| Show DC I r st sc 1 ra r c 4 r Ear c sa Ea c a home day A lar t a aday 1 fiGH- fiGH D T 4 f lugs s r broo platy iTH j Th t 1 a t t 4 MacLEOD RA NE b br a ba I r I By WILLIAM i ti i Copyright by William m MacLeod flame Service A l J tt- tt J JI 1 l THE STORY Garrett OHara 0 Hara young oung 13 lawyer yer on his hie wa R to pr at Concho wild western to town ton n Is la shot hot at nt from ambush h by loy Shep anderson Sanderson who ml mistakes him for tor Judge V Warner arnor arner whom hom cert ln ca cattle HIe Interests Int wish Ish to prevent holding court Barbara Barbaro Steelman n who thought the tho shot was vas as dl- dl di directed at her warns warn Garrett not notto notto notto to KO go to Concho because of ot the big cattle war ar ar Ste Store e Worrall tells Garrett about the cattle j war ar r between Ingram and Steel Steel- Steelman Steelman Steel man man father of ot Barbara Darbara Bob nob Quantrell young killer hiller for In- In Ingram Ingram gram In-gram gram sates sa sa ell Garrett 0 Har and andin n an Smith Beres- Beres Beresford ford ford tord from being shot by San San- San n I InI I deroon The three e become friends Garrett accidentally witnesses a ai I meeting between Barbara Darbara and The are lovers Garrett Garretti i and the Englishman buy a It ranch with tit Steelman as silent partner Fitch Steelman man kills an In- In Ingram In-Br In gram r m follow tollo follower cr er A posse poss IncludIng Including Including ing Quantrell and Sanderson capture and hang Fitch Sander Sander- Sanderson Sanderson son Sander son starts a tight fight at al the th ranch and Garrett and the are wounded Quantrell changes i sides and Joins with Ith tho two tenderfeet A lull In the cattle war follows Quantrell kill kills Sanderson S lerson and another Ingram unman gunman A tentative e a peace Is patched up through Garrett Garretts s ef- ef efforts ef efforts forts torts CHAPTER VIII-Continued VIII VIII Continued 9 Some Sonic one misunderstood tood lIes lie s either too anxious or he wa was nel nervous A shot ring r out from the bluff ind the three men below scrambled Into lu In t nt motion The onet one it tit the creel creek scudded f for the house Tile The other t two tran 0 ran around the barn tt tf t find safety there tI Q s rifle ride cracked Othet Othel weapons boomed out The man running from the brook stumbled al almost almost most t fell reco el ed him himself elf and us dis limping into the house The Theother Theother other two vanished Into the st I Quantrell was di disgusted gusted lou spilled the proper Mac lac W e had three of ot em cm salted an we didn t get i 1 t one Oh Oh well no use me about it now no Come on boys before they get bet time to get set lie He slid down Into i t brush brushy V rin through It and emerged Into the open Straight for the stable he ran the others at his he heels beds ls From the ranch house honse guns buns split t bullets at the running men Quan Quantrell Quantrell Quantrell trell reached the stable Texas Tetas Jim and andS S Whitey ind tind Mac lac were sere ere at his heels The deputy sheriff came pint lag In twenty s yards ards back of ot them Quintrell sat cat at down n on a feed boo bot and cursed bitterly timid ind fluently The object of ot his Ills maledictions wis the part of s at the ranch r house The adventure ad he had planned and led had gone wrong rong lie found his part parts besieged In the stable two ou out t of ot the six wounded sounded a seventh se se from them by b a stretch stI etch of four hundred yards ards tint that might is 18 well e have ha been een miles and th the horses quite out of ot reach Quantrell did not need anyone to point out to him him how badly I e had blundered In charging do down don dothe n the hill hili lie He had acted under Impulse like JIle a fool bo boy boi All firing had ceased Those at the ranch llOu house e made no immediate at- at attempt attempt at attempt tempt to molest the invaders In Pres Whitey mide tide an announcement mellow Fellow ju just t got on a n hor horse e the theother theother theother other side the house an nn rode off olY Gone to let know kno T as Te Jim guessed An after a n while D Due e will hill be beback beback beback back here with Ith a n ss whole hole passee of or war warriors warriors riots bommers Sommers lidded It 11 Il be n a round up of or nife waddles looks like Mac said You You ne ne er er can tell till YOU youre you're you e e ridden ridden rid den circle ano an brought the longhorns In Quantrell contributed But But none Done of or you ou fellows ha base ha e got to toMay MeI May tuy when hen you re read readi to fco go o Me Ie I m sta in Texas Jim nod nodded dell Same here he be laid aid briefly The deputy depute sheriff said nothing In his opinion thIs tills enterprise hid h gone to wreck on Quantrell s a folly If Ir a good opportunity come came to get out with a v whole hole skin 1 he be Intended to do so During the t ne hour or t two 0 there was desultory firing on both sides though it was as plain that the men in inthe Inthe the ranch house were ere 1 halting for re before they the tLe forced the th fighting Couple fell fellows 0 s on horses Ses comin through the willows announced the white headed cowboy Quantrell picked up his rifle ride and Went to the door W hat hat lie he saw w IS certainly unexpected T Two 0 men were ere riding along ulong the edge of or the time creek among the willows s they hey had fth them a led horse Dad gum my skin kin If It it aint the belted earl an nn his friend time the bood bad badman badman badman man e exclaimed Texas Jim excitedly W S hat in Mexico arc are they tile doln here The young desperado laughed his Voice roice when he spot e a filled with ith gay bay and nd careless carless mirth V w here else would they thoi the be Don t they always al nye head bead straight for trouble those lads A moment and 0 O Hara IIara and his partner artner were ere In the stable e eThe The Circle S c 0 l partners consulted d alum each QUI other r to do but ride over o to the ta I 1 4 j I Hughes ranch und and call oT oIT the hash knife boys It Ir them the thc thee c se e got Ingram men mn penned up well ell prohibit probably be he in III Um time 0 Hara Hera said ald What hat shall hull s we se e do with 2 asked Smith Beresford Better take him along lie cnn guide us over the hills and get Jet u lh u- u there quicker The fhe Mexican Ie rode In front of them lie He was CO ered co ered b In bIlls his Ills 0 own n rifle In Inthe inthe the hinds of or Smith Un lie he led them through a n man manot ma ot of hilltops Quantrell must ha have base e left the lie horse somewhere 0 told his Juan luan sass sa s they came down n from th the rIm rock on foot Lil I times the left some one with WI th the tho mounts m I lwe e better s swing around tint t hit way fly anti see cee if It he lie s Q still there here betel ot 1 sot a II hall had idea Old J lop op He lIe could e ghe us the late latest t developments de 11 l would be deuced awkward wl If we met metIn Ingrains In s men before n we e dill did our 0 own n Thy They skirted the lie edge of th lip he part parI Ouch Glitch pulled up to listen lIeten lifting n hand for silence Some tome one was was as rill rid riding ridIng in ing tow toss 1 nd d them The could heir the hoofs hoof of or hor horses ec culling Ing rocks c horses hones e cine Me o cr 0 er the brow or of n hill Behind them rode a single l n m The mm n wis s Toe lee one of steel s cowboys CO 1108 t at sight of sad the others hr he stopped ind nd abruptly driving Ing in i t spur for light flight nJ ht 0 o hrs hr's stilled lIed to him by hy name Joe jerl ed M his horse hence hor e to its hind feet co lid dill he lie check it The S 0 partners joined hIm Joe mide the Tile The The s boss are In the stable One ot of cm ern is wounded bid looked like fins tI there ere been een u n lot of shooting Smith 1 1 cd ed Quite a lot Some tome one rodo rode aw au tv IV from the ranch hour an a lt h n ago o Gone for help 1 d si Cl sty I m mo moIn mo In Inthe the hordes hores es I i figured urell the they might come up to collect em cm soon as they got around to it It The partners talked together tind lcJ 0 gale ga e a 10 Toe Joc In instructions truc tenons Well We II leive letre Juan here hero with Ith you ou Hold him till we e see you sou ou In about half an hour ramose mo mo e the hOI es to the youth south end of the me do to the place where here the creek creel runs out ont e re going to tl ti tn s to follow the creel creek through the 1110 willows s to the stable stahle Well e II tike t i t led horse horce along for the wounded man It If our pin works out e well 11 join y ou as soon ns as we e cm n W hit If It I m jumped by Ingram or come Fome one else ehe Then you 11 II hiss hl ln e e to look after 5 our sell self But I don t think he cm cm get here before night The partners rode b bick ick to the creel creek by way nay ay of the park rIm nm dropping do don Bonn n to the meadow land laud over oer II a did apine-did pine did hid hili Smith stir r crI I sled the rifle ride 0 led 11 the etra e c horse They The mo mo cd ed up the creel creek keeping on the far side from from the house and u using the willows 1110 S is s n a screen Getting close to the stable Smith Beresford whispered perell 0 user over er his shoulder shoulder shoulder der to his Ills friend Theres There's a n sort ort of offord offord ford where the horses horles drink just ahead Think wed is e d better bettor o crand os 0 er en erand enand and nisi mil e a run for it Might as well ell II 0 agreed The horses ded through the little littlecreek littlecreek littlecreek creek and climbed the slope he beyond ond The broke into a canter c melded for the stable Quantrell let out a sell ell of glee Iee as th the t Q men mn s swung sung ung to the ground bround Made It b bs cripes you doggoned old hella heHn 0 o Hira Ihra did not share his spasm lie He had come to get bet the raiders I out of trouble it if he could but he lie did not intend to condone their offense Who has lias been hurt he lie asked coldi coldly Amen Is shot hot up right bad I m mcarn carn In one pill pili Jn In my rn leg as n a soU How did sou ou ou find oute out we e 1 here I Met Iet a Mexican you OU e dro y a 0 o walked across to the place where Oven O lav n m oR the lie hay hai ha Can Can lie he ride rille he asked Teas Texas Jim Time The I lone one St Stir tr lr state stute man mun scratched his head licad I I dunne dunno unno Doubt it it He liesa s 13 sa a mighty sick man Apparently Owens O hall had been dozing lie He opened his eyes eys e S Sure Cure I could ride It If I was as put Iut on n a horse hoi so se he slid s lien 1 hen wed sled ell better otter set oCt out before Ingrim s reinforcements antis arrhe e T J he rest of or the hor horses horsch e are arc it th the entrance to time the park parI If we e slip clip round and andI I 1 cop time the stable het between een us and time the house we ise e might make male It Quantrell s eyes teamed You re red n d-n n 0 lou ou fell fellows 0 s so go I ii 11 stay an nn hold em cm back till you cross time the creek crek Then I III II light out after you sou ou s good medicine Texas Teas Jim agreed I 11 st t I y with Ith Bob he deputy deput sheriff spoke poke up There Ther s an nn old door bo up this side If It we we bre brcik 11 tint down n n we e can slip out an not be seen at nil ell I h he e minutes later the door had been knocked to pieces with Ith nn an u as Owen n Owen O was lifted to the saddle of or n a horse borse He lie clung to the pommel teeth clenched 0 o Earn turned to Quantrell You tal c a my horse ith W ith that hurt leg leg ou sou ou can cant t make mule a n run for It It if you ou hale to I III It II sta sta with Teas Texas II o o sir t lr answered ered Quantrell Its It's liable to be h l u 1 with the blower on here I wished Ishell this tills on mJ myself self Get on that horse 0 O ordered looking at the young oun desperado Ills o spice olee a hid Ind i t ring or of command Ills his brown bron bro n eyes p C es hill blared Quantrell laughed I Im m wagon non IIo boss s sher her here says s he All right Tight hate Haie it yore 0 own n way wa 3 But e ee etc s bod e hods I 1 In not to blame if it times the collect him The lime Loy bo IJO limped to the time horse tind pulled himself elf Into the saddle addle Adios lie he called hack back with Ith i t jaunty e is 1 c of the hand liand ns as he lode rode out of the building The deputy depute sheriff sherin was sins on his sins wa a nh Smith Beresford 1 ic He Tie si wis 15 reluctant to L less c chis his friend and lie he ar argued uell time the lie point hut but 0 br aside his Ills oh I s e got a better Idea than yours Garrett he lie said consenting at la last t tI I Iii II lea lease lea e 1113 in lore hore here liere lou two guy rny be in i t v when you Soil st st rt in lIe II car cair ty double till you sou OU retch th lis us is Time The I in followed l the lie oti Lre hidden b bi by the stable the little cis ci got some distance before it wast was as t s se e b ba tf d l Z 4 r st r Cut for the Creek an Get It Texas Jim Advised seen by those in time the hous house 1 Then hen men poured out of the time house is seed seeds are squirted squirted from an nn orange One of them leading the pursuit to toward tord rd the stable give e a yell idl compounded of nf trl triumph and rage Ohara 0 IIara recognized him as Dee Dee cr er Already 0 Hara IIara had gl green glen en orders s to his companion but lie he reinforced them by a reminder Remember rests fex you ou re not to lilt any of them unless we e can cant t drive them hick oth er erIse Ise The firing from the stable took tool the theIn In Ingram r m men bye bJ b surprise l The Ihei he sits wi l eyed el ed broke back for the Hie mouse If If we sue e can gh ghe gise c our bo boys bois s fifteen minutes start they ought to make it ft o said Can Cant t do it the Texan answered ered Just about now no It s I e those fellows s to slap on their ther horses in s swing mg lound round to cut the thebo bo boys oT oil from flom the mouth of oC time the pink pirk Texas Jim anticipated their thou thoughts hs b bless less than titan fi flue fl Ie minutes the they could see Dee ei Dee el timid ind the others slipping up from time the creek creel to time the hitch bitch rack by the house x x f F Fr r Adios If It dont don't Time rime to Mi we to he cut off ocr the CO cowboy boy said light youre you tire ire agreed 0 Hara IIara A moment later he was as on Smith Beresford s horse with I th time the Texan be be- behind behind hind him l They he dished dashed into the open mint lit 11 II gallop A bullet hullet whistled st 11 them Cut for the creek n ad an get bet It as loins as Jim ad 0 o s swung to the left and sent the horse plunging nJ Into time the voun oun willows limey 1 hy crashed through the supple lIple bunches whipping hipping their faces Time The animal lost its Ite footing as It went do down don n into the time creek creel and both men were ere lung flung flun into the water Tens Teas him caught the bridle and dragged g the th bronco to Its Iti feet The riders were ere coal oal ed but 0 hart had hall managed to keep heep the rifle out of the water oter when hen he made mide his dh due dhe e into time the streams stream's sh lIow depth Into the saddle the Texan Tenn dragged himself lIe He stiffened d his Ills foot and o 0 r Il Hirt l used It for i t step to swing himself elt behind A moment and the horse was as charging through the sap saplings fringing the opposite bank Glancing back 0 IIara could hear the wetted excited of or the pursuers were ere too fir awa awas for him to k In tike out the words hut but he lie that they were ere already In motion Some one shouted to them 0 O Ilan caught sight of I oung oun Quantrell rid ridIng riding ridIng Ing do down don n the creek creel Cone Cime back to chew o cr 0 er old times he called gall gnu to them Where here are the others ed edo edO o Th Thc re re |
