Show I It H 1 r a II 1 I J I I BIR tv I U 1 w I If f 7 r WILLIAM WHITE T 1 Little LiU ani kv par jF if i i BEGIN TODAY i e gang of oZ f wealthy y ya cattle a thieves IV who 4 the p politics n yo o of Crocker county u y inIng de decide to nominate r U GY WINGO WI good natured good natured of 1 Iden u n Bar for sheriff believing that he n be too easy going easy going to Interfere with tO activities IA political strategist puts h 1 nomination through although RE wealthy cattle thief 7 li iad d promised the office to tor r ACK MURRAY a gunman gunmen O Gorman OGorman ops op- op s ses s plan of hiring C to kill Tom Walton an honest who i la Is believed to have evl evl- tape Against the gang sans f w WALTON V ALTO the ranch ranchman mans man's niece w p Murray hiding In a canyon eanon I- I reaBy to ambush Ingo who Is approach approach- ping ying Ir g in the distance When she be attempts itA t drive back 9 warn Billy Murray t hoots one of ot her mules Phe he nesses and mounts mount the otner other despite Murray Murrays Murray's Mur Mur- ray rays ray's ras a threat to shoot hoot tf GO CO GO ON OX TuB TilE STORY STOR 4 pe man nian in the brush stopped e dropped on one knee between two twos s took tool a a. quick sight at the mules mule's s barrel six inches behind the girl girls girl's s leg legand eg egand and n pulled trigger Over Oer an and over rolled tilts this mule muleS and over and over overa a a short C toot loot in advance of his kicking hoofs hoofs' rolled Hazel Luckily she was not stunned L nned and she rolled clear She ambled to her feet teet and set off up the trail as s fast last as her shaking legs would carry carr her Damn her cursed Jack JOck Murray notching up his back sight Id p her She's askin for tor it the h hussy His Itching finger trembled on the trigger but he did not pull Billy HillY Wingo pulled up at sight of th the wild und apparition that was Hazel Walton But the check was momentary He lie cd home the spurs and hustled his horse into a gallop He and Hazel came together literally 40 yards ards below the C ciet L The gui girl seized his to ae ate herself hersel from falling and burst into hysterical tears kordy Lordy Lord its it's the girl that dropped the exclaimed Billy dismounting c I Ue le te had his arm arm round her waist In r to prevent her falling to the ground J hung limply against him and gasped I I choked and sobbed a away wa her I varied emotions The explanation was brief but before li was finished Jack Jacl Murray had be become become be- be come dome a rapidly vanishing speck on the r He was sure that his health demanded a 3 long vacation in the South CHAPTER V. V i Wingo ingo removed his hat and stuck a brown head round the corner of the floor door loor Jamb Hello lIello Hazel 4 1 Lo 10 Bill Bm said Hazel Walton Vallon breaking break break- ip ing another egg into the mixture of or Bugal and nd In the yellow bowl Chase Chas that chicken out will you ou there theres theres s a dear 5 Billy Bill illy did not misunderstand He had discovered erel that Hazel called any friend car It was her way of showing her li ng that was all Nevertheless the never failed to give him a am feeling ng that felt pleasant around fIlls Ills ds heart eart Your lour uncle home he asked after alter a had bad been constructed and litT lit T C llen be in for dinner replied Hazel with wItt a swift flash of dark eyes And there I 1 was hoping all alt along you had cargo to see me 7 I 1 came to see eee you ou too too Jl te ilOU CJ le too is worse lots lota worse Shows 1 an after afterthought I 1 am Life Lites s h Hit rv awful thing for tor a girl girL you youre you're re sheriff now now now- she con- con changing the subject t Not ot yet et he interrupted I dont don't e office till the first of or the year She he nodded I understand And I i want nt to ask aik you vou a question Who question 0 Who elected you op op sheriff Billy hilly 1 v H He ITO regarded her In some surprise J Tha voters voters 4 t- t Vj I know but who manages the k voters voters' Z You ou mean the party machine f fc you hear rumors sometimes Billy Emy vu u you have a free hand then aSo So far as my powers extend I will ill willbe will be once li said L fi F jou's you's use it iU Ill I'll l use It jt curiously Is flIs l Is is that quite safe It Jt ma may may not be safe for th the gang gang 1 you Ou give em their way sort df Not in everything everything- But Just enough t keep em natured good 0 4 curiosity changed to blank amaze- amaze Int You know what you youre you're re asking I Et he said coldly r 1 thought m ti didn't like ke Rare Rae f Cj I hate him her i was simple state state- Ment But I Im I-I'm Im I'm afraid He ne believed he detected a a. sob in itt her e. e This would never do Couldn't Te Hazel crying r joud you'd only explain he suggested 9 e i fo ou see Billy Bill youve you've been pretty nice nicene ne uncle le-uncle uncle and me And youve you've come comee e sort of a sort a-sort sort of a friend kind friend kind of ot and 1 3 and I we I-we we don dont don't t want to see you lit t. t I tell you Billy as true U as I Ind ret nd nd h here this il minute If y you vou t try to o fight I hf the gang you ou won wont won't t last out your term J he clasped her hands and regarded piteously When a pretty prett girl clasps hands and regards you OU piteously what t are you OU going to dO do dout But ut when he ho had kissed her times on the mouth she pushed him away cried distractedly You mustn't i mustn't You dont don't know what yure ure doing There there he said later his Ups lips pressed against her hair I knew it its Vi Weald s Uld be all all' allright right once you let yourself g SF She he lifted her bod body slightly In his arms ell me you vou love me dearest l hen when he told her she asked hen en you you'll 11 do anything I ask wont won't eol Promise as her r a arms tightened about o his l he felt a tightening t I nt at 1 his heart a j I And Ana the latter was not a plea pleasant nt tight tight-I tight tight- I I r What did she mean mean He loved fi Rk God how he be lov loved ed her ber dark lovell- lovell j ns s but what but what was she driving at at i j. j can cant can't t promise till you tell lell what you me to do j She he resumed You know I wouldn't to do anything that wasn't for t bur ur own good yet et you jou OU won wont won't t promise p first promise e I 1 ever asked you to te JR kb lI shook OOk his head ead I cant cani All An ll right Ill I'll have han to tell teU you jou OU then Bill Billy Ive I've heard bout about your job fe heard that If you dont don't do exactly It the gang say you'll be kuk killed Oh exactly In those words but I know r it ew w was s meant No io I shant shan't t tell you yot I e e I h heard beard o it it It t doesn't t matter mattei rt a way It was mad enough when you you you- ought you were ere Just a friend bot bol w now when you youre you're re Just everything I me me I cus-can't cus bear to have hae you run I va Y v risks Suppose something happens to tt 5 tl what would I do do Id I'd die I think want to anyway Wt Wt t which he tried to kiss away he her r ears but these were to deep rooted deep rooted fo for fory C it firs py y such old fashioned remedy as that I be of an any avail all i Xo JNo no don dont don't t she protested holding i vhs ts head away b by main force sot ot now Im I'm not through v yet ret et Listen You You'll 11 fight I IS S the gang I know you ou will rHe MIe nodded a slow head Ive got to ats at's wh why I took the Job of or sheriff knew it she said sadly But you yot ou I Ican can resign cant can't can t you vou Listen to me he said in fn a voice that I trembled You dont don't know what you yot I are asking me to do If It I did It it Id I'd be a I Coff 9 and ana I I. I won wont won't t be bo a a. a dog even for tor our jour I sake Marry me now non and we well we'll 11 see it through you vou and I together She shook her head I I 1 I cant can't she whispered whimpered and added with most human logic I dont don't believe you vou love me me At which lie he was moved to wrath Its you jou OU that dont don't love lo me You listen here I II I LV- LV MM The rhe girl gIrt seized his stirrup and burst Into hysterical tears Ive I've asked you OU for tor the last Jast time to marry me You turned me mo down for some fool notion that l isn't Int n t worth a hill hili of beans All AU right let Jet It go at that If It you ou ever change your mind you you'll 11 have to come cometo to me me and put your arms around my neck and tell me I was right to stick it out and you were wrong to want mo me not notto to And if you jou OU dont don't do it youre you're not the girl I took you for and I wouldn't wouldn t look at you vou with witha On telescope She sat speechless Without another word woid he stooped swept his hat from the floor and went out And it must be said to his discredit he slammed the door behind be be be- hind himA him A long five fl minutes Hazel was staring wild eyed at th the door But he did cUd not come back back- She crept to the window lIe He did not look back and her face burled in her ller hands began to cry as It if I I her heart would break j For Tor her little world had been shattered I I and she was left disconsolate among the I fragments Her lIer man did not understand under under- I stand CHAPTER VI Tip O OGorman O'Gorman sat comfortably near the red-hot red stove The Tho wind and the snow were blustering outdoors Its a good old world Tip sighed luxuriously and wiggled the toes of or his roomy slippers Entered then one who changed the pleasing aspect of the good old world Judge Driver slammed the door behind be behind be- be hind him and untied the comforter that held the hat to his head I Youve done it now exclaimed dge Driver I What particular thing have you on your jour our mind Tip queried equably The sheriff you jou were so set on having elected I happened to the sheriff I ha had l picked ed two deputies for him to appoint good appoint good safe sare men You know that part was left to me and I fixed on Johnson John John- Johnson son and Kenealy This morning I mentioned mentioned men men- their names to the new sheriff I thank you ou kindly for your good Intentions intentiOns says Bill Em or words to that effect but Taut I have already decided to appoint Shotgun and Riley Tyler r Continued in Our Next I Issue sue |