Show I RIDE RIDi i I 4 By ERNEST HAYCOX Tue STORY 80 so fAR FAB day Clay Morl Morgan has decided to co play a lone looe band hind against Beg a rancher ben bent on OD ran nm DID sing the be cattle country his own way Ib The two men have bave been enemies for lor or years having On fought over Clay Cl y s wife Ue Lisa Lila who died bating baUDI h Un him and belaying she Ibe should have ba ve married Morgan Morlan is I a solitary Military figure Blurt devoted to tobb his bb nine year old daughter Janet Janet- ILl hi Although though two women Catherine Grant and Ann I are ire In ID love with wills him they be he cannot beget or et Lila Ula ll l-ll O Of hi his former ormer friends friend only flack Hack Breathitt hal ha not gone one over to Herendeen I e lid side Seen camping with Pete Borders Borden a sos rue Oar be li is a fugitive from Irom rom Herendeen S I Imen men Card Gard GraDt Grant Catherine s I brother hesitated about joining Herendeen but became Morgan Moran e sworn enemy be discovered ered that Catherine had been beD to his reach ranch Clay ti is warned by Fox Fos Will Willme Inc a nests nester he be once befriended that someone Is II stealing hi his cattle Mean Meanwhile while Hack flack s I hiding place Is II I discovered Charley s I ore fore foreman man ride rides ride Into tb the Potholes alter him with a party part Including Gurd Grant Charley kills kUll kill Hack flack Sickened by the cold bloodedness of 01 Hack Back s murder Gard Grant breaks with Now Clay CIa has hal gone cone oDe to Government Valley to In Fox Fez Willing s I story that some someone someone someone one II I 1 his Now continue with the tha story XV Reaching Government Valley Morgan located the trail trall of the rus rustled ca cattle a quarter mile mBa from the theold theold theold old agency buildings The beef beet had been milled together and driven southward toward the Potholes Skip the Idea of for a minute suggested Jump Figure that somebody did it to hamstring you make make a poor man out of you In a hurry You re talking about Herendeen now said Morgan As such Well we U II find out out said Mol Mor Morgan Morgan gan and led the group forward on the traiL tralL They rode along the flat Oat country with the Hills HilIs to the right and the Potholes a matter of four or five miles in the south The trail of the beef made a wiggling line in front of them pointed for the Pot hotes Morgan said If It they re driving the beef beet into that section it won t be far a away way But But half a mile mUe farther on Mol Mor Molgan Mor- Mor Morgan Morgan gan saw that the beef wasn t intend intended intended intended ed for the Potholes The trail cut cutto cutto cutto to the right going into the flank o othe the Hills HilIs and aiming to toward toward toward ward a low pass More and more puzzled Morgan followed They had been in entirely open country now as they rose with the slope of the hills they came to a gradually thick thickening thickening thickening ening stand of pines At this point the lUlls Hills touched one edge of ot the Potholes and the land here began vegan to show the effects of the geologic upheaval The traIl was narrow and circuitous and worked upward to the summit of the Hills by labored turns Through this extremely rough an and lonely terrain the unknown rustler had put the beef single file Harry Jump said Hell we must be righton right righton righton on top of it now He couldn t make muc muck of a drive through here in a nIght s time Clay let me get ahead and scout the land Almost at the top answered Morgan Breaking out of the sun mil mit Urn tun her ber he saw a meadow lying steeply on the descending hills de in whIch Herendeen s cattle grazed and his own cattle Tl TI ere was no doubt of it at this short distance he was able to read his brand Morgan said finally Well let s a aget get at it and rode out of the tim her ber He lie worked through the stock stockwIth stockwith stockwith wIth 1 Pox Box ox Willing while Jump and took stations near the trees After Morgan and Vermilye had collected all the Long Seven animals and had driven them back Into the forest trail the other two riders came up ready for or the trip home Morgan meanwhile had some thinking I 1 m going down to see lIeren Herendeen deen Right with you said Harry Jump at it once One s 5 enough to lay this out r r ret y clear Then he added dryly I think I can lay it out so he 11 II under understand 6 Ia nd This time Ime he openly crossed the meadow and rode downsi pe PC through the Ole he thinning umber timber to corns come at last to the rim of Herendeen s a valley This was about five miles from the meadow and still ai as other three miles sl sI ort art of oC the Three Pines houses dropping down the sho ilder of the hills Morgan reached the road run runnIng running running nIng beside Cache River and set setoff setoff ofT off southward at a brisk clip cUp soon raising the ranch From the inter intermedIate intermediate intermediate medIate distance he sa saw a pair ot of otmen men on the porch and somebody working in the corrals When be reached the yard both men on the porch had gone inside and another another- Bones McGeen had McGeen-had had come out McGeen s face showed showe i its shad shadowed shadowed shadowed owed surprise and its alert hostility ty But he kept his mouth shut un unU U ii Morgan spoke If It Ben lien s in there tell teU hin bin to cone COITe out He s a here bere all U ll right grunted Mc McGeen McGeen Geen and raised his voice lieu Ben Ben bey hey Benl Ben A man walked forward through the house hOWie heavy and deliberate There were voices in the rear yard talking and afterwards cess ceas ceasing tog to talk Morgan looked at the horses standing stan ting b by the front yard Fp I it 4 I r h il ils lii s t 7 i ei I 1 Io I Ih u ulie lie De hit bit bun once knuckles slashing cheek o and dIdn dida t recognize them he be was thinking about this when Herendeen came to the Ule porch Ben Morgan said at once I followed a pretty broad trail out of Government Valley this afternoon When I got to the end of It there was wasa wasa wasa a Jag of Long Seven cows cowa feeding In one ot ok your meadows meadow The They didn t make the walk walt without help Herendeen s 5 round fresh scarred face showed what seemed to Mor Morgan Morgan Morgan gan something close to surprise ho he threw McGeen a quick look but Mc McGeen McGeen Geen shook his head Herendeen looked back to Morgan I know nothing of it Maybe you d better get acquainted acquaint ed ad with your crew suggested Mor Morgan Morgan Morgan gan ganI I U n go up In a aay ay or so and see about It If It you ve ye got any beef I there I U 0 send it back backI I saved you the ride The beefs beef's on the way home now Herendeen said If It there s I any cutting to be done on my range I U Udo Udo Udo do It Bones take a crowd up there and stop that We 11 U see what s go going going ing on Bones started around the corner comer of the house a at t once to be halted by Morgan s down slapping answer Hold on I m going to recite chap chapter chapter tel ter and verse versa to you boys The beef goes home and if you figure to stop I It you better figure to stop the boys I with it I If It necessary we 11 U do that too said Herendeen just bring the crowd around et pt He came on to the ed t the porch hIs thick legs spreading and taking root Bones moved only as ss far as the house s 5 corner he raised his and moved back toward the porch Watching the corner Morgan saw Chill Purdy and tind t nd Jim Burden and Slim John show up These were old Three Pines men But there were tour four other men these three unfamiliar to him They stopped by the corner McGeen throwing a look at them said in a voice that grated the words together er Don t be bashful in front of the great Clay Morgan It seemed to tobe tobe tobe be a signal Two of the strangers both dark men with the fame same arne sharp long slanted noses stepped on from Crom the corner and moved on until Mor Morgan Morgao Morgan gao gan now watching Herendeen lost them out of ot the corner of his eyes They were somewhere at his left rear throwing a glance U at way he saw them half fifty feet behind him Herendeen said Take rake Take a good look before you HI it ni bb ls n your speech Clay I see nothing new answered Morgan You always alays liked a big crowd to stand bL b bih h nd You hang around with crooks and you stick up f t r I them It will willbe willbe he be a B damned cold day when you move anything oil ofT my roy range no matter what the brind reads Take a look at these me I ha ho ha hoe haI e I cleared out Freeport and I have shaken some of ot the neste nesters rs loose Tha That t s a ajust just a beginning I m going to drle drie dri ng out of this country that don t I agree with me That Includes you I didn t take your beef eef but It if it is on my land It will stay there until I get ready to move it of off The truth is 18 Clay I pr pose to gut you down to your last calf It If you re on Mogul when r i g comes I 1 11 II be mIghty surprised Morgan said Y V U always talked toe to mi On ch Ben Den That so EO cried Herendeen hIs temper g go McGeen gel get on your horse All r gl gt t said what II 11 it he be Herendeen rei e et it t d Do wha what t I Itell Itell Itell tell you Bones Get on up there therewith therewith with the boys and bead for the hills Stop Morgan s a Bones Dones shook his head and one of the dark men at Morgan Morgan s a rear spoke for the first time What the hell Herendeen YoU got what you want right here you a about bou t That s a all r I gl gi t said Heron Heren Herendeen deen Do what hat I told you Take care of this first first said ald Bones Dones McGeen still till reluctant Herendeen a faster man than his bulk indicated moved against Mc McGeen ic Geen He De hit him once knuckles knuckle slashing lashing McGeen e cheek ter Ier terribly I McGeen blinded and knocked thoughtless hit bit the ground and made an automatic gesture toward his gun whereupon Herendeen Jammed a toot foot down on McGeen I attn arm bard enough to make McGeen yell Herendeen ripped the gun from McGeen s a holster bolster and stepped back the whole thing had turned him i iwhIte whIte and half halt crazy I McGeen squirmed around the dirt and got to his bis feet Get on the horse said aid Heren Herendeen Herendeen Herendeen deen and do what I say McGeen turned and reached for forthe forthe orthe the reins He missed them and swept bis his hand band out a second time blindly When he be had bad them In bi his fingers he put his head bead against the side of the horse borse stupidly still Herendeen said Go on or I U 11 bat you again McGeen made no attempt to throw the reins over the horse borse a bead beacHe He seized the horn pulling himself Into his seat He stiffened his bis arms against the horn bracing himself In Inthis inthis inthis this manner and closing his eyes He said aid Damned world Is going around and fell out of the saddle addle suddenly he hit on his hil face and bel bel- belly belly bel- bel belly ly one arm doubled beneath him and did not move The two long faced strangers came away from their spot pot behind Morgan and paused to stare at Me Mc McGeen Geen Herendeen bent over and rolled McGeen on his back Mc Me- McGeen McGeen Geen s eyes were open but his mus muscles eles des had bad no life lite in them Heren Herendeen Herendeen Herendeen deen nudged McGeen s a body with his toe saying Come out of It it Bones One of ot the strangers said in b a cUB dis disgusted gusted voice That s 5 no way to treat a man roan Herendeen motioned toward a pair of his own crew They came up and seized McGeen shoulders and feet teet and lugged him over the porch into the house The two strangers went on toward the corner of the house They turned no longer In Interested interested inI something Morgan saw had happened here pretty definitely Herendeen saw it too and his talk jumped at them I 11 U do the talk talking talking talking ing around here We re 11 riding up the hilL bilL I U see about this beef business He turned his attention to Morgan Come on get down from there No said Morgan I guess not Dot Herendeen had his mind fixed he drove his roused talk at Morgan Times change I m through with you Morgan said Let er flicker then Ben Behind Morgan suddenly was the sound of an advancing rider Ev Ever Ever er body l ody looked down the valley to- to toward toward to toward ward the newcomer except Heren Herendeen Herendeen Herendeen deen who was caught In the grip of his owr owa slow flat fiat footed tooted will He pointed a finger at Morgan and said You get down The rider carne came in behind Mol Mor Morgan Morgan gan calling at once What s I up here It was Lige White s 5 voice Heren Herendeen Herendeen de deen en turned his head reluctantly recognizing White I m on the way to War Pass Better come along Clay ay if you re 11 through here I m through drawled Morgan If Ben Den ill is 1 Lige White said sard briskly No ob objections Ben Herendeen showed a black and bullen and on II g temper Lige he called out out you re In interfering What side you onOn on On the side of my friends said WhIte You re my friend and so sois sois soIs is Morgan TI Tl en you re no friend of ot mine White said coolly That s your b ness t ness naturally I think I under understand what s a in hi the wind here and of course I could not stand by and se He sea a shooting The odds are a littlE sir str ng I m surprised at you Ben He stared at the new men in the yard He ducked his head at them News to me that you were short shorthanded shorthanded shorthanded handed on this ranch When did you find It necessary to bring in the Ryder boys I don t like that kind of business and I 1 will not be a party to a general ruckus If we ve ye got to hire outside men the situation Is getting completely out of hand listened to this frank talk with a fiat flat jawed unreason He said If It you re not with me then you re against me Lige Don t come around here bere for or help Both very easy to do retorted White I I will give you the same advice Ready Heady Clay TO BE CONTINUED |