Show NAMELESS A RIVER t I CATHREW r SYNOPSIS Kale te KM Cathrew Ca threw w Cattle C Kate owner of the tho th Sky SkyLine skyLine SkyLine Line ranch on her way to McKane's Mc- Mc Mc-K Mc Kanes Kanell n store tore at t Cordova seem seem- seemIngly eem Infuriated by tho th sight leht ofa of ofa a girl Irl plowing In the thO valley alley bolow bo- bo bolow b bl l low w places II a rifle bullet near the hon horses hones s feet The Th girl Kirl takes tl no notice nolle notice Kate Kalil goes coca on to town lown where her presence brings on a fight lent between en McKane Mebane the th trader tr der and Sheriff Selwood Nance Allison on the tir girl cirl on whom Kate Kale Cathrew C w had vented her spite pile Is I with her widowed moth moth- mother mother mother er and nd crippled brother Dud Bud farming land taken laken up by 11 her father killed a short hort time be- be before before tor bc-tor fore In a mysterious accident Bud Buel Is 1 the tho th victim of o a 1 deliberate scheme chemo to maim malm or kill him Kate Cathrew wants the tho th farm for farm for pasture land and Is trying t to frighten the tir AIll on Into leaving DIg Bit Dasford Basford Ba ford Sky SIy Line Lino rider desperately In lovo love with late Kate picks a quarrel with II a fellow w rider Rod Stone Ston Kate to part them lashes la he across the th face tace t c with a 1 quirt Nance discovers dl cover In a cave a One line collie dog doc evidently guarding a achild achild achild child She goes home horn mystified Next day da- Nance Nanc returns return to the cave cae with food and makes friends with the th dog dor and the th small boy Sonny He H tells tell her Brand takes care car of him and Dirk the collie coUle Selwood Is certain Kate Cathrew Is the tir head of n a cattle rustling gang cang with Lawrence Arnold her hr partner who rarely visits vl Its the ranch Minnie Pinel Pine halfbreed ed at the Sky Line ranch Is In love with Rod Stone Ranchers complain or of cattle stealing and criticize Sheriff Selwood for his seeming Inactivity Nance visiting Son Son- Sonny Sonny Son Sonny ny and Dirk In the th cave meets Brand Fair Sonny's protector and promises promise to keep their secret CHAPTER IX S 0 Golden Colden Magic Something haul hl happened to Nanca Allison For the first time In her healthy young life lICe sleep refused to vIsit her hH Even Ewen her terrible grief Iet at atthe atthe the death of her father rather had given ghen way to sleep at last and she had for for- forgotten or gotten her tragedy for or n a blessed time tame But nut on the night following her lier Interview Inter Interview view with the lie strange man of the canyon can canyon yon she was wide awake till dawn da She was not uncomfortable She did not think she fhe hc was ill But nut an on odd In- In Inner inner In Inner ner warmth surged nil all through her hera a pleasant tire lire ran In her veins Sh She lay Shi-lay lay In her II bed d with her lier hands beneath her head hend and anil thought over oel and over each phase of oC the day da she had hud spent spen with Ith Sonny each Incident that had hadi i led up to the appearance of Brand Fair Then a n peculiar delight he the went ma his er e every word every very movement SL remembered the look ot of othis his brown on the black horses horse's hit bit the tilt of or his hat hot the way the strap strap chin lay loy along his lean leon dark cheek check Sh She re recalled the direct glance of Ills his eyes the slow smile that creased ed his lips corners lie Ile was like no other man she had ever seen There was a sweetness In the tons tones or of his deep dep voice a sense of or rest restful Cui aesa s and strength th about him Ill Ile seined to fit lit In with her lier dreams of the best hest things to lIe be had In lifelike life life- lifelike life lifelike like lace Inee curtains and the rn rag carpet was slowly growing In her Mammy's hands Ills name too Brand too Brand Fair She liked lIIa I the lie sound of or It And It was Sonny's name lie Suddenly she sat Fat bolt upright staring at the darkness Sonny Fair Sonny l Fair I Could It be that Brand was Sonny's father J- J Jr For r some Inexplicable reason renson a cold collI hand seemed to clutch her heart henrt a 0 feeling of or disaster to encompass herow her Now Nov ow why she he asked risked herself slow slow- slowly slowly ly Iy should hould t at at make any allY difference Wouldn't he be Just as nice just nice Just as pleasant to talk to She sat a Ion long time holding her two braIds in her lier hands twirling the ends around her lier lingers thinking h Why was she slie so pleased with this stranger site she wondered She nad seen many men men men-In in her life there there re were th cowboys from rom till the r country whom truant sll sli saw Faw at Cor Cor- Cordova Cordova lIo dova nearly every time she went there there was une Mci-une lne and anti rice Irlee Selwood wood She liked 11 the sheriff He lie wn n Jl man under hs h's stern she he knew Ills eyes ees were direct like dabs somewhat and he tie had the same sume seeming of quiet strength He lIe had been heen at ut the quite a n few ew tines after her fathers father's death n asking nil all allf f J sorts of questions about his of life his experience In the lie hili ills and ond so forth Yes Fair Yes Fair was wa a little Ilk like t till the sheriff only more oh fin so oli very ery much more quiet so-quiet so inlet steady one Y Whose hose word you would lake wIthout queM question Ion tie Ile was tins different that was ull dlf all dif different ferent c He Ile had not always 11 lived 1 In the hills that was certain Slie Sloe lay Iny down n and trl tried d to sleep but bat her lier ees eyes would not oh obey her lier will They clime carne open each lIch tune she slin closed them to 10 see Iee this man mun standing at Ht the Jut of of st stone ne his Ills handon hand handon on the tie blacks black's at lilt bit at the lie pool Ly by Lythe bythe bythe the cave cue below whore where he lie bade Lade II her liy r still good Jod hy still there when she slie looked back front from fur far down n the canyon She SlIe heard Old John the big Plym Plymouth nuth nock flock rooster crow for from his Ills perch In the rafters of the und and again sit Ht false dawn a B lit lit- littie lit little tie tle while before daylight ht Well J Id I'd d like to know what ails allme mt me she thought in w herself aa as she rot got up with th the tho first gray shafts above Mystery ridge I never neer stayed awake all nl night ht In my mJ life before It t DC of the till r great Qt good By VINGIE E ROE hy by the ta lh feCal Mccall ll Company C- C S health and ond strength there was In her that she sh felt no effects from the I experience She brushed her hair and pinned planed It neatly around her bend In n II shining coronet put on a 11 clean denim dress from the clothes clothes- clothespress clothespress press clothes press In the lie corner comer laced up the heavy shoes hind to wear about herman's her hermans herman's mans man's work and went softly out ont to to Tight light the kitchen fire are to draw n a fresh Cresh pall of water waler and to stand lost In rapt adoration of the lie pageant of coming il y She washed her lier face and hands In the basin and came blooming from frolD the cold colli water content with her lot happy to o be and alive alive and to know that thaI Brand and Sonny Fair were In BlueStone Blue BlueStone Stone Slone cnn canyon on timid that they called themselves her lier friends She Slie had never had a special friend before not not since those far back little little- giri gIrl days In Missouri Mammy l she slie said at nt breakfast I never ne slept a wink last night I 1 kept thinking about allour Sonny and Brand Brandall nil 1111 the lie wondering wondering wh why they're hiding and aud what relation they are arl and wh why they live so unto und and poor tike like It seems dreadful dont don't It r Seems funny If you JOU ask osk me said Bud ud shortly short lIIn maybe be this Brand feller knows something of or all this rustling that's been going on up uil and down Nameless Nance Nunce laid lold down her IIer knife and fork and looked at nt him Of or all nIl things Bud I she said Its not like you ou to cast cost the first stone And youve you've never neer seen this mans man's face fue or you ou wouldn't sa say that Well Im I'm not so sure of It re- re returned returned re returned turned the bo boy I hate to see sec you ou take up so with a n stranger I trust your our for Cor hint him Nance said ald Mrs Irs Allison somehow theres there's In a womans woman's heart when she looks Into a 0 mans man's e eyes es most times which sets th stamp on him for Cor good or bad Seems like Its It's seventh sense which th Almighty gives elves us kind woman for a n safeguard I trust It it- it I guess I J do 10 too Mammy said Nance leastways I felt to trus trust Brand Fair the first minute I laid eyes on him Hes He's different Mrs Allison said no more but she sh shwas was is-as thinking back Lack over o the long years rears to that meeting camp time when she had meant to frail the stronger young oun John Allison and amid how his smil smil- smiling smiling ing eyes coaxed her lier angry heart to a peace a peace which stayed with Uh her always ns through hardship and ond pov pov- pov- pov poverty poverty erl erty through ninny mony western moves mo-es rind ond which softened now the sorrow of his tits absence John Jolin Allison had seemed to her tier different also For some subconscious reason renson Nance ance stayed ed away n from Crom the canyon for tor Sev sev- several Severn eral ern days das Site She busied herself with odd Jobs about the place She trended mended the wire fence Cence around the bl big flat fiat where th the wild ill hay hoy was waving wll thIck Its green floor noor lowing flowing with sheets ot of sll silver er where the light winds swept and gave gate the harness horness a thorough oil oil- oilIng oil oiling ing tag As site she sat sut in the barn door running the straps back and forth Corth through III her r hands she cast smiling eyes out at her herfield field of corn Its going to be he a n bl big crop Bud she said sold therell be three ears on every ever stalk and they're mighty mIght strong Well We'll pull the thc lie suckers next week and cultivate ate It again In ten days dJs more more- more and ond you just watch It grow and ond wave wae Its green banners hanners Its already waving wa them said eald Bud working beside her it sure looks fine ne There Then was the pride of ot possessIon In the two 1 young oung faces the lie quiet jO Joy of satisfaction in simple work well done and Its reword reward I 1 hope said the girl Irl dreamily I hope Bud that thul therell there'll be enough left leftover leftover ov over r after we pay McKane 1 to get el elthe the carpet woven wo g 1 got near near- nearly nearly I ly enough h balls Lillis already and we wc can take It In to 1 Bement in n the emI early fall Call Calland falland falland and no go back buck after It about two weeks later IUler Buds Bud's eyes yes sparkled Geel Gee But that would be Le gond h he said wistfully a regular Id I'd like to see sec a town again L One Olle trip Id I'd po go with you ou and th the next lie net neat wed we'd make go Jn It'll It'd SI set sether t ther her up liP give gl her lier something to think nil all ill winter r planned Nance She dont don't get gel out like we do 10 d So o they looked ahead lo to the ravager cr joys jOS of their poor life liCe and were happy Two days s I litter Inter Nance again rude rode io to the canyon and tills this time she went rent nt In till the lie afternoon The eager enger gladness of nf the child chilli the vociferous ii welcome of or the collie ollie gave J g hEr a feeling of guilt that liat site slie he had stayed n away wa so 60 Ion long und and site she slie maile glowing holiday with her cookies coukles her herson son songs and und her lier laughter so that the hours new flew on magic vi wings and Brand Bland Clime came home before the they were even be Le beginning ginning glutting to look 1001 for him lie He carne came upon them silently ns liS he hind done he before fore and Nance sprang up In confusion How lIow do you OU always ns get set here so quIetly she slie asked I never heard II a sound jound smith smil Sill smilingly II Look nt ot Diamond he lie replied InI we w always follow the water A leaves lea eaves no tnie tell-tale tracks Even E Sonny can caul swim like u a fish Nonce Nance sobered quickly A disturbing thought of Buds Bud's re rev I remark mark about rustlers came Into her hOr mind and and she thou thought ht of those tho e O steers of driven en into Inlo leu teas less and aDd whisked out of ot the he country i Of Ot course 00 10 head had of cattle couldn't go down the th big river riTer Indefinitely Indefinitely- but sho she didn't like Uke the thc suggestion No she sh said It dont don't That's what hat the rustlers seem to think She Sir looked him square In the eyes and ond was satisfied There Ther was no consciousness In those smiling depths not the faintest flicker of a 0 shadow Whatever mystery might attach to him this man mun felt Celt nothing personal In her speech And so she he sat Eat nt down again o with Sonn Sonny In la her lier lap lop and Brand sat down opposite and ond they fell to talking there thereIn therein therein In the whispering silence while the late sun gilded glided the high blade of the and antI the cool oal shadows deep deepened ened cacti In the gorge It was strange land land to Nance once and all alI the Inner countr country of her spirit shone and sparkled under n u lire of stars She Slie hind never felt so never before before never known the tremulous half U excitement which filled her now When this man spoke she listened o her lier blue bloc e eyes es on his face lie Ile seemed the lie visible embodiment of all she had hod missed In life lIte the cities the open seas the distant lands and the lie pi pleasures ensures As he sat Slit before beCore her In his worn garments which might have e denoted a n poverty ns os great grEnt as hers he seemed rich rich be beyond ond compare a n poten poten- potentate potentate tate of the he world He lIe smoked small brown cigarettes which he made fromn froma from n a little old oltI leather leother pouch and rolled with the dexterity of long usage e and he buried hurled each stub carefully In the sand He lie was n a marvelous person indeed and ond Nance regarded him In to n a sort ot of awe nwe Ive Ie been In to n 0 time or two lie he said casually and have met mel the sheriff and several others To them Im I'm a prospector There seems to bea be bea ben a lot of or unrest In the country Its Us the rustlers said Nance n a alot lot of cattle hn have e disappeared and some folks blame the sheriff I dont don't dontI I 1 think he docs dots nil all he cnn can Its It's a greatt greatA great A t k r r k o 11 1 4 I V rV r l Cathrew He H Said She m mystery We lost some ourselves Ive I've ridden m myself down looking for or them and so has tins my brother Bud an sad 1 we weve we've never found a 0 mark hoof Strange Isn't there anyone any one you might ml liu suspect In these hills Ive I heard that Sheriff Selwood Is watching Kate Kute Cathrew but the others laugh at nt him halm Fairs Fair's eyes ees narrowed Just a n of an Inch Cathrew he said suld she The woman who owns Sky Line rand ranch returned Nance lInee grimly and Ind III lily enemy What Your ellem enemy Hows How's that Simple as os two and two She's a 0 cattle cottle they the queen they call her Cattle Kate Cathrew she he run runs her tier stock on onlie the slopes of Mystery She's rich lives in a wonderful house up u under the edge of cliff and rides n II beautiful horse Her lIer saddle alone is II worth rny te team and my harness-my harness my 11 harness harness that I had to In buy huy to o take the of or the one that somebody cut CUI cutto |