| Show rc Tenderfoot Fighting y 1 By William Macleod Raine Copyright by William RaIne Service c THE STORY Garrett young lawyer on hIs hi way ay to practice at Concho wild western town Is shot at from ambush b by Shep Sanderson who mistakes him for tor Judge Warner Varner whom certaIn cattle Interests ts wish to prevent holdIng court Barbara Darbara Steelman who thought the th shot was wa dl- dl directed di directed at nt her warns Garrett not notto notto notto to go eo to Concho because e ot of o the bIg cattle war Steve Stev Worrall tells Garrett about the cattle war between Ingram and Steelman Steel Steel- Steelman man father tather of ot Barbara Darbara Garrett tells Ingram Ingrain ho he desires to ro- ro romain re remain main neutral but the th latter de- de declares declares de declares clares there can be b no neutral neutral- neutrality neutrality It ity Bob Quantrell young killer for tor Ingram Ingrain saves caves Garrett and an Englishman Smith Beresford from beIng shot by Sanderson The become friends Gar Gar Gar- Garrett Garrett rett accidentally witnesses vI a meeting between Barbara and Ingram They are lovers Garrett and the Englishman buy a ranch with Steelman as silent partner Fitch Steelman man kills an In- In Ingram Ingram In Ingram gram follower A posse IncludIng Including Including ing Quantrell ll and Sanderson capture and hang Fitch Sander Sander- Sanderson Sanderson ton Sander son starts tarts a fight light at the ranch and Garrett and the tho Englishman are wounded Ingram and Bar Bar- Barbara Barbara Bar Barbara bara appear and put an end nd to the fight Quantrell changes sIdes and joins with the two t tenderfeet A lull Jull In the cattle war follows CHAPTER Continued VI-Continued VI Continued 7 What did you do asked Garrett not sure how bow far Interest should be pushed The killer looked at him out of bleak unfathomable e eyes es I decided El EI Paso was no place for me That was all OHara O'Hara was left to guess uess what had made him so decide The They rode down the dusty main street of Concho to the thc Steelman store Pat McCarthy came forward to meet them his face as usual hard and ancl wooden He lie offered them them liquor Quantrell took a drink and departed There was a Mexican girl In town he hc wanted to see sec He lIe turned before he left the office to say Better BeUer stick sUck around here till tillI tillI I geE get back OHara O'Hara I saw Shep Sleep head head- headIn headin head In In into the Gold Nugget as we passed assed I saw him too Bob nob Im I'm not look look- looking lookIng looking ing for him My Iy business wont won't take me mc Into the Gold N 1 Nugget get Id stay right In thIs tills office till I get back Wont Won't be gone moren a couple hours Quantrell was plainly a little uneasy about leaving him liim Dont worry Bob Ill I'll be Le here bere when you ou come bad back his employer er promised Into the store presently came Steve Ste Worrall lie Hu sat down In the ollice ce OHara and chatted with McCarthy and OHara O'Hara The proprietor was called out by hy a n clerk At t once Worrall freed freel his mind You armed OlIam Yes Any reason for asking me that right fight now I just came from the Gold Nug Nugget et Shep Sanderson an the Texas Kid were In there drinkin Id I'd be careful It If I were you The Kids Kid's been mean ever since you ou shot him up the late Kid like Got a bad rep Ive I've heard beard I eard say hes he's n a killer but Lut yellow May Ia be e to that Id I'd lay of off orl him an Shep too Thought Id I'd drop In an nn tell you ou Better stay here In the store Wheres Where's Bob Dob Quantrell I dont don't know There was a flicker of a sardonic smile In Garretts Garrett's e eyes es Jf If that boy wants me to look after him hed he'd better stay closer Other Othel Otherwise wise I cant can't be responsible for what happens to him Come on Steve e Ive I've got to go to the post office omee Worrall hesitated for a fraction of ofa ofa ofa a second then rose promptly lIe He had warned his friend That was as tar far faras taras faras as he could go On the frontier ever every everyman man must play his own hand band Brad Helm the fat hotel keeper was In the post oH office ollice cc Ue lle nodded toward Worrall and OlIma OHara got his mall and ancl as he passed out said In a wheezy hezy voice yolee audible to er e everybody present Theres a letter for tor you ou at the atthe hotel Mr OHara O'Hara It sa says s 's Im Im Important on it It Passing tile the Concho house a fl few tew minutes later Steve and Garrett In to get the Ietter letter Helm maneuvered the latter Into a corner of the room and whispered a word of warning She Shep an the Te Texas as Kid are arc h ln for tor you OU They're givin you an au hour to leave lea town Much obliged 1 I e e been looking for this letter Garrett and his friend stepped out outto outto outto to the sidewalk Come on ou down to the corral with wIlh wIlhm m me Ste Ste e e proposed I Not Noi now You come to the Gold Nugget with me The rhe long man lung Hung u quick look at him O'Hara's eyes ees were shining with excitement Youre not going to the Gold Nug Nug geU gett are you ou Thought I would Shep and his friend are sending word out that Ive I've got ot one hour to leave e town Ill I'll spend part of or that hour at the Gold Nugget Steve reflected that the safe thing be he to take Bob Quantrell with them to the Gold ug Nugget et But nut evil l evi evidently dently his Ills friend was ms not looking for forthe forthe forthe the safe tiling thing All right Ill I'll throw In with you he said As walked up the adobe adobe- lined street beside the lank freighter he felt again that lint hat odd lift of the thc spirit that came to him when dnn danger er was near lie was going to meet It auda auda- audaciously audaciously foolhardily The roar of gun at nt any moment greet hIm liim On the thc frontier a n man did lIld not lightly serve sen-e notice that he lie was looking for another Such an announcement meant business A short thickset man came out or of orthe the Ingram store nod down the street toward them Out of a pallid face protruding fishy eyes es looked nt ut OHara O'Hara Thin lips opened to say insolently So youre you're still here re Im still here Mr Harvey Ban around I reckon because youve you've hud had a n little luck More tuna than once OHara O'Hara had talked with Steelman about the thc lie posse which hud hail a attacked the cabin It was the opinIon of both of them that s hand hind lind been heen backof back of the sheriff his mind the dominating one Ingram had been een at nt the ranch a and 1111 could not have known what was Intended Not your our fault Im I'm strutting around Mr r Harvey II an e I acquit you of blame You did your best to make good the promise given iven In your our store that I would not cum cumber er the ground long lon O'Hara's eyes eJes bored borell Into those of the merchant what demanded Har ey Say young oung fellow If you ou claim claim- claim OHara O'Hara brushed rudely past him There was always alwa's a chance that Har Harvey vey ey might bo Lc detaining him liim in the street while hIs Ills killers were making ready The lanky owner of the Longhorn corral looked at nt his Ills friend and In th that t look were both Iloth admiration atlon and dis ds- distress tress Great horn toa toads ls you ou sure go o outa yore way to make malce enemies Harvey aint used usell to being Leing treated t lie he said Just what's or J-or yore pla play 1 An wh why get on the prod all of a sudden This Tills This is the way I look at it Steve Ste answered his glance sweeping doors and windows as he lie moved forward forwar Its one thing tiling for San San- Sanderson Sanderson Sanderson derson to say hes he's going to get me Its It's another for him liim him to give me an hour IlOur to leave town lIe thinks Im I'm hiding hilling behind Bob Quan Quan- Quantrell Quantrell trell Ive I've got to show him him liim Im I'm not All 11 youve you've got to do is to ask me mc that question when I give gl the signal signa You mean the one you OU was speak speak- speak speak-In In about before we met tact Harvey Yes You may not get time to ask It but If It you do Ill I'll use it as a cue If theres there's trou trouble le you Jou keep keCI out of It It Keep Keel out of It You sure bump Into fool notions boy When the guns begin to smoke Ive I've got to join in to tosa tosa e sa sale e my own hide Ive I a notion the they're re not going to smoke Here we wc are They turned In at the Gold Nugget Sanderson and ancl the Texas Kid lad were drinking while Shep talked lIe Ile boasted of how bad he lie was and what lie he meant to do du o to OHara O'Hara The words died In lu hIs Ills throat as he lie caught sight or of the two men who had just entered the place Ills His jaw dropped with as- as astonishment as ns astonishment OHara O'Hara gave Sheps Shep's slow brain no notime notime notime time to guess what this meant Light Light- Lightly Lightly ly Iy the young oung man walked to the bar barnot not more than five fi feet from his enemy lIe ordered liquor which he lie did not IntEnd to drink Sanderson glared at him liim uncertain what to do Was this tills a plant Had Hadlie he sat around drinking and boasting while his Ills foes had hind gathered to am am- ambush ambush bush Lush him If It not wh why would tills this ten ten- tenderfoot tenderfoot walk In so jauntily knowing that he had no chance cliance to beat bent the gunman to the draw The rhe short red hen redheaded del cowboy known as as the Texas lexas Kid Ind passed through h much the same mental reaction but he was decidedly more fearful than his com com- companion companion panion Why had lit lift let the drink In him tn talk so loudl loudly Of Ot a sud sudden cn he was so sober el sick with wilh terror What makes you so white Gar Gar- Garrett Gar Garrett rett asked Worrall following In- In Instructions instructions in instructions OHara O'Hara did not look 1001 at hIll him as he answered Ills His gaze was fastened on anderson Sanderson But In his voice there was wasa wasa a lilt of triumphant excitement So f far r his plan had worked perfectly Would It carry through Im scared to death Steve of two scalawags who are ure going to run nit mc out of town One of them Is a big bully Lully puss fellow ugly as sin a lie lie- wolf lic-wolf wolf on the howl to hear him tell It The other Is a 11 hammered down red red- redheaded redheaded headed runt It If you ou see sec them let me mc know so that I 1 can run Steve O'Hara's mocking e eyes es looked straight Into those of ot the big bully ully Thc They taunted him and defied him liim and made lI light ht of his Ills prowess The question that Sanderson growled made clear his Ills thoughts Wheres Bo Bob Quantrell at no Bob had better elter lilt hit the thc trail OHara O'Hara said to Worrall These fell fel- fellows felllows fel fellows lows who wino have me so trl frightened will drIve him out too probably Uneasily the bartender polished the top tOl of ot the thc counter He lie decided to drop to the thc floor Hoor before before the shooting began Legan A patron of the thc house inconspicuously out of or the back ack door Four cowboys cowboy's at a poker table taLle sus sus- suspended suspended their play and watched the antagonIsts alertly Sanderson spoke vehemently I never claimed Id I'd drive him liim out Never Ne gave ga out any such word It If any any- anyone anyone anyone one sn says say 8 I did hes he's a n liar You can tell Bob nob not to be fright fright- frightened frightened ened then Steve Ste OHara O'Hara said easily The scalawags I told you about dont don't Intend to worry him Wheres Boh Bob at reiterated Sm San- Sanderson derson derson hoarsely How should I 1 know Im I'm not his hisk k keeper Stick Slick to the he business In hand hanel Mr 11 Sanderson It If you JOU should meet either of those terrible bad men Ive I've descrIbed tell them Im I'm one tenderfoot so scared that Im I'm shaking This JO goes S for you too loo Mr 11 Texas Kid Say Im I'm staying Ing In town because Im I'm too fright fright- frightened frightened ht ened to travel Ask them them not to tie hI too hardon hard on a poor tenderfoot The They was dont don't you Oll reckon the t he Texas lad Kid 1 offered b by byway byway way of explanation Better netter tell them not to scatter catter jokes like that around They mi ht explode and hurt some one Dont Don't you JOIl think so Ill be he movin mo along the lie Texas tad Kid said from from a dry throat Dont hurry Stay and keep Mr Ir Sanderson company He tie wont won't want ant to be he left here liere alone Say fellow fello In lay off orr me Sander Sander- Sanderson Sanderson son Sander son growled If this tills heres here's a n frameD frame- frame A a j D i c co o ou S t td d r 1 e Shep an His Friend Went to Sleep In Smoke up you cant can't start too soon to suit me I dont don't scare worth a whoop Seer See Nevertheless Ills hits eyes left OHara O'Hara for a moment to sweep toward the thedoor thedoor thedoor door and anti window lIe He was plainly worried and an anxious lous to be gone with witha a whole skin You 1011 dont don't think Id I'd better get out of town within the hour say asked Already the red headed cowboy was moving toward the back door San San- Sanderson Sanderson San Sanderson derson discovered disco himself deserted and began to follow backing away slowly Ills his right hand liand hovered near the butt buttof buttof buttof of a revolver er but Lut lie he made macle no motion to draw lt It Dont ride me fellow the Lull bully warned warnell I can cun be e pushed just so far Im I'm not scared of ot you ou not for a hol holy minute Dont Don't you OU think it Ill I'll meet up with you ou one of ot these da days s 's an send you ou to h I li l on a shutter voice was a good imitation of that of the Texas Kid Kid Y Youre ou c just tannin dont don't you OU reckon Mr Ir Sanderson he lie quavered ered You or me one when we meet Shep warned Always tomorrow with you ou Isn't It Well It will be lie a thousand years till we meet Mr Sanderson The big man slid Elid out of ot the back backdoor backdoor door loor Outside he whirled swiftly at atthe atthe atthe the same time dragging out his weapon Ills His eyes ees stabbed here and there looking for enemies He lIe saw nobody but the Texas Kid That war war- warrior warrior was legging It on a run for the safety of Ingram Harveys Harvey's store After Sanderson slid out of the half half- open half open back ack door of the Gold Nugget et there was a long moment of silence The rhe sta stage e had hind been set for red trag trag- tragedy tragedy edy ecly All 11 present felt that It had been shaved b by a narrow margin ln Steve Ste Worrall orrall let out a little whoop of delight Bluffed em cm out by jinks finks made made em cm back down an nn crawl oft orl wIth their tutu tails between their legs Oh Oh boy hOI youre you're oure some wolf tamer One of the cowboys at the poker table talle slapped another a n mighty blow on the back Made Shep Shop take water the tenderfoot did Ne Never Ner r saw sa the beat cat of It Didn't think Shep Shop would of quit for h I h 1 or high water Well you live an learn boys OY He lIe swept oft orl his Ills sombrero In a bow v to Youre one sure enough h bad badman bad buster ter Ill I'll be Le do doggoned If It Shep didn't tackle moren he could ride herd on that time an nn you OU lookin no more dangerous than a n brush rabbit Now that this tills crisis was past felt a n little sick Bick and faint Lets get t outside he said to Ills his friend Ills desire was to get et back hack to the safety of nf the store Incitement no lon longer er buoyed him up It shook his nerve nene to think whet what a chance cliance he lie hind hall taken how he had staked his life on the of a swift frontal Not for a 1 moment did he fool himself Into tile lie delusion that he was San San- Sander Sanderson's San der dersons derson's equal with a n six-shooter six hl |
