Show C I I Judith of 01 Blue Bluelake Lake Ranch H By JACKSON GREGORY GEGORY Scribner Bone b I CHAPTER XVI XVI Continued Continued 18 18 Then TheIl Lee told him o of Judith Carson's Carsons Carsons Carson's Carsons Carson's Car- Car sons son's good eye opened wide with In In- terest Carsons Carson's bruised lips sought to form for a whistle which managed to give ghe them the air all of a maidenly pout I lie lb e had the nerve I 1 1 he muttered ors Tre had the nerve Bud ve we ought to make a little call on that gent Then seeing Lees Lee's face Carson realized that anything he might alight have to remark on this score was superfluous super super- Lee had already thought of that They roped a couple o of the wandering wandering wander wander- ing hors horses s Improvised from the rope cut In two and went to meet Judith Carson snatched eagerly eagerly erly cry at her hand and squeezed It and looked Inexpressible things from his one useful eye He gave his his saddled I ho horse se to her watched her and Lee ride on to the ranch and and sent lomm Tommy loamy to the old cabin fa for l' l another rope while he lie rounded up some more horses In a narrow can canyon on for BurkItt and Hampton Hompton You d n d-n n fool he said growl growlingly growlingly growling growling- ng- ng ly Iy to Hampton look what youve you've J done Of or course Im I'm a d n d-n n fool replied Hampton by now his old cheerful self Ive r apologized to Judith an and Lee I and Burkitt I apologize to you Ill I'll IllI I t tell you ou confidentially that Im I'm a aI sucker and a on Come I I haven't got the brains of a jackrabbit jack rab I bit j I Carson went away grumbling But for the first time tittle he lie felt a vague respect respect re re- for PoU Pollock ck Hampton Hell neli be a a real man some day thought Carson If the fool killer fool killer dont don't pick l him hini m off off first t t i f You may come and see see me thIs tills evening Judith told Bud Lee as he be left her to o MarcIas MarcIa's arms Ill be eating and sleeping and taking baths until then Thank you ou for the bacon and and the water and water and She smiled at him from Murcia's Marcias excited embrace Bud nud Lee the blood tingling through him left her I Before B rore I r came come com to you Judith girl I he whispered to himself as he lie went I Ill Til ha c have to have haye a a- a little talk falk with Ia Bayne ne ors Tre i CHAPTER H PTER Leer Leet and n. n Old Man Carson Ride 7 i T Together Bud Lee r riding alone toward the Western Vestern Lumber camp turned In his saddle to glance back as he heard hoof-beats hoof behind him It was Carson and the old ld cattleman was riding hard bard Lee frowned Then for for foran forn an n Instant instant instant in In- stant a smile softened his stern e eyes es Good little old Carson he lie mut mut- Carson came to his s side de sa saying merely In his dry voice Mind If Sf I come along Bud You an me have rid into one thing an another moren just once This Is my fight said Lee coolly Who said It wasn't demanded the other querulously Only you aint got an any call to be a Bud Besides I got a right to see If theres there's theresa a fair fall break aint I Say look at nt them cow brutes hack back yonder Dont Don't It beat all how silage when you ou use It right shapes em em up Few enough words were said as the miles were flung behind them few were needed A swift glance showed Carson that Lee carried a revolver re In his shirt his rode own gun Iun plainly In Jn evidence In iii front of ot his hip What little con er conversation rose between them was of ma matters They spoke of pf success now DOW with Ith confidence These two foremen alone could se see the money In late Inte winter and early spring from their cattle and horses to carr carry the Blue lue Lake venture over O the rap- rap Ids Then there w were re the other oilier resources resources resources re re- re- re sources of at the diversified undertaking ing the hogs hos the prize stock the olives poultry dairy products Anji Anil soon or late Western Lumber would pay the price for the timber tract soon if they saw that they had to pay It of off lose the forests which they IJ had d so long counted upon Lumber values were mounting every day ny Neither man when It chanced chanc d that Ba Bayne ne ors name name was casually mentioned suggested Why not go goto goto goto to the law For to them It was ver very clear that once In the lie courts the theman theman theman man who had pla played ed safe sofe would laugh at them A Against Judiths Judith's oath that he lie had her would stand ors Tre word wor-d that he lie had done nothing nothing noth noth- ing of or the kind coupled with his carefully carefully care- care fully established perjured alibi and I the lying of ot the RIC testimony ph physician an who had visited Judith In the cave This man mon and that might he be rounded 1 up Shorty Short and nud Benny Denny and Poker Face and If It an any of or them talked which talked which perhaps none of them would would would-at at most mast the they would say that they had no orders orders or or- ders TS from anybody but Quinnion And where was who stood as a buckler between and prosecution tion And what buckler In all uti th the w- w world can enn ever pr stand between one man and another Now uw nap anu then Carson sent a quick aU toward Leer Lee In In- face now and then he sighed sighed his thoughts h his awn own Bud BudLee BudLee BudLee Lee knowing his companion as he did shrewdly guessed that Carson was vas hoping that events might so befall that there would be an open free for all fight and that he might not be forced to play the restless restless' part of ot ofa ota a mere onlooker Bud Dud Lee hop hoped cd otherwise Theres two wn ways s 's to get a man said Carson meditatively out of a along along along long silence An both Is good wa ways s 's with a n gun or with your our hands Yes agreed Bud Dud quietly If It works out gun way continued Carson still sUIl with that thoughtful half abstracted look In his e eyes eves es it dont don't hurt to remember Bud that he shoots left handed an nn from the hip Lee m merely rel nodded Carson did not look up tip from the bobbing ears of his horse as he continued If It it works out the other way an nn Its It's Just fists It dont don't hurt to remember remember ber her how put out Scott Scotty Webb last year ear In Rocky Bend Four-footed Four st style le striking with his boot square in Scott Scotty's Scottys s belly name was not again referred referred referred re re- to even In the vaguest terms The road in front of them at last Jast dropping down Into the valley In which the thc lumber-camp lumber was straightened straightened straightened straight straight- ened out Into a lane that ran between stumps to the clutter dutter of frame build build- ings Something doing at the office offered offered offered of of- Carson as they drew near Di DIrectors Directors rectors' rectors meeting likely Two automobiles stood In the road ten steps from the closed door of the unpretentious shack which bore the printed legend Office Western Lumber Lumber Lumber Lum Lum- ber Company The big red touring touring- car certainly belonged to Melvin Melvln the company's president Carson looked cUl cui curiously at Lee Bud dismounted dropped his horses horse's reins shifted the revolver from his shirt to his belt where it was at once unhidden and loosely held ready for fora a quick draw Then mien he went up the three steps Carson at his heels his hisgun hisgun gun bun also unhidden and read ready From within came voices one In protest Bayne ringing out ut filled with mastery followed b by a laugh Lee set his hand to the door Then The only because because because be be- cause It was locked from within did he lie knock sharply Who Is is it came ame the sharp Inquiry In- In In But the man man who made It and who bo was standing by bythe byth the door threw it open What do you want he demanded again Were bus busy I want to see said Lee coolly t I lie lIe rIe You cant Lee shoved sho the man aside and strode on Carson close at Lees Lee's heels his e eyes es glittering gUtterIng stepped a little aside when once he was within the room and took his place with his back against the wall close to the door It was a big bare like barn-like room furnished simply with one long table and half hal a dozen chairs Here nere were five men besides Bayne Bane All except and the man who had open opened d the door were sea seated ted ors Tre at the far end of the room was standIng standIng standing stand- stand Ing an oratorical arm slowly dropping dropping dropping drop drop- ping to his side His e eyes es met Lees Lee's ran quickly t to Carsons Carson's came back to Lees Lee's and rested there steadily Be Beyond ond the slow falling of his extended arm he did not move The muscles of at his face hardened the look of triumph which just now had stood In his e eyes es changed slowly and In Its place came camean camean camean an expression that was twin to to that In Bud Lees Lee's e eyes es Just a B look of ot inscrutability in In- with a hint of at watchfulness watchful watchful- ness under It and the hardness of ot agate While a man tuan might have drawn a deep breath Into his lungs und and expelled It neither Lee n nor r Trev Trev- ors III'S stirred What the devil Is this dais demanded Melvin from fromn rom across the table Hold Bold Holdup up or what He lIe rapped the thc table resoundingly Shut up I snapped Carson Its just a two roan play Melvin Melvln Lee an toOh to Tremors lre Oh said Melvin Melvln and sank back making no further protest He lie was no stranger to Carson or to Bud Lee and he sensed what might lie tie between Lee tee and rind a man lII like e Then shrugging his shoulders he said carelessly carelessly care ore Jessl lessly Im not the the man to get In other ther miens men's way and und you QU know It Carson nut U ml might ht tell your Jour friend Bud Lee Iee that Bayne Bane ors Is rather a big man influentially to mix timings things s with I Ive I've e just resigned t this morning and ond Is our new president Thanks returned Carson drI dryly I 1 dont don't think that'll make much difference dif dlf ference though Melvin Melvln Most likely you'll have two presidents resigning the same sUllie day A At t last l Lee ee spoke he lie said quietly ma maybe maybethe be bethe the time law v cant can't get you iou gnu But I can For reasons which both you ou and I understand understand understand under under- stand you ou are go going ng to clear out of ot this part of ot the country Am Ann I asked The Thc look Jook of his e eyes s did not alter the poise ot of othis his big body did not shift his hands both at his sides again might nave lave been carved In bronze Then suddenly he lau laughed hed und and threw out his arms in a wide gesture and again dropped them saying shortly Youre playing the game the way I thought you oU would Youve You've got a gun Jun I am unarmed unarmed begin begin your our shooting and and be d d-d d d to you OU I lie even e stepp stepped d forward hits his eyes fearlessly up upon n Lees Lee's and ond settled his big frame comfortably In a chair by bythe bythe bythe the table Go Go ahead he concluded Im read ready meats as os It should be he Lees Lee's voice was vibrant I His Is hard eyes yes brightened brightened bright bright- ened With a quick Jerk jerl he lie drew the revolver from his belt and dropped It to the floor at nt Carsons Carson's feet Carson though he stooped for It 11 quickly did not shift his watchful eyes ces from For Carson had known more fights In his life than he had years he knew men and looked to for Just the sort of thing timing did As Lee stepped forward snatched open the drawer of the table at his side quick as light and whipped out the weapon which lay there Go slow came carne old Carson's Carsons Carsons Carson's Carsons Carson's Car Car- sons son's dry voice Ive got you covered covered cov COY ered already two two gun gu n style even en with his finger crookIng crookIng crooking crook- crook Ing to the trigger paused and saw the two guns in Carsons Carson's brown bands trained unwaveringly upon him There was much deadly determination in Carsons Carson's e eyes es Again laughed drawing back his empty hand You yellow ellow do dog grunted ted Bud BudLee BudLee BudLee Lee his tone one of supreme disgust You d d-d d d yellow ellow dog I shrugged You see two gentlemen gentlemen two to one t with the odds all theirs You lie He I spat out Carson Its one to one an Ill I'll see the game goes square He lIe stepped forward removed removed re re- re- re moved mo the weapon from the table under under under un un- un- un der now suddenly changeful eyes and went back to his place with his back to the wall For Gods God's sake salce cried the one nervous man In tb the room he who ha lead had opened the door dool This Is murder Mel Melvin ln smiled a smile as ch cheerless erless I. I t tI tm I I m I a 1 r rM M I t tI td i t I d i f d rJ I Or 01 Do You Want Padded Gloves and Someone to Fan You as the time gleam of ot wintry starlight on a abit abit abit bit o of glass Will you ou fight him him lie he asked With your our hands Yes answered Yes Move Iove back the time table commanded Melvin Melvln on his feet in an nn instant And the chairs Get them back The table was dragged to the far I end nd of ot the room n the chairs were piled upon it It Now r and anti Melvln's Melvins watch was In his hand his big voice olce coming with metallic metallic me me- le coldness its to a finish Is it Three-minute Three rounds fair fighting no no- no to no-to But now at nt last B Bayne ne Ors blood was Us up his slow an anger er had kindled he was mo moving his feet feet restlessly rest rest- lessly whose D n D n it he shouted fight is this but mine nine and Lees Lee's If be lie wants a fight let him come anti and get It ml Ii a mans man's fight and rules and rounds mead and time trove be d d d-d' d Am I to tu dance dunce around here and sidestep tep mind and fence Just jUS for you jou OU to look on Carson Cariou Well said Carson Lee challenges me JOC doesn't he Then Im I'm the mun man to nume name the sort son of or fight am I not Is that fair full Meaning Just what 1 asked aske Carson Car Car- son J I Meaning that I 1 am going to gel get him get him an nay any wa way I can cun You let us light fight tl this s out our way an any anyway anyway way and no Interference 1 Talk to Bud there thele rejoined the tIll theold theold old cattleman calmly It lilt aint my mJ mj scrap Then Lee snapped ors come on on If you want such a n tight fight a aoud as you'd oud get If you and I were alone in II inthe the mountains with no man to watch a fight where a man can use what weapons weapons' God gave ga him any weapon he can lay Jay his mind to his eye ce to his hand to I Or and at last th the sI sneer came do you ou want a pair pall of ot padded gloves glo and somebody to fan tan you OU Carson shifted his liis glance to Bud BudLee's BudLee's BudLee's Lees Lee's face Lee merely nodded Then cried Carson sternly go goto goto goto to It l J No r man steps In an an you ou two can fight It out like coyotes or moun moun- lions tain-lions for all of me me Your word there will be no Interference Interference interference Inter Inter- ference asked For youre you're just a fool and not a liar Hal Carson I IMy My word was the answer Bayne slipped out of at his coat and vest est tossing them to the pile of ot chairs on the table He loosened loosened loosened loos loos- ened his Ills soft shirt-collar shirt and was ready All of 01 Bud Lees Lee's simple preparations preparations preparations prep prep- had bad been made when h he threw his broad hat lint aside Then came the little pause which Is forerunner to the first blow when two men m measure asure each other seeking each ench to read the others other's purpose It ought to to be a pretty even break brenk muttered MelvIn Melvln his |