OCR Text |
Show THE RICH COUNTY REAPER. RANDOLPH. UTAH OlJN By THE STORY SO FAR: Clay Morgan, who cannot forget the wife who died hating him, refuses to with Ben Herendeen, a "play bail rancher who wants to run the cattle country his own way. Morgan is a big rancher and knows he must protect himself against rustlers and "nesters, but he doesnt like Herendeens methods. Of his old friends, only Hack Breathitt has not gone over to Herendeens side. The others like Lige White, Charley and Gurd Grant are supporting Herendeen more or less In self defense. Gurd Grants sister, Catherine, Is In love with Clay. She comes to see him and is forced to hide when riders are heard approaching. The flrst Is Hack Breathitt, out of breath from hard riding. Now continue with the story. a solitary man Hill-hou- CHAPTER V Hack Breathitt stepped to the porch. He said: I guess I need a little help on this. He was a thin, agitated shape in the shadows; he was swearing softly to himself, full of anger. He listened to the strengthening rush of the yonder horses. That will be Herendeen and Lige White and Gurd Grant. It has come to a hell of a pass when a man cant ride these hills as he pleases. Clay Morgan said, rough and sudden: If theyre stepping on your feet, take a shot at them. Hack let out a heavy, irritated Not yet, Clay. Im tryin to sigh. be peaceable. They said no more, for the three ranchers had reached the yard. The three left their saddles, slowly coming into the light. Morgan had his quick sight of their faces, of Gurds worried expression and of Lige Whites embarrassed dislike at what he was now doing, and of Ben Herendeens bony, flat triumph. Its what I expected, Herendeen said. Youre lucky I didnt knock you out of that saddle, grumbled Hack Breathitt. If you had nothin to worry about, why run? asked Herendeen. Hack Breathitt was a shrewd man and he had no trust in Ben Herendeen. He said, halfway between outrage and amusement: Wasnt run-niBen. I was just bein careful. I just kept rememberin Ollie Ernest Haycox a rising in his eyes. She said in a small,N hurried voice, Good night, Clay, and went by him. He walked to the porch and waited until she rode around the house. She paused a moment and held out her hand She said, at once cool and near laughter: Will I see you in town, Clay? Theres a dance Friday. I think Ben will be taking me. Ill be there, he said. . . old-fac- ed 1 brush-jump- I . , pre-heati- oven-cooki- Mrs. Gale suddenly reached for the smallest child, wrapping her apron around him terror in the eyes of Gales wife. I gave you time, pointed out Herendeen. Time for what? asked Gale. To kick a man around like a dog? I aint hurting you. This aint near your range. It should be Mr. Whites say and he aint complained. Thats enough, said Herendeen. All you nesters are alike. I give you twenty minutes to clear your junk out of the shack. Mrs. Gale at once turned and ran for the house, calling over her shoulders, Gale, help me. Daisy come help me. Gale didnt move. He had his head down and he stared at the ground, by indecision and futility. The girl, Herendeen observed, was pretty. The women were carrying their possessions out of the house their kitchen implements, their clothes, their few sticks of furniture. Herendeen said, almost laughing, Old man, if you expect to save your wagon you better get it out of the shed. Gale stirred himself. He walked across the yard with his knees never quite straightening. He called to the oldest boy, Give me a hand, sonny," and both of them seized the tongue of the wagon and backed it from the shed. Afterwards Gale went into the corral for his horses. Herendeen watched the family move around the yard. He looked at his watch, and was a little disappointed that it was so easy. He said Thats twenty minutes. Set em afire. Bones McGeen rode to the shed. Liard Connor got down and went into the house. Herendeen heard him tramping around the place; the stove crashed down and in a little while smoke began to puff through ttie door. Connor came back. McGeen had piled some sage wood against the comer, of the shed, and hard-caug- ht ever. Copper flashing around pipes dormer windows and the edges of roofs never needs painting. But copper is now on the priority list If you have or are installing gai vanized flashing, remember that it should be examined frequently and kept covered with paint. 'OQoas liHEgvfaTftrrfi box-lik- a th, mSh ctStfTS arm. Herendeen said: You had better keep your damned mouth shut. Hitch up that team and get out of the country. He released Gale and returned to crying Late Friday afternooij, just as Clay 'Morgan was ready to leave the ranch for fWar Pass, Vance ll came into the Long Seven yard and dropped off a tired horse. Vance was a steady-goin- g young man who once had been a puncher for Herendeens Three Pines and now owned a few cows of his own up on the slope of the Cache Mountains. He didnt say anything for a moment but Morgan saw that he was under considerable strain and waited for Vance to make his talk. Vance fashioned a cigarette, lighted it and stood with his feet apart, staring across the narrow valley flats. He said, Pretty country, but really didnt see it. When he pushed his hat back a mop of hair, black as Ket-che- er ng A little candied ginger, finely chopped, gives zest to a fruit cock tail, salad or sherbet. It also is good added to whipped cream and used to top puddings. Be careful to use just a little of it, how- tOI his horse. Connor and McGeen joined him, the three of them circling the snapping, twisted rush o:I fire; flames broke through the shantys roof and the sky above this area began to glow. Looking back as a matter of caution, Herendeen saw the family still standing by the juniper tree. The girl had taken the youngest child in her arms. Gale had moved over to his wife. His arm was around her; she had thrown her apron across her face and was . Gurd Grant said: We were coming along the trail down by Dell Lake and saw you and Pete Borders riding together. Pete hit off one way and you went another. All we wanted to know was why you camped with him last night. But you made a run of it. Clay, said Herendeen, you propose to shelter every that comes along? Hacks a friend of mine, stated Morgan, and hes on my land. Ill stand behind him. Herendeen said, to Breathitt, If I ever see you around my country, Hack, Ill open up on you. He swung on his heels and left the porch. From his place by the doorway, Morgan noticed Gurd Grant swing from the porch end with a strange jerk of his shoulders and cross at once to his horse. He mounted quickly, waiting for Lige White and Herendeen. Darkness covered this yard but Morgan saw Gurds white and vague and staring face in the heavy shadows. A moment later all three of them trotted from the yard. As they left, Lige White said something to Grant. Gurd Grant never heard it. In stepping to the end of the porch he had noticed his sisters horse in the farther darkness and at that moment all his long wonder at' her relations with Morgan froze into solid certainty and left him, in that one passing interval, no longer Morgans friend. Hack said: Well, Ill drift along. Put up for the night, Hack. No, said Hack. But Im obliged for the help. He looked down at the floor, involved in his own uncertain thoughts. It is the last time Ill run from those fellows, Clay. I wanted no shootin. Now, I dont give a damn. He was soon gone, galloping southward down the narrow valley. Morgan waited until the sound of all these travelers faded into the night before going to the living room. Catherine came from the hallway toward him. Clay did he see my horse? ' I took it back of the house. Relief came to her, though there was a shading of worry that wouldnt leave. Gurds a little touchy about me. I wouldnt want . . . She didnt finish that sentence. He said: Do what you can to keep Gurd out of it. Bens going to play hell with a lot of people. If it comes to a showdown Ill have to go against him. She murmured, I know, and the color of her eyes turned darker, turned softer. She saw the length of his jaw and the tension around his lips and the smoky excitement I On Thursday evening just beyond sunset, Ben Herendeen reached the ridge behind the Gale homestead and came over it so suddenly that he caught the Gale family eating supper under a lone juniper tree in the yard. He might have taken the route straight across Fanolango Desert, but this would have given Gale notice from afar. Liard Connor and Bones McGeen, both being men who liked this kind of business, were with him. It amused Herendeen to see the complete shock his arrival produced. Gale rose, gaunt and grayheaded and in the twilight. Mrs. Gale suddenly reached for the smallest child, wrapping her apron around him. There were three other children in the family, a girl near twenty and two younger boys. All of them remained still and for a moment he , could see something prettyclose to deen n, Jacks. Chopped ripe olives with the merest dash of garlic make a pungent filling for small white bread now this fire began to burn. Gale sandwiches to be toasted and stopped harnessing the horses. He served with cocktails. put his back against the wagon, watching the fire catch hold. Strained honey, heated and One side of the shed turned into a mixed with soft butter and a dash the of sheet flame; doorway of cinnamon and yellow gives a of the shanty showed a solid roll of delicious flavor tocloves, muftoasted and and fire inside was there smoke waffles or hot fins, pancakes. no way now for the Gales to save anything. Herendeen said, to his Oven for short bakmen: I guess thats all. But he wastes heat. Plan to do ing jobs on at looked the girl, speculating at her. He said: Im not as bad as your baking and the same when time, possible. want a You job? Its youd figure. one way of keeping your family alive, anyhow. OH THE Gale left the horses and walked to Herendeen. He said: Mr. HerenFRON deen, my daughter would drop dead RUTH WYETl before she took anything from you. And if she did take anything Id 'T'HE upper sketch shows a com kill her. I guess youve done us all A bination living and bedroom the hurt you can. Go on and leave that was up to date with brought us alone. Someday, maybe I can inch of waste space used. every pay you back. The cushions (lower left) were reHold on there, said Herendeen. e placed with a compartHe got off his horse and walked ment for bedding. This was made up to Gale, catching the front of of plywood as shown at the lower Gales shirt in his fingers. He shook Gale a little but there wasnt any SAME resistance in the older man at all; COUCH WITH NEW his body swayed to the pressure of COVER, Herendeens arm. Mrs. Gales eyes BEDDING showed a sudden terror. One of the AND MODERN boys reached down to seize a rock; UNITS he would have .. it AT THE crow, dropped down on his forehead. Clay, he said at last, you hear about the Gales?" Yes. 1 saw them over in Freeport yesterday. Pretty tough pretty tough. He smoked on and Morgan knew he had not yet come to his point. Something on the summit of the Mogul Hills seemed to interest Vance as he added casually: I like the family I like the girl. Sure, said Morgan, and understood part of Vances trouble Clay, if that can happen to a nester, it can happen to me. Im pretty small potatoes and it looks like somethings afoot to push us out. He stared at Morgan, then said in an idle voice, I heard the big outfits held a meetin the other day. Wasnt present, said Clay. He knew what lay in Ketchells mind. Ketchell was a cow hand at heart but he had his own interests to worry about now, and the affair at the Gale homestead hit pretty close. Ketchell was figuring out the politics of the country, wondering where his, Morgans, weight would be. Ketchell was too old a hand to ask the direct question, but nevertheless he kept circling around hunting an answer. Ketchell said: I dont think it was right of Herendeen. Cant blame a big outfit for watchin its own fences, but I aint so ignorant as I used to be. Small folks have got rights, Clay. Theres a hell of a lot of them in this world and they got rights, If I were Gale," said Morgan, Id cut the price of that homestead out of Herendeens hide. He saw relief change Ketchells face completely. Vance tossed away the cigarette; he was grinning beneath the shadow of his hat brim. Yeah, he said. Well, see you in church. He was on the horse and soon away and somewhere in his mind was a decision formed in that little space of time, ENDS COUCH WITH PTBHSKS When children crave sweets, give them oranges. When you want refreshment, drink orange juice. Fruit sugars give you a quick lift! Oranges are the best practical source of vitamin C supply valuable amounts of vitamins A, Bi and G; calcium and other minerals. Those stamped Sunkist are the finest from 14,300 cooperating growers. Buy in quantities -- Ary keep! SLIDE COUCH UNDER BEDDING COMPARTMENT (STUDIOTABLES AND SPACE right. It was padded across the front and ends with cotton batting, and covered with the couch material tacked in place through a lath strip. Unpainted book cases were bought to go at the ends and the lid of the bedding compartment was painted to match these. NOTE: A new couch cover, lamp shade, curtains or slip cover that you can make yourself may give your living room a fresh start. Book 1 in the series which Mrs. Spears has prepared for our read-er- s shows you aU the tricks. It contains 32 pages of fascinating new ideas for your home and working drawings to bring your old furnishings up to date. Send your order to: MRS. RUTH WYETH SPEARS Bedford Hills New York Enclose 10 Drawer 10 cents for Book gfrrrftffrO Gteo Q 1. Ms? Name Address Coer 1043. California Pratt Growers Exchange SPLIT-SECON- D SPECIALIST! Ket-che- ll (TO BE CONTINUED ) HES A SELF-STARTE-R JOHNNY STfOrft, famous sports photographer, leads a hectic life THE (WMWHS &S5Sim ?S2SSm BeTnates 22 " chasing action shots all over the country. He says, Night and day Im on the go. And Ive found that one way to help stay on my toes from early morning to noon is to eat a good breakfast I like a big bowl of Kelloggs Com Flakes with fruit and milk. Tastes swell and what a ADVERTISERS OFFER CONSUMERS A FREE CHOICE OF A WIDE RANGE OF DEPENDABLE MERCHANDISE |