Show f r WILLIAM MACLEOD A LED RAINES RAINE'S RA ES 4 1 i Ride the 1 v With I l r COPYRIGHT WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE RAINE SERVICE I CHAPTER C Al ER XII Continued XII Continued 20 20 Lou Howard How rd lay on a bunk star star- staring staring ing at the ceiling Buck Conrad his guard had bad turned in for the night He was sullen and despon despon- despondent dent Why was w s his father not do do- doIng doing b Ing something to get him out of this 2 trouble He knew Sherm had sen sena sent senta to Chiswick threat threat- threatening a messenger ening reprisals if U any harm hap hap- to his son But why didn't didn he do something instead of just talk blk The prisoner could not get to tor r sleep deep He was worried The best he could hope for was a term in the th penitentiary unless his father could t work out some slick scheme for get get- getting r ting ling him off ocr The only escape from this was to turn states state's st tes te's evidence If lt he did this his name would be a hissing byword by He would have to get out of the country s A faint tapping on the window I reached him He sat sal up as well as ashe asi ashe he could for his bonds his stomach muscles tightening A prickling of off i f the skin ran r n over him A voice murmured That Th t you Lou Yes Who is it IU he whispered The saw ripped through a resinous t.- t. knot died down for tor a moment and g attacked att another Morg Norris Listen Where does docs this Gray sleep Hes gone to town Get me out of here Morg Morg please please All right Wake up the guy there Tell him Lee has been calling him When he comes comes to the door well we'll fix him A second voice asked hoarsely Only one fellow In the house dog with you Yes Buck Conrad All right Ill I'll tell him Conrad wakened at the sound of young Howards Howard's urgent voice you he asked sleepily Someone has been calling you Sounds like Chiswick Buck sat up and listened Some Some- Someone Someone one outside shouted his name He went to the door not waiting to light a lamp and a d threw it open I f Who wants me he asked They were his last words Two guns roared The cowpuncher t at the jamb and slid down his knees buckling under him Morg Norris ran forward and flung Sung an an- another another r other bullet into the prone body I The face of the outlaw was distorted with rage He had nothing personal against Buck but the fury of the kill was on him He spat out a venomous epithet Get out your knife and cut me free tree implored Howard How rd The second man came into the room With a jackknife he severed the rope that bound the prisoner Lou Howard was surprised to note that the sinister face bent over him was unfamiliar Hurry urged the young man hear the shots and be on onus onus onus us in a minute We got to get out sudden Let em era come boasted Norris with an imprecation Were ready I to swap lead with them Anyone else with you Lou asked rising from the bunk No more We came to get Gray Lucky for him hes he's not here Dont Don't need an army do we the killer wanted to know He added cruel laughter in his voice Wisht it had been the spy Gray we had croaked instead of this here The three men passed swiftly out of the cabin c bin Already they could hear voices and the sound of men running It was time to be gone Someone came out on the porch of the big house and wanted to know who was there Norris was in the saddle He galloped up to the porch and fired at atthe atthe atthe the man standing there Out of the foremans foreman's cottage came Dan Brand sketchily dressed He blazed away at the young outlaw with a rifle The bandit wheeled his horse and cantered back to his companions Hit the grit boys he ordered Gonna be hot here if it we stick around The stranger gave g ve Lou a foot for fora a rest and Howard swung to his saddle behind him As the horses pounded down the road the roar ro r of guns followed them Howard looked back anxiously his heart thump thumping ing with fear Framed in a window be he saw the face of Ruth The fugitives headed for tor Tail Tall Holt Y They kept to the road Pursuit would probably be useless since the outlaws could turn into the brush whenever they heard the I sound Bound of ot riders back of ot them The lights were still blazing in inthe Inthe inthe the Golden Nugget when they drew up at the Norris walked Into the gambling house gambling house the other two at his bis heels beels Mile High and some others were at the bar drinking A man who started to lift lIn his glass put it down V Instantly Morg he exclaimed 1 The card c rd game was suspended The wheel ceased to turn All AU eyes turned upon the three who had just entered the place a Dont get on the prod boys I warned Norris Im here peace- peace peaceable able Listen s en to o what Ive I've Ive got gO to to I 4 w r rj j 4 v. v t L I i spill before you start foggin I been out to the L C ranch for a lil Wi call on Lee Chiswick I bumped oft off one of his warriors and brought back with me Lou Howard I got gotto gotto gotto to apologize for not getting that spy Gray He wasn't there I have something to do with all this sneered Clint Doke Sure You went along with me But I thought hought of ot it I ran the show The killer swaggered to the bar Mile High said not lifting his eyes from Norris You got quite some explaining to do do fellow Kansas He was aimin to give me up to Chiswick's Chis wicks wick's warriors I had to get him before he got me m Same with Curly Curly- He was firing Oring at me when I wounded him I could of killed him but I And I reckon you ou ran ran away with the young lady for a joke No sir I made a mistake there but I was taking her back home borne when Grays Gray's posse bumped into me Shell She'll tell you I didn't hurt burt her any Send for Sherm Well We'll have a powwow and fix things up You run wild hog then come comeback comeback comeback back and say Forget it It boys I got a better memory than that Mile Mlle High flung back Morg slid an ugly look at him But he spoke with unusual restraint This was not the time to indulge a abad abad abad bad temper I went out to the L C with Doke here lere and rescued Lou didn't I P n. n r VC I i t y t t 7 Wheres heres he at aU asked Norris I 1 I I while you lads were talking about what a hole he was in what he did young How Howard Howand ard and said Someone go get Father We got trouble enough on our hands without fussing among ourselves Shove that bottle this way Pete The tension relaxed A Mexican boy was sent to bring Sherm How ard To an admiring but not alto altogether gether friendly audience Norris nar nar- narrated narrated rated his adventures They lost I nothing in the telling Howard senior arrived ten min minutes utes later With him came a leath faced er-faced man known as The fat tat man looked at his son then at Norris orris N no expression in his wooden face So youre you're back he said to the latter All AU set for tor the fatted tatted calf Sherm Howard ignored the attempted blitheness Ill listen to you Morg he said The killer swept a hand in the direction of the rescued man man- Lou hell he'll do my for me he boasted While you were sleeping comfortable me and Clint risked our hides to get yore boy for tor you We had to bump off an L C Crider rider and fight a battle with Chiswick's gang but we brought Lou back with us Fine We would have had Lou anyhow In a day or two The fathomless eyes of Howard rested in those of Norris Did you bring Kansas back with you too Norris began to bristle Kansas was a double crossing son of You told me the other day a posse killed him That right The killer hesitated There was w s sno no use holding to that story since everybody knew that Ruth had refuted it A fellow has to go through he said s ld sulkily Kansas K was fixing to throw me down It was him or me I had to beat him to it Pete the bartender threw In a alow alow alow low voiced suggestion right Sherm The young lady I dy says Kansas told her he meant to line lineup lineup lineup up with her dad d d. d Like to have a little talk with Lou that young mans man's m ns n's father said Afterward I want to see you and Mile High Morg Lou followed toll owed Sherm into the little room Curt Dubbs used as an office The big man closed the door He sat down ponderously in a chair ch lr What you want to see me about bis his son asked nervously The older man spread plump aL white hands His expressionless eyes were fixed on the other Come clean Lou he ordered What docs does this Gray Gr y know What did you tell him Tiny beads be ds of ot perspiration began to stand out on the forehead of ot the younger man You didn't do a athing athing athing thing for me he protested with the violence of ot weakness Left me there to be hanged h If they hadn't got Ruth home safe that's what would have h ve happened to me too You look after your own hide mighty well but you dont don't want me meto meto meto I to do the same I was doing all aU I could for you but never mind that th t. t Ive I've got to know where we stand What did you tell Gray and Chiswick What I told under fear tear of ot death de th doesn't count Lou evaded May Maybe be I said moren I should So would you have So would anyone Im listening Lou told what he had confessed bit by bit his father t ther sweating the story out of ot him After the son had finished the older man m n sat staring In front of him aim him piecing together the things that thattie he tie knew and those that he suspect ed What Lou had told Chiswick did not matter so much It had been general gener l. l and it had dealt only with the attack on the Mexicans B But t what he be had admitted to the United States marshal would hang bang I or put behind bars half ball a dozen of ot the Tail TaU Holt outlaws The ques ques- questions questions Gray had put showed that he had plenty of information Inform and was only seeking confirmation Sherm Howard knew he must act quickly He had to destroy y Gray I Ion before the marshal m closed the net neton neton on him Tomorrow might be too late Tell Morg and Mile High I want to see them in here he ordered You go home and go to bed Keep your mouth padlocked Dont Don't tell anybody else what youve you've told me If lt you do someone is liable to fill fin you full of lead Howard waved the two outlaws to chairs when they entered the room Weve got to get busy boys he told them Lou is right This fellow tell ow Gray is dangerous While he was at the L C Lou picked up one or two bits of Information Gray knows a lot more than we think lImpl Do you expect me to comb the brush for tor him asked Norris The big man slumped in the chair slid an oblique look at the killer If It youre you're looking for tor him you can be accommodated Morg Gray is in town In OlIn Tail TaU Holt snapped Norris Roosting right here You mean was here bere corrected Mile High Five or six hours bours ago We bumped into him Morg in Cur Cur- Curly's Curlys Curlys Curlys Curly's lys ly's room Bumped Into him and didn't knock him oft off Jeered Norris Youre a fine bunch of warriors Lou was still at the L C Mile High retorted angrily We touch the fellow tellow for tor fear tear Chiswick would hang Lous Lou's hide up to dry Gray had the gall to tell us so So you said Adios amigo and walked out on him the other young man snarled If It it had been me I would sure have sent him to hell hellin hellin hellIn in smoke Keep feeling that way Morg said Howard evenly Lou isn't at atthe atthe atthe the L C any more more Far as Im I'm con concerned corned its it's an open season on Mr Jeff Gray Well We'll oil ell be safer when the dirt is patted p down V on him in Boot HilL HIli Im I'm an old man myself and peaceable but if it you young bucks are snorting for tor battle I can give a guess where you'll you n find him Four eyes fastened to those of ot Howard Wheres he heat at asked Norris a sharp edge to his voice Unless Im I'm way off oft hes he's spend spending ing the night with his friend Hank H Ransom How know I dont don't know for sure Im I'm rea reasonably reasonably certain Maybe a little bird told me Howard was w s secretive by nature n ture It was his opinion that one made madeno no mistake ke to live under his hat as ashe ashe ashe he expressed it The habit had grown V on him When mystery was not necessary he had an Irritating way of ot hinting at one There was no reason for tor not telling that a Mex Mexican lean ican had brought him word he had seen Ransom R catch and saddle a horse in Willards Willard's pasture none ex cx- except that he liked to t convey an im impression Im- Im Impression of omniscience Norris swaggered to the door fol followed fol- fol followed lowed by Mile High I CHAPTER XIII I I Lee Chiswick looked down at the the- body lying on the cot I Buck would have been alive now if 1 I hadn't given him the job of guarding that scamp he said sor sor- Hed been alive if it 1 he had obeyed orders Dan Brand said You got gotto gotto to look at this right Lee We told I him not to open the door unless UI ess he was sure who was there I reckon i he was roused from sleep and didn't II stop to use his head Ruth stood behind her father tather her I gaze fixed on the still figure of ot the cowpuncher Who did it she asked In hi a low voice That devil Morg Norris answered an answered Lee his face set and rigid I recognized him when he rode up to the porch to take a crack at me The girl shuddered The thought stabbed her that she was V s responsible ble for the death of Buck Conrad If u I she hadn't interfered with the aim of Jeff Gray Gr y he would have put an end to the killer No use trying to follow tollow him In Inthe Inthe inthe the dark her brother Frank said saidI If I we got close hed he'd take to the brush likely head for tor Tail Tan Holt to get Lou Howard How rd home Brand Br nd guessed The eyes eyes of ot Ruth grew wide with horror horr r. r The paralyzing conviction had come come- come ome her to that th t Jeff Gray would not know w until too late that the prisoner Vt t the L C Chad had es taped He would mould carryon carry on under the impression that he had a hos hose hostage hostage tage in the camp amp camp of his friends that Sherman Howard dare not move to his destruction She cried out o t her fear to her fa ta ther there For a moment he stared at nt her letting her warning sink into his I mind Youre right girl he an an- anI I I dont don't know how he is his hand band h nd but weve we've got to let him know heres here's nothing to keep Sherm from him im fm now j I Lee gave curt orders Get the boys together Dan See they're i armed Frank you and Tony run runt up mounts Well We'll take oil oft with what men we have bave Round up the themen themen themen men at the line camps Bob and bring them to Tail Tall Holt This looks like war and we may need all the help we can get t I Five minutes later Ruth walked into Into her fathers father's office and found him examining guns and tion What are you going to do with me and Nelly she asked He looked at t her startled at the problem posed By Jinks finks Ruth I hadn't thought of that Cant Can't leave you here alone alon Once was Vas too often otten And I cant can't c nt spare sp re any men to guard you Were We're short handed now Only five of ot us 70 TO BE n CONTINUED |