stone riding Just behind. "Thought maybe Pd better drift along," he drawled. "You never can sometimes tell." She choked down a sob and nodded nod-ded her thanks. I don't reckon I could help you any way?" he suggested gently. "No, it's Just the way things are. We have to let those McCanns stay here after after what they did"..' The ' little Texan studied her a moment before he spoke. "It ain't been proved, Miss Julia, that Wlls McCann did It "If he didn't who did?" "rm not offerin' my opinion on that" "Then why do you say maybe he didn't?" His stony eyes were opaque. "Only a notion of mine." "Oh welll If he didn't do It he knows who did. It's all the same. They were lying In wait for Dad- he and his friends. What's It mat ter who fired the shot?" Stone looked at her, strangely, she thought and looked away. "Maybe so." CHAPTER VI Friendship Rejected. A FTER Julia had delivered Mc-Cann's Mc-Cann's message to his son she returned with Stone to the ranch, The Texan left her there and Jogged down the valley along the road which Matthew Stark bad followed fol-lowed a few hours earlier. Out of the brush a man rode to meet Stoned "'Lo, Sam," the Texan said. "I asked you to be here because I want you to show me Just where the old man was standin' when he was shot" "Sure," agreed Sharp. Five min utes later he was showing Stone where they picked up the body of his employer. "Here's where he lay an' Wlls McCann was right over there. Miss Julia, she was lookin after Wlls. Say, I'm right sorry for that li'l girl. She must be a sure enough Christian, her hatln that McCann like she does an' having to save his life after he'd shot her paw." "If he shot Stark," the Texan amended. "Looks to me like McCann Mc-Cann heard the shot an' went to see who'd been hurt" "Some one shot the old man. It don't look like if some of the rest of the McCann outfit did It they'd go away an' leave Wlls wounded without lookin' after him." "That's a bull's-eye Bhot Sam. They wouldn't So we know Wlls wa3 alone." "I reckon." Another point Who shot Wlls Matt Stark didn't Phil didn't Miss Julia didn't You hadn't got nere, so you didn't" Sam scratched his head. If this was a riddle he did not know the answer. "Blamed if I know. Who did?" I don't claim to know yet But 111 say one thing. It ain't proved to my satisfaction that the same man didn't shoot both the old man an' Wils McCann. This McCann I size op as a fighter but a game one. If he killed Stark it was In the open, an I reckon the old man was given a chance for his white alley. He was plugged when he wasnt expecting it" "We don't even know that Maybe May-be they met right here an' Wlls neat him to It" "No. He was shot from that ditch likely." "Why from the ditch an not from tne brush?" -Stone showed his companion clomp of prickly pear standing on a sand hillock. Through two of the thick leaves a neat small hole naa oeen bored. MTV . . aeres wnere tne bullet went aner it passed through Matt' neaa.- "Great snakes I HI bet you're right" The wrangler's forehead wnntied in thought "An If It iin the fellow must a-beea lying In the uueaover there or mighty close Fans the Fro.t Away Fred Rusteburg has 100 acres of beans on his farm near San Benito, Texas. The earliest beans marketed naturally bring premium prices, and as the tender young plants fall an easy prey to late frosts, there is the constant danger of having tnem nipped. To ward off these late froBts, Rusteburg has mounted three airplane propellers with their motors, taken from World war air bombers. Whenever the temperature sinks to the danger point, Rusteburg starts his motors and the currents of air set Im motion keep the frost from forming, Just as happens on a windy night, even if temperatures are quite low. to it" They walked over to the irriza Hon ditch. "Water runnln In It" enmmt. ed Stone. "D'you haDDen r nnHn. whether there was any In It when you drove across with the buck- ssmm Why don't you try tHa amazing soap see how it suda last till dishes are sparkling clean bow they float dirt out of clolhea and hold it out so clolhea are cleaner and whiter without rubbing? Softent water. JNerer balls up. Procter & Gamble Conscientious Censors He (as his wife Is packing) I dont think you ought to wear that bathing 6uit, Helen. She But, dear, I have to you know how strict they are at the beaches. Boston Transcript Give to a pig when it grunts and a child when It cries, and you will have a fine pig and a bad child. I I 'in I V . T' i ill. Oldest Married Couple? Jugoslavia claims to have found the oldest married couple In the world. The husband is one hundred and seventeen, and the wife one hundred hun-dred and fifteen, and they have been married 100 years. They are peasants peas-ants and 11 Ye In a village near NIsh. Both still enjoy good health. More than 100 descendants took part In a festival held recently at the aged couple's farm to honor them. Apartments on Stilts Nine-story apartment homes on stilts are proposed for New York city. The structures would have no first story. Almost all the space usually devoted to a ground floor to be reserved as a sheltered play ground for children. According to the architects, apartments on the street level will never be missed. Plethora "How are things, Joe?" 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