| Show fl udith o flue Blue Like Lake Ranchi Rana l t p P PI ER Continued 14 1 14 hard driven rhen in some w wd way eq eqI I e fc ba Sd re e ed d n not of seen fit tIt to confide ie De e to make I 10 It Te E Fhe ahe were ere forced t sale sate If she were s b the bad nd Tat at att last lost her nerve cr r 11 of the heavy o he thought the t at a t ed IU to be raised at the end Dt Cr DJon oney tr ey well ell then It still sUll could t l i e for r him to speak his mind harIl told him the 20 0 had on g Hampton were to bring ile horses t the ne t I and ana Lee meant 1 small an P v fps P V pIt to to tell her further that so co teD n ber gain I n nId If Grantee rantee rantee an enormous ga lush 3 fOn Id lIei lie time x U 11 si she S gave e him t his part though thought she sher i doln t D r be rE d meddler for his pains d td h him hidden in a big worthy on-worthy a 1 ODa veranda watched him me tile OD 11 Lee Leer tit Interest though f r dI of her presence H He Hea e CD taro taroa a land hand to rap at the door 1 she e c called d to him bim saying t. t is Mr 11 Mysterious I. I lead d e ere evening OO forgotten me le Ha Hare re you well forgotten had bad pretty Ih h b be e J f tI was not necessary ary to tell her J t De e bad He lIe came carne toward h her out out his hand f Miss Langworthy It Good id evening i dd cordially I haven't seen seeni Id d r i ro o 51 I Two have I this t time I me la e. e n nIon b o of t you rou you Ion know ow busy all day and rl the nIght for one oae thing and for P Woe G I Hampton has monopolized Ii A Darn hasn't t he be laughed softly the second rear rea- rea size our your roo J I a man r y Is absurd Will you ou sit see I am taking It for rn 1 01 i You that you come corne here ere to see seeA i ted A x Unless Pales s and her eyes eyes twinkled My up at him you were sur- sur calling on Mrs Irs Simpson Id I'd love to talk with you ou he as- as ced niter her Hut But ut as Ive I've just hinted rork rk here has got into the habit with me into the thet naming i awa away t jit t 1 I really came cam up for a a. a word r hiss Mi's Sanford Oh Obi didn't you know asked Mari Mar Mar- i IJ Judith Isn't here Isn't mt here bere He frowned No I Ij j know I haven't ha t seen much of and didn't know her ber plans Sloe nee Is she la is ian San Francisco Her law lawyers ers ersE E ei n for her you know Something I t tout oct t a tangle In her fathers father's ath rs r's busIS busi busi- fat ta S FunD Funny finny you hadn't l heard sheh she sheh h Saturday night Saturday This This' was Tuesday evet eve- eve t Judith had been away three dAys dAys' arr Le Lee thinking hurriedly t that be he saw now stow the c ifs oD of Judiths Judith's ordering a sale like ii tt Her lawyers had found what I rda ia called a tangle in Luke San- San Ws lis affairs there had been an In- In L. L Rent call cali for a large sum sum of money it out and Judith had laad eo led the only solution MB Iii It didn't seem like Judith to torr rr this at a figure so ridiculous- ridiculous blow low Doan Rockwell Haight re not the only bu buyers ers on the sY Lee himself could get more forto for stores to s If he had two days' days time to at around the cattle were worth ast a amore st deal more than the they were being tU for even with the market down Did Dd she have an Idea what theMe the Me was before she left I he e asked III 1 Why said Marcia I dont don't know I r A J ue e she the slipped but ut late Saturday W tt t after wed we'd all gone to bed ire re rel was l' l S a message for her over the shone she got up dressed sad sad- oi d he her r own horse and rode rude into I 1 J 1 Bend Bent alone just leaving a note notee te de e that she might be gone a week eek lito tw Jut fut why h Y h he e experienced a sense of or J news s eV even n then Lee did not nott L It t was vas like Judith to act dy 7 when need be b to go 0 alone 14 boa on th the e spur of the minute to catch 1 In Ho to slIp Hp out quietly qUety without blog her guest o u have bave heard from her since t abruptly a 0 Word r d said Marcia She Site Vim It t like l letter writing and so I t expect ed to hear from her a chaste at ed d v with her for a moment j 8 g work still to be done to go 10 1 b back ack down the knoll A AI Ato I u upon on him he lie once more i to It Betas Beta's side r U P ct Cl Id I'd pmt better see Hampton Do Do you ou U know where he is tre J JUdith A he i has been every every night 0 left left lau laughed shed ed MarcIa CM pfd Mr hIr u in t l 1 Business Man Dian these 9 the he office n its rt Lc Lre aIr r fOUnd him Hampton d table tiered littered reu ber market r reP reports and many mimy sheets ti cohered with untidy figures Sires p at I Lees Lee's entrance i ud a end and he said re reaching for ford forn d l far match atCh Got every everything h or r tom n tomorrow orrow df didn't d hd at t y YOU U tell me a Miss San San- r tone n awa away nt was us Lees Lee's sharp towi 11 J take flushed those he e two eyes ees of y yours urs- urs SaId Of testily sr- sr They've got u boring n Ute they then through ugh a mats mall until he y were behind scorching the fur fur- tte J m. m Well Ill I'll I tell Y you ou Is OUtfit away I X am aru running tit And nd If the a men think Im I'm Imm 7 from m her with r f an orIf or or- hey y lt It If they Isn't get the noTh no S Th That's here the they they're re re apt to ask aski 8 why why- r t gale ale i Ot to Doan an Rockwell J told lad t toc k tee Lee q y You Yo You tp that up nu did you Hamp Hamp- n 0 11 r. r cried ee H Hampton ampton 1 Ill ii From roro rom a. a file be he took a yellow slip SliD J 1 f i I I B By JACKSON JACKSO N GREG GREGORY ORY Y YI Copyright by Charter Chart Son I of paper tossing It to Lee Sit Sl 1 a sent me that this morning It was a Western Union telegram saying briefly Pollock Hampton Blue Lake Ranch nanch Am forced to sell h heavily Sen Send Send- d deil ing Doan v eil Haight Wednesday Wednes Wednes- day morning one hundred horses horses- as many beef cattle as Carson Curson can round up Accept terms made In their letter to you OU last week JUDITH SANFORD ANFORD The date line upon upon the message g gave ve the sending point as San Sau Francisco Fran Fran- cisco They wrote you ou a letter offering to bu buy said Lee thoughtfully hi his his e eyes es rising slowly from the paper In his fingers Howd How d It happen they didn't write to her Well Its It's a natural enough this mis take isn't It 1 Knowing that she she and I were both part owners knowing that we were both here isn't It quite to be expected that the they would write to the man Instead of to the woman Of II course I her gave the letter as us as soon a as I II I ha had d I open opened It Of course answered Lee But his thoughts ts were not with his s I answer They were with Bayne Tre Tre- vors He knew that had long ago sold to these people he knew too that at least two of the heavy shareholders shareholders shareholders share share- holders in the Western Lumber company company company com com- pany were er 1 interested In Doan Rockwell Rock Rock- kwell k- k well Haight Tom vell lockwell himself him Mm- self was second vice president of the lumber company compan Ra Have ve you you ou had an any any other word ord from Miss Miss' Sauford Shuford he asked No Know who sho her law lawyers erI are No INo I dont An Anything thing In her papers here that would us tell us No Her papers are In hi the safe yonder and nd Its It's locked and I dont don't know the combination Know what hotel she Is stopping at t In the city iCo No Look here hem Bud what are you driving at I dont don't get you ou No 1 answered Lee absently What Bud Lee was as thinking was Here are too man many coincidences 1 Little things each one In Itself safe from suspicion But when he be meditated meditated medi medi- meditated that the offer had come from this particular fir firm that It t had come just a few days before Judiths Judith's first departure from Hie Nhe ranch that It had been en addressed not to her but to Hampton Hamp Hamp- ton so that he must have the opportunity opportunity opportunity to read It that she had been called suddenly to the city that that call caU had bad come after the house was quiet Its occupants In bed that no letter had bad come since she had left that no one knew where to reach her ier when when he passed all of these things in review the bitterness in his heart died under them and the first anxiety sprang up anew grown almost Into fear for her Theres just one thing Hampton he said his eyes hard bard on the boys boy's face We dont don't sell a single hoof In Inthe Inthe the time morning Not a cow nOr a horse until Judith Is here herself Hampton new In his role of general manager Hushed flushed hotl hotly his own eyes showing fight I like you ou Lee he be said sharply his Iris tone that of master to man And AndI I dont don't want us to quarrel el But Judith Judith Ju Tu- wired ired me to sell Ive I've Ive I've wired the he do sell sellin sellin sellin bu buyers ers an acceptance and we in the morning For a n full minute Bud Lee stood stone tone still staring into Hamptons Hampton's to tossing the telegram face Then the table he turned and went out had suddenly white His face gone Judith got you somehow tense lips girl girl he whispered through But nut the lire fight Is still to be made And day of squaring accounts accounts accounts ac ac- ac- ac by y God theres there's a counts coming for a man named Bayne Bane I He went to the house bunk neither nor hearing her when seeing MarcIa she c called after him and with a word to Carson brought the Irate cattle foreman foreman fore fore- man hurriedly outside CHAPTER XIII A Signal-Fire Signal hind had ever er been way lla Bayne ne of a coward ora orto or ora orI ora to pIa play safe the way he I now no doubt wise man Lv I Even Ien en en a account of himself In n g giving an was lumber vor at ut the he ende legitimate mate endeavor his appearance at athis athIs In putting camp enroll safe miles lying between between be be- his regular hour which might occur occur occur oc oc- and that tween him the Blue mue Lake ranch establishing estah- estah cur upon himself like alibis conducting lishing the world to thin think he lie wished the man mind of Bud Lee ree the in But him question no doubt was as no there Tre Tre- of lla Bayne o one e Ba Bayne ne or at ut this instant was wai even ors vors' gang nn somewhere until this hol holding ln Judith Tre Tro- over could be put den deal I colossal of his gang gang- gang and and Lees Lee's or one ne vors shut tighter tight tight- his hands whiter face went came to his t there hard fists as Into er pr Quinnion s twisted twisted twist twist- of mind the picture and evil il red rimmed red e eyes esWell es ed face Carson Garson What Well 1 snapped now the In sale Theres s going goin to be no noLee no the new and at Lee said morning Lees Lee's voice Carson tone In III strange tr e tone It forward forward for for- thrusting head his up jerked the other through ward peering at moonlit nI night t the muttered Car Carsay Carson Canon Say Siy it again I Judith Who said so Miss I J h ti f fI I She isn't 1 here bere replied Lee brIefly been her since Saturday nIght Now more cause than ever did ld Carson stare at him Then what did Pollock Hampton say Se sell sel i for tor B BaP By Y If this is one of aP that young thumbs o jokes I Im I'm m going up to the house an murder him That's all An right now now Lee laid a n hand on Carsons Carson's arm Hold ir on n timer old he said short- short iv ly Iy Well have a talk with him aft after a n K while Now W I want to talk wIth you ou Contenting himself with the coldest of brief outlines Bud null Lee told Carson of Judiths Judith's absence and of his own suspicions Carson who had hind listened to him Jam grav gravely l at the end shook his head That's That's a pretty bald play Bud he lie said slowly I dont don't believe would You'd get set that coarse In his work It doesn't look like him a little bit Does this sale look the least little bit like Judith 1 demanded re Lee sharply sharp sharp- I ly ly- lyLs Is Ls Ls It her ler st style le to g go o over our heads this way Carson If she's got ot of to sell heavily why nutty pick out this particular particular par par- set of buyers myers Why Is s the time deal rushed through while she's a away I tell you theres there's a in the woodpile woodpile woodpile wood wood- pile and Its It's up to you oU and me to Smoke him out Come up to the house with me one MarcIa did cud not see them as they drew near In the mo moonlight nU ht For with a plan shaping In his brain Lee judged best that they should not be seen een He and Carson passed In n a wide aIde arc about the left end of the cou courtyard court court- t yard ald around the end of or the house and so to a door opening from the office to the back of the house This door he found unlocked and pushed quietly open j Hampton lifted swift eyes ees sensing g something stern and ominous In this silent approach We want to talk things thins over over with you began Lee If It youve you've come orne to bulldoze me mc out of that deal In the morning retorted Hampton ampton you might Ight as well keep 1 still Im I'm going to sell ell I dont don't know that you'd r exactly call It bulldozing smiled Lee determined determined determined deter deter- mined to be pleasant with the time young fellow as long as possible But youve you've got sense enough to listen to reason Hampton Hampton l Have I U jeered Pollock Thanks If U 11 Miss Sanford wants the deal to togo togo togo go through h continued Lee wh why then of course through It goes I If she doesn't theres there's going to be no no ne sale I tell you she wired me to sell I showed you the telegram But you Ou didn't prove to me that she sent it You didn't t know yourself whether It ht had been sent by her or Doan Rockwell Haight or by Bayne or the devil II himself He took up the telephone and said into It Western Union Rocky Bend That you Benton 7 This Is IsLee Iee Lee of the Blue Blue Lake We went to get in communication with Miss Judith Sanford somewhere in San Francisco Send this message to ever every hotel there will you ou And f i r rI ry y I VI 7 0 1 H Id t 1 I Ir l r Bud Lee Stood stood Staring Staring Into Hamptons Hampton's Hamptons Hamptons Hampton's Hamp Hamp- tons ton's Face rus rush I 1 It It Must have word with you OU Immediately Important 1 Telephone e I ep h one Got It Oh Ob sign It Carson Curson and and and-and and TrIpp Rush Hush It I 1 t tell ll you Benton An And d If you OU get In touch with Miss San Sanford f or In any way tip us oft off here will you Thanks She Sloe might be visiting with friends muttered I Hampton little pleased atthe at atthe the thought that Lee and Carson were sec seeking ki ng to rob him of his newly acquired acquired ac ae- qui red Importance Where Wheres s Mrs Simpson 1 a aL aone asked L Lee Gone Cone one to bed answered Hampton Is still on And Miss Langworthy Langworth the veranda cr and a Now Hampton Carson tn Miss MIs Sanfords Sanford's and arId I wan want a look OOk at ut ro room Come orne with us will you 0 Im d d-d d d d If Ii I 1 will wIlli i cried the boy boyI hotly I dori dont don't t know what you ou are areu but Im I'm boss here and Im I'm u UD up p to not taking them If It theres there's Ing ln or orders ers any reason In all this Ive I've got cot the theany know what it Is rl right t to yes ies answered vered Lee thoughtfully the right I just don dont don't t y Youve ou ve eo got Pot like the looks of affairs Hamp Hampton t on I J dont don't be believe ev e all that I hear 1 I dont don't t J i is CA t eo r believe Miss Sanford sent that wire I dont don't believe she Is la in San Francisco I do believe that your friend Trevo has bas got hold of her hen somehow and nd that he Is playing pla-Ing you for tor a sucker That's our reason In this Now will you come with us to her room ors Tre said Hampton Then he laughed You are like the rest Bud Trey ors Is a n |
