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Show ! I Rimrock Trail ; $ J g - y a ALLAN DUNN I $ a $ Author of "A Mas to His Mate' etc c p ft' J I 1 c li 71 1 no bullets came near the pair. The I Sam, I'm goln' to soak that placo on II Mvniiinr rnrrrBu amim II I fusillade was sheer bravado. I vorn nrtn wlfS Irvllno rinnA ntnht I ww,.,,.,.,i . r BTNOrfiW. To th Three-Bar '1 ranch, Arizona, owned Jointly by a I Bandy Ijourko, "Mormon" I'eUra nt , and "Soda-Water 8am" Mannlnr, wn nna colli makes It way, In the last iU(i of exhauitlon. Inicrlp- wo lion on Hi collar says Its nams Is th Orlt, "property of P. Casey." i Scenting a desert tragedy, Uourke and Sam mount and let the doc , lead them. The two find a dying man, Patrick Casey, pinned under ' an overturned wagon. Kneeling tip beald the wsgon Is his young daughter Molly, fifteen, They extricate ex-tricate the old prospector, who dies mo repeating "Mollr-mlneal" "I'll mj look out for that, pardner," says S1) Bandy. It Is agreed that Molly stays as mascot of the ranch, she 0l and the "Thrra Muikeleers" bo- ' coming partners In tha mines. ' Sandy Insists upon an education i for Molly. Jim Pllmsoll, gambler, ' visiting tha ranch. Insults Molly. nu lis claims ha grubstaked Casey, pl which made him tha old man's ' 1 partner. Mormon drives him oft. Starting with a gold eagle, Molly's , luck piece, Sandy, with Sam, plays 0 faro at Pllmsoll's place, winning I I 110.000. hci ' CHAPTER V-Contlnued. -5 bll "They're through. That's enough." ald Sandy. "Wo ain't killers." ga, "Got two of 'cm," said Sam. "Good nci S shootin', Sandy i I reckon I missed ti clean. I fired to tho left." . i "Tho man who's down is Hutch," gnj said Sandy. "I'd know his flggcr In gu a coal shaft I've a hunch tho other jrn r was Ilahn. Hit him oomcwherca In j the hand ; spile his dcalln' fo' a while. wi, f Let's git out of this. They've quit." mo f "Wonder If PJtmsolI was with 'cm. rca . How about tho hnwsses? Can you .., ' whistlo Pronto backr , "Iteckon so." Sandy whistled shrilly ,.y, through his teeth. After a minute ho , repeated .-the call. I(( There came a sound of pounding j j hoofs. Then that of others, coming nffl I from the town. .. "Better load up, Sam," said 8andy " I, grimly ; "wo ain't out of this yet. B 'That'll be Jim I'ltmsoll's brothcr-ln- law. likely." , "Hero come our ponies." ,. As yet they could seo nothing ad- L ranclng. but a horso whinnied from tho plain lying between tlient and tho , 1 Threo Star -road. "Pronto," said Sandy, shoving car- , fridges into his guns. A body of mounted men had como or out 'from town and ridden fast upon yJ the bridge. Tho foremost stopped m 1 ). -with an exclamation at tho missing boards. All wheeled In somo confu- inlori and slid their horses down Into tho arroyo to scramble up the bank again and spur for Sam and Sandy ) Just ns tho pinto and the roan cur veted up to their masters. Tho two i cowmen leaped for their seats, Sandy ri jj -temporarily sheathing one gun. Thoy f fared the townsmen, who formed a k i half-circle about them. I ; "You, Sandy Ilourko nn' Sam Man- u nlng, stick up yore hands I" "You got good eyesight," returnod i Sandy. "What's the Idee? Ef you a shoot, don't miss, I'm holdta' tol'ablo s - close tcrnlght" 1 4 i nis tone was almost good-humored, I i .tolerant, full of confidence. I "You was shootin' In town limits. I May have killed someone. Agln tlie ;," law to'shoot Inside the Hcrefo'd line. 2 , I'm goln' to tako you la." " t "You air?" Bandy's drawl was ij. charged with mockery. "How. about V - the Hcrefo'd men who stahtcd tho flro-worksT flro-worksT Kf you want our guns, ! 8herlff, come nn' take em. First come, first served." t There was no forward movement ' - A man Bworo oa his horse began to dance. Y( 'i "You go back nn tell Jim Pllmsoll to do his own dirty wo'k, If he's got any guts left fo' trytn'. Me, I'm goln' ' f home." Sal Tho sheriff and his hastily gathered " i band of Irregular deputies, working mo I In tho Interests of Pllmsoll, knew, n"' i with sufllclent lutlmacy to endow ,tcl them with caution, tho general record So (of Sandy Ilourko and Soda-Wnter Sni f Sam. None, of them wanted to risk a cr'' shot and miss. Sandy would not ,en iBvcn a fatal wound might not pre- w vent him taking toll. 8am was almost nn ns dangerous. They were politicians oth rnUier thon lighting men, every wo " ,of them. And they wero tolerably MU certain that Pllmsoll had ambushed nc the two from Uie Thrco Star. Tho " k, laHcrlff blustered. be. '' "I ain't through with you ylt Sahdy up, 4 inourko. I know whero to find you." trit r "You all are goln to have a mighty sldi limn! time flndln' yo'se'f nfteh election, car. U Sheriff, as It la. The cowmen ain't ore j .crasy about you. They might take a Iroi li notion to escort you out of tho county If ! limits." pro f "You'ro Insldo the town line, I" flhc - "I won't be In two minutes. Git out " , of our road," said Sandy, his voice Mol , reezlng In sudden contempt. He I w iroweled Pronto and, with Sam vcn can jtn the Jump, they galloped through " t the half-rlng without opiwsltlon. I Horses were neck-reined anlde to let wai them pass. The wind sang by them awt if ,u thejajigentfr.frpm, the road. f l-A snol gyftvpnnnounoed, the .nttempt sun L of some to snvo their own faces, but 1 r'or almost a mile the two rode at M speed, Ui'i they settled down to lope that ate up the miles a walk M the end of three then lope and sh Ik again, until the gtant cotton- ds of the Three Star rose from sa ! plain. th ilonnon tiptoed heavily out on the nr aklng porch with a husky, "Hush 1" th 'What foT St 'Molly's asleep. 8lstcd on waltln' fit for you." 'Well, wo're here, ain't wer de-inded de-inded Sam. "Me, I got a scrape In ' arm an' some son of a wolf lied my saddle. Sandy, he sorter sncd up fo' It" Tl 'Illcetlln'r asked Mormon. M 'Nope. Tied my bandanner round co Cold air fixed It Shucks, It ain't ra thin' I Sundy's got a green kale gl ister fo It" sh 'You wonl" ev 'Did wo win? Walt till wo show Hi u." sn Molly met them as thoy went In, fo r eyes wide open, all sleep banished. w 'Was it a luck-piece?" she de- ke inded. In 3andy produced the packago of Bi Is, divided It, shoved over part et Your half," he said. "Flvo thou- up id bucks. Bu'sted the bank. An' Bi re's the 'rlglnal bet" no showed In ) gold eagle, put It Into her palm. o 'Served me, now you take It" he ar d. "I'll glt you a chain fo' It It's to re a mascot same as you are the so scot of the Three Star." nr 3ho looked up, her eyes, cloudy Ih wonder at tho sight of the nc ney, shining nt her now title. They he itcd on Sam's arm, bandaged with wi bandanna. th Thcro's been shootin," she said, ca ou'ro- hit Oh I" 'More of a miss than a hit" re- eti ed Snm. to Holly turned to Sandy. Anxiety, bt cctlon, something stronger that nr rrcd him deeply, showed now In her cli :c. You hurtr I 'Didn't hardly muss a ha'r of my id. Jest a ll'l excitement Main nl it Is we got tho money for yo llcatlon, Uko we planned." as L'ho light faded from her face. he 'Air you so dead set for mo to go ar ay?" bhe asked. It 'See here, Molly." Sandy leaned ' ward In his chnlr, talking earnest- tl( "You'vo got tho makln' of a Shty Ono woman In you. An' paht nl ar bu-bII Are D d deed to Mo," She PI Said. F wl you Is yore dad on' paht yoro maw. co be? They handed y6u on down an', hi you make tho most of yo'so'f, you jt ke the most of them. Me, I've to us been troubled with the saddle- nc It nn I've wanted the out-of-doors, jf you see I lost out on a heap," said to ndy. "An I'm a man. I can git th ong with less. Hut fo' n gel. jn rnln's a grand thing. An' thcro's the in cities, nn' theaters, fine clothes tl flno manners. Like llvln' In an- Bu er world." But," said Molly, wide-eyed, fls nt's tho Ufo I like; I mean out "I e. I don't want to bo different" Tl Shucks," said Sandy. "You won't a Jest polished up. Skin slicked mi hair fixed to the stylo, nails sti nmed an' shlned. Culchured. In-a In-a you'll bo yore real self. You I't tnko tho gold out of a bit of or any more than you can chango n pyrites Inter the reel stuff. But, m tho gold's goln' to bo put Into ha per circulation, It's got to bo re- rd. Saber co I ain't refined, I reckon," said I i lly with a sigh. "I don't know as. bu ant to be, I can alius come back, ca 't IV nit You sure can." Tt An' there's Dad. He's whero he he Ucd to be, I wudn't want to go ty from hltn." flg He'd want you to make this trip,, oh e, " said Bandy. "An that settles I You go off to bed an' dream oa It 1 ab sat oily." , She got up Immediately, went to ormon and to Sam and gravely look hands, thanking them. r "You-all are d d good to me," sho j, ltd. Opposite Sandy she hesitated, t en threw her arms round his neck j id kissed him before she ran from le room, with Grit leaping after her. c indy's bronzed faco glowed like renting re-nting copper. CHAPTER VI h Paso Cabras. They did not make butter on the hrco Star. Since Uio arrival of " oily an unwilling nnd refractory iw had been brought In from the j ingo and half forced, half coaxed to R ve the fresh milk that Mormon In-sted In-sted tho girl needed. Until then -aporated milk had suited all hands. n ut butter to go with hot cakes and c ge-honcy was an Imperative need n r the riders. The butter came over eckly from the Bailey ranch to be pt under tho spring cover for cool- . g. Usually the gangling young Ed . alley brought It over In the crotch- , y flivver. When Sandy saw the arscly fleshed figure of Miranda fl alloy seated by tho driver he winced spirit This second visitation oked like mere curiosity and gossip id offset the opinion he had begun ' form of the spinster that she was v lund underneath her angularities id mannerisms. . It was twilight The three part- n ;rs and Molly were on the ranch-use ranch-use porch after supper, and there q as no escape. Miranda nodded at io three partners, who rose as she ime up the steps. . "You sure need some now clothes, , did," she said to Molly. "You got f i hare 'em. Now then, I come on jslness. Sandy Bourke, you ain't . ly of you the legal guardian of that j! did, air your "Nothln' illegal In what wo're doln', reckon." "I didn't ask you that You-all n't got papcrsr , "Jest what's the Idear Sandy iked. "Someone flggerln' on mnktn' d r stay at tho Th'rce Star unplcas- j tt? Fur as Jest gossip Is concerned, don't have any weight with none ' us an' there ain't no sen so In men- q onln It" 0 " 'Pears you nln't glvln' me over nn' jore credit for sense," said Mlrnndn, bit grimly. "This ain't gossip, ero 'tis. I got It direct from my B other, who's heard the talk goln' mnd. You'vo run foul of Jim Pllm- " lt or ho foul of you, which Is more Itcly. Pllmsoll an' Eke Jordan, the , icrlff, aro Uko two peas In a pod. " ow for tho meat of the nut They're L jgcrln' on gcttln' control of the gel ray from you-all. They'll use argy- a Inta for tbo general public that she's 0 young to be keepln' house for : ireo unmarried men, leastwise threo en who ain't llvln with their f, Ives.' Sho looked pointedly at Mor- q on. "They'll rouso up opinion f. lough for a change. They'd Uko to I )p'lnt a guardian of tholr own kid- )y. Mobbe we can block that If one " '. us comes out an' offers to take her. S 1 be glad to, for one, an do the ght thing by her." Molly walked over to Sandy's chair ld stood behind It her eyes widen- 1 g, her breath beginning to come ilckly. w "Thore's somo talk about her fact's fa-ct's claims over to Dynamite lookln' F, X Party of easterners over that ay lately, noslu' around to find out vners, lookln' up assessment work ? i so on. Talk of a boom. I reckon I1 llmsoll's twigged that Lawyer ecder, who run for stato senator an hose record's none too dainty, Is In ihoots with Jordan an' Pllmsoll. Ed Z ;ard they flggcr on goln" before idge Vannlmnn, one of their crowd, .. ' get an order of court, She's a ml- ' r. They can git her away from you. wo crowd them too hard for them a ' app'lnt ono of their own ring an ey'ro flggerln' on Pllmsoll, ho claim- to bo her father's partner they'll iely havo her put In some lnstltu- " n. An It's goln' to be dono right iddcn." cl Molly stepped out, eyes flashing, ?' its clenched, talking passionately. P won't go with 'em. I'll run awny. Iiey can't take me. Jim Pllmsoll Is n d d liar. You won't let 'era tnko e' ur Sho turned to Sandy, her nrms retched In appeal. G "No, Molly, I won't. Will wo, boysr "You can bet everything jrou got an f er hope to own we won't," said 8am. , "That goes for me," echoed Mor- , on, but ho scratched his frlngo of ilr In somo perplexity. 01 "Talk don't beat nn order of tho urt," said Miranda Bailey. "Mebbe Bccm sort of vinegary to you, child, it I'm not a bad sort I flggcr If you , me home with me today wo cud inage to glt you placed with us. f tore's been tattle about you stoppln' re. You're fifteen an . . ." "Somo folks Is Jest plumb rotten," red Molly, "I'm no Nkld. I . . , If Dad was alive 1" t Sandy stood up and slid an nrm out her shaking shoulders. Sb k ."We're powerful obliged to yon, lss Bailey, for what you told us," ild 8andy. "I'm right sure you'd ( ve Molly a fine home, but we got :her plans an we aim to carry 'em it Pllmsoll's a skunk an I'll block Is gamo about the mines ef they mount to anything. Molly's goln ist for her cddlcatlon. She's got lenty money to glt tho best that's Din' an she's goln to have It" "Then you better glt her 'cross the junty lino before mnny hours are rcr." Miss Bailey climbed Into tho tachlne. "You aim on tnkln' her out f the county to the railroad tcr-lorrcrl" tcr-lorrcrl" alio asked. "What school la do goln' tor "We ain't settled all the details." ild Sandy. "But wo'll do that all Ight We'll glt ready Boon's we can. leantlrae, wo'll keep our eyes peeled r-morrer against any order from tcreford." Miranda waved a farewell as she ailed out "Good luck Is "Some sport 1" announced Sam. that's the kind of woman you sh'ud are married, Mormon." Molly, excited now, demanded audi tice, "When do wo startr she asked ca-erly. ca-erly. "Will you wait tUl they come ut from Hereford?" "I got to think out things a bit roily," said Sandy.. "One thing Is ure, you got to tuhn In an' glt a good est. Ef we slide out It won't bo all pleasure trip. I reckon Pllmsoll leans business. An' he's sure got the aunty mnchlnery behind him right ow." "I can take Grltr "W'uldn't want to leaTe us soma-iln' soma-iln' to remember you byT' asked andy. "Somethln' to help make sure ou'Il como back?" Molly regarded Sandy soberly, her ngers twining through the dog's lane. "You'd be good to him same as on air to mo? Oh, I'm just plumb lean to ask you that I know you r'ud. Ho's goln' to be Jest as lone-Dtno lone-Dtno as mo for a bit ain't you, Grit? 10 alius slop' with me, cuddlln' up, n' " She gulped, straightened. "Good night," she said. "Come, Irlt" Tho three men sat silent for a mo-tent mo-tent or two after she left "Slio's sure a stem-winder," sold lormon presently. "How you goln' ) fix to get her nwny, Sandy V "I got a plan wnrmlQ up," said andy. "Nearest to the county line i west through the Cabezas range. I Im to glt to tho railroad an' then mo n' Molly'U mako for New Mexico." 1 "Huh I" "You guessed It, Mormon. For tho ' ecos river nn Bovlllo an' tho Red-fng Red-fng ranch. I reckon Barbara Red- ' lng'11 handle the thing. She'll glt 1 tolly her outfit nn' she'll know all bout tho right schools." ; Mormon brought his hand down on urn's thigh with a sounding whack. "Dern me, of ho ain't tho wlso ol in of a gun," he cried delightedly. 1 3urol" Barbara Redding, once Barbara arton of tho celebrated Curly O, was ' bright star In tho mutual Armament t the Threo Star partners. They had 11 worked together on the Curly O i the old days. Sandy had been foro-inn foro-inn there. Onco he had rescued Bar-lrn Bar-lrn Barton from horso rustlers with grudgo against hor father, and onco , rain he hnd rendered her even ' renter service when members of tho ime crowd kidnaped her two-year-old n, whom Barbara Redding bad rought on a visit to hla grandfather, andy had trailed alone and brought i the "ll'l son of a gun," as he styled io youngster. There was llttlo that arbara Redding and her husband, calthy rancher, would not do for andy. "I've got an Itch to give Pllmsoll ' his pals a run fo their money," ont on Snndy. "An' here's the way flggor to do It, in the rough. See hat you all think of It" Subdued guffaws roso from tho srch in through the open window of io room where Molly Casey lay wide ivako, the dog beside her. Presently io heard tho martial strains of Sara's lrmonlcn, cuddled under his big mus-iche, mus-iche, played one-handed. "They're good," sho said to Grit 1 Vn' they'vo flggcrcd out something r they w'udn't bo actln thntaway. ou an mo got to be game." Next morning, breakfast over bo-iro bo-iro the sun was well abovo the peaks, hllo desert birds were still rising vittcrlng shrill welcome to the dawn! 1 andy went nbout humming snatches 1 ' cowboy songs Just nbore his breath i he oversaw tho arrangements for 1 io exodus that wns to be, not so 1 uch a flight as a deliberately cal- ' llated laying of a trail for the pur- 1 lit Ho wns In high humor as tho ackboard was grensed, a team of icksklns given a special feed and a ib-down, nnd vrirlous articles gath-ed gath-ed for transportation. Among theso ere n spool of barbed wire and a izcn fence ports. His spirit was Infectious. Four ders, Jumping to his orders, tossed tdlnage nmpng one another like a ill. Mormon nnd Snm, seated tin tho p rail of tho corral fence, openly imlred their partner. "Like old times. Mormon r suggest-I suggest-I Sam. "Sure is. I reckon wo'll have somo in foro the day's out. Got yore gun led up? Hero's Molly." "What's It fo', sheriff; Moon- fl shine or hawss steallnT' |