Show 4 K Q C K d Q d 1 t 4 4 l 0 d 1 d 4 d K d 4 l d i K d C K 4 d d K C G lr 4 d t d dV da K q 4 s 4 Q d K c 4 11 4 44 d 0 i 1 t I V THE TENDERfOOT a OOT I ti f a By BWILLIAM WilLIAM MaclEOD RAINE RAN I E t b ba Ii U Service t A Copyright ht by William MacLeod b a b A J J THE STORY Garrett OHara O'Hara young lawyer lawor on hl his way WRY to practice nt at Concho wild western town Is la shot hot at from ambush h by Shep Sanderson who mistakes him for Judge Warner Varner whom certain cattle Interests rc ts wish to prevent holding court Barbara Steelman who thought the shot was di- di directed directed di directed at her warns warn Garrett not notto notto notto to go to poncho because became of o the big cattle war Steve Worrall tells Garrett about the tho cattle war between Ingram Ingrain and Steel Steel- Steelman Steel man Bob Dob man father of Barbara Darbara Quantrell young killer for In- In Ingram InI Ingram I gram eaves eav Garrett OHara O'Hara and an Englishman ford Beres Deres Beres ford from b being belne- shot by Sanderson San San San- SanI I derson Tho The three become friends Garrett accidentally witnesses a meeting between Barbara Darbara and Ingram They are lovers Garrett and the Englishman buy n II ranch with Steelman as ns silent partner Fitch Steelman man kills an nn In- In Ingram Ingram cram In-cram gram follower A posse poes including IncludIng including ing ing- Quantrell and Sanderson capture and hang Fitch Pitch Sander Sander- Sanderson Sanderson Sander Eon son starts tI a tight light at the tho ranch and Garrett and tho the Englishman are wounded Quantrell changes sides and joins with the two tenderfeet A lull luU In the cattle war follows follow 0 18 Quantrell kills Sanderson and another Ingram gunman A tentative peace Is patched pl up through Garretts Garrett's ef- ef efforts efforts ef efforts forts CHAPTER VIII-Continued VIII VIII Continued 9 Some one misunderstood He lie was either too anxious or he was nervous ous A shot rang out from the bluff blua and the three men below scrambled Into In Inv In slant motion The one at the creek scudded for the house The other two ran around the barn te tc to find safety there Instantly Quantrell's rifle cracked Other weapons boomed out The man runnIng from the brook stumbled almost al almost al- al almost most fell recovered leco ered himself and dis disappeared dis- dis disappeared disappeared appeared limping into the house Theother The Theother Theother other two vanished Into the stable Quantrell was disgusted You spilled the beans proper Mac We had three of em cm salted an we didn't get et a one Oh well weIl no use about It now Come on boys before they get time to get set He lIc slid down into a brushy draw ran through it and emerged into the thc open Straight for the stable stable be he ran the others at his Ills heels From the ranch house guns spat bullets at the running men Quan Quan- Quantrell Quantrell Quantrell trell reached the stable Texas Jim and Whitey and Mac were wele were at his heels The deputy sheriff came pant pant- pantIng panting ing fag in twenty yards back hack of them Quantrell sat down on a feed box and ond cursed bitterly and arid fluently The object of his maledictions was the thc party of Ingrams Ingram's gunmen at the ranch house The Thc adventure he had planned and led had gone wrong lie lIc found hIs party besie besieged ed In the stable two out of the thc six wounded a seventh se separated from them by liy a stretch of four hundred yards that might as well have o been miles and the horses quite out of reach Quantrell did not need anyone lInyone to point out to him how badly lie had blundered In charging down the hill lie Hc had acted under Impulse a fool boy All tiring had ceased Those at the thc ranch house made no immediate at- at attempt attempt at attempt tempt to molest the thc Invaders Pres Pres- Pres- Pres Presently Presently Whitey made an announcement i Fellow just got on a horse the theother theother other side the house hous an nn rode off olT on Gone to let Ingram know Texas Jim guessed An after a while Dave will beback be beback beback back here with a whole of ot war war war- warriors Sommers added be a roundup round of waddles looks like Mac said You never can tell till you e youve you've rid rid- ridden ridden rid ridden den circle an brought the longhorns in Quantrell contributed blithely But none of ot you fellows have ha got to stay when youre you're oure read ready to go ME Im I'm staying Texas Jim nodded Same here h rE he heald maid ald briefly The deputy sheriff said sail nothing In opinion this enterprise had gone one oneto to wreck on Quantrell's foil folly If It n a good tood opportunity came to get out with witha a whole skin lie Intended to do so During the next hour or two there was desultory firing on both sides though It was plain that the men In Inthe th the ranch house were for rev re- re reinforcements before they forced the fighting fellows on horses comin through the willows willows announced headed the white headed cowboy abruptly Quantrell picked up his rifle rille and und went to the door What he lie saw was certainly unexpected Two men were riding along the edge of ot the creek among the willows The They had with them a led horse Dad gum my akin skin If It It aint the belted earl an his friend the lie good badman bad badman mID man exclaimed Texas Jim excitedly What In Mexico are they doln here The young oung desperado laughed his voice when he spoke filled with gay ay and careless mirth Where else would the they be Dont Don't they always alwa's bend bead straight for trouble those lads A moment and OHara O'Hara and his p partner were In the stable e e e eTha TILe Tha Circle S 0 partners consulted Kith Ith each other Nothing to do 10 but ride over to the r r P- P Hughes ranch and call off o the Hash knife boys If they've they got ot ingrams ingram's men penned up well we'll probably probably be III time OHara O'Hara said What shall we do with Garcia 7 asked Smith Smith-Beresford Better take him along He Ile can call guide ulde us over the hIlls and get us there quicker The Mexican rode In front of them lie He was cover covered d by Ills hits own rifle to In Inthe Inthe the hands of ot Un Unerringly he lie led them through a n maze of hilltops Quantrell must roust have hare left the horses horse somewhere OHara O'Hara told his partner Juan Junn says they came down from the thC rIm rock on foot toot Likely they the left some one with the mounts Hadn we ve better swing around that way and see If It hes he's still there Not a bad ball idea Old Top ne lie could give gi us liS the latest developments Ii 11 would be deuced awkward If we met rams Ingrains men before we did dill our own The They skirted the lie edge lle of the park Garcia pulled up to listen n lifting n hand for silence Some one was rid rill riding ing toward them They Thc could hear tile the hoofs of horses striking rocks horses came o over er the brow ot of a hill hIlI Behind them rode a single man The man was Joe one of or Steel Steel mans mans man's cowboys g At sight of Garcia and the others h hf hr stopped and wheeled abruptly driving in a spur for flight called to him by hy name Toe jerked his horse to Its hind feet so sharply did he check It I The Circle S 0 partners joined him Joe made clear the situation The bo boys s 's are In the stable One or of cm ern em Is wounded bad looked like has lias there been heen a lot of shooting Beresford Beresford asked Quite a lot Some one rode awa away from the ranch hour an a halt half n ago o Gone for help Id I'd sa say Im I'm movin the horses hor es Figured Fi they might come corne I up to collect cm em soon asp asI as they got ot around to it It Tile The partners talked together and afterward OUara OHara gave ave Joe Toe Instructions instructions Instructions Well leave Juan here with you Hold him till we see you again In about half an hour move the horses to the thc south end of the meadow to the place where the creek creel runs out Were We're going to tr try to follow the creel creek through the willows to the stable Well We'll take a led horse along for the wounded man It Ir our plan Works out well we'll join you as soon as We can What If Im I'm Jumped by Ingrain Ingram or orsome some ome one else Then you'll have to look after your your- yourself yourself yourself self But I dont don't think he lie can get here before night The Thc partners rode back to the creek by way of the park rim dropping down to the meadow land over OHr clad n a apine pine clad pine clad hill hid Smith Smith-Beresford Beresford car car- carried carried carried ried the rifle OHara O'Hara led the extra horse They moved up the thc lie creek keeping on the far side from the house and using the willows as a screen Getting close to the lie stable Smith Smith- Smith Smith-Beresford Beresford whispered over o his shoulder shoulder shoulder der to his friend Theres n a sort of offord offord offord ford where the thc horses drink just ahead Think wed we'd we better splash over o and make a run rUIl for it Might as well OUara OHara agreed The horses waded through the littlecreek little littlecreek littlecreek creek and cli climbed bed the lie slope be beyond ond They broke Into a canter headed straight for the stable Quantrell let out a n yell office of lee as the two men swung to the ground Made It by cripes crapes you ou doggoned old tells tells- liella milers OHara O'Hara did not share his enthusiasm I He lie had come to get the raIders out of trouble If It he lie could but lie he did not intend to condone their offense Who lilts lias ll been hurt he aske asked coldly Amen Is shot up right bad Im I'm one pill pili In m my leg as a souvenir How did you find out we wc was here Met Iet a Mexican you ou dro drove e away OHara O'Hara walked across to the place where Owen lay layon on the hay bay Can lie he ride lie he asked Texas Jim The Lone Star state stute man scratched ills his head I dunno Doubt It ft lIes lIe's a might mighty sick ma man Apparently Owens had been dozing lIe op opened ned his e eyes es Sure I could ride it If I was put on n a horse he lie said Then wed we'd better get out before Ingrams Ingram's reinforcements arrive The rest of ot the thc horses are at the entrance to the park pork If we slip around and keep the stable between us and the house we might make male it it Quantrell's e eyes es gleamed Youre You n d-n n OHara O'Hara You fellows go Ill I'll sto stay an au hol hold em cm back hack ull till you ou cross the creek Then Ill I'll light ht out after you ou goo good medicine Texas Jim agreed Ill stay with Bob The deputy deput sheriff spoke up Theres here an old door boarded up this side If Ir we break that down we cnn can slip out yn ran n not be seen at lit all Five minutes later the door hall had been knocked to pieces with an no ax aL aLOwen Owen was lifted to the saddle of ot a horse He lie clung to the lie pommel teeth clenched OHara O'Hara turned to Quantrell You take my horse With that hurt le leg you ou cant can't make a run for It If 1 f f you have to Ill I'll stay sta with Texas exas No sir lr Ir answered Quantrell Its liable to be I h-I h l with the I blower on here I wished this on myself Get on that horse OHara O'Hara ordered quietly looking straight at the young oun desperado Ills His HI had hod a n ring of command his brown eyes e es blazed blared Quantrell 11 laughed lau hed Im wn n boss here herc says he 11 All right Have Ha It yore own way But understand every every- e cr everybody everybody body hOdY Im I'm not to blame If It they collect him him rue rhe boy limped to the hor horse e and pulled himself Into the saddle Adios lie he called 11 hack back with a Jaunty wave wa of or the hand as he lie rode out of the building The Thc deputy sheriff sheri IT was already on his way Only nl Smith-Beresford Smith re remained re- re remained re- re remained lie He was reluctant to leave Jea e his friend and he lie argued the point but OHara O'Hara brushed aside his Ills ob- ob objections objections ob objections Ive got ot a n better hetter plea Idea than yours ours Garrett he lie said consenting consenting consenting-at ut at last Ill lell leave ve my toy m horse here l You ou two y be In a hurr hurry when you ou start Hell He'll carry double till you ou reach us The Englishman followed the others hidden by the stable the he little ca cavalcade cavalcade alcade l got some distance before it was 4 w Cut for the Creek an Get It Texas Jim Advised i seen by those In the house Then poured out of the house as seeds are squirted from an orange One of them leading lending the pursuit toward the stable gave ave a n yell compounded f or tri tn- trI trI- trIumph triumph nn and rage OHara O'Hara recognized him as Dec er Already OHara O'Hara had given glnn orders to his companion but he lIe reinforced them by a reminder Remember Texas youre you're not to lilt hit nn any of them unless we cant can't drive e them back otherwise vise The firing from the stable took the Ingram men by surprise They wavered wavered wavered ered broke back for the house If It we can give gl our boys fifteen minutes start they ought to make It OHara O'Hara said Cant do It the Texan answered Just about now Its It's gonna onna strike those fellows to slap saddles on their horses an swing round to cut the boys off from the mouth of the park Texas Jim anticipated their thoughts by bv less than five minutes Presently see they Uey could see Dee er and the thc others slipping up from the creek to the hitch rack by the house Time to say Adios If It we dont don't aim to be cut off the cowboy said Right night you are arc n agreed reed OHara O'Hara A moment later he was on Smith Smith- Smith horse with Ith the Texan be he- behind behind hind him They dashed hed Into the open at a gallop A bullet whistled past them Cut for the creek an get It Texas Jim advised nd OHara O'Hara swung to the thc left and sent tile the horse plunging Into the roun young willows They crashed through the supple branches brandies whipping their faces The animal lost Its footing as ns It went ent down Into the creek and und both men were flung nun Into the the th water Texas lint caught the bridle and nn dragged th lle bronco to Its feet The riders were soaked but OHara O'Hara had managed to keep the rifle rille out of ot the water when he made his dl dive e Into the stream streams stream's shallow depth Into the saddle the Texan drag dragged himself lIe He stiffened his foot toot and OHara OBura used It for a step to swing himself behind A moment and the horse was charging through the sap sap- saplings saplings lings fringing ing the opposite bank Glancing back OHara O'Hara could hear the excited voices of ot the pursuers The They were too far tar away for him to tomake tomake tomake make out the words but hut lie he realized that they were already in motion Some one shouted to them OHara O'Hara cau caught ht sight of young oun Quantrell rid rid- riding rid riding ing down the creek Came back to chew v over oyer old times he called gaily to them Where are the lie others asked ased right along We can hold these roosters back If we weha ha have e to If It the they get et on the prod well we'll educate em cm proper Were not looking for trouble Bob noh What were we're tr trying Ing to do Is to get away our skins whole Dont Don't forget that I wont won't have IIa any unnecessary Weve We've had more than than enough The voices of the pursuers came closer cloer Quantrell grinned cheerfully What shooting I will do will twill be necessary necessary essary looks like If we can only reach tile the lie gateway of the lie park OHara O'Hara said glancing back Sure enough If my toes only reach the ground they the hang me It wont won't hurt much Quantrell jeered The riders behind swung into sight ny By way wa of ot warning OHara O'Hara dropped a 11 bullet In front of them diem The Ingram gunmen opened up Into loose 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