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Show "VINCIIE E. ROE COPYRIGHT BV THE MCCATX COMPANY" WNU Sorvlco. CHAPTER XIII Continued 12 "I know a lot from the other end of her operations. I want to make sure at this end. I want to get In touch with Sheriff Sehvood and I want you to hold hard on your battle line, knowing that it cannot always be as It Is now, that other forces are lined up with you that if nil goes as It should Cattle Kate will be caught In her own trap aud I hope to the Lord It Is soon." "Why why, this Is a wonder to me!" said Nance, "a wonder and a light in my darkness ! I felt you for good that first day I set eyes on you In the canyon. Now I understand you are the messenger whose feet are beautiful on the hills, as the Bible Bays who bears good tidings! My faith has never faltered," she went on earnestly, "I knew always that the hand of God was before me, that my ways were not hidden from His sight and that some way, some lime, all would be well with us. But sometimes It has been hard." Fair sat thinking deeply. "Yes Cattle Kate would make It hard- If she had a reason," he said and there was a note of bitterness in his low voice, "only God and I know how hard.'' "Has she " Nance asked and hesitated, hesi-tated, "has she made It hard for for you?" Somehow she dreaded his reply. It was long In coming, and then It was cryptic. "Vicariously. For one other she made it hard to the last bitter dregs to that unfashionable but sometimes existent thing, a broken heart, and at last to death itself. To death in black disgrace." Nance caught her breath in dismayed dis-mayed sympathy. "She is cold as stone," went on the man, "brilliant, strong, and ruthless. She sets herself a point and cleaves straight to it regardless of whom or what she tramples on the way." "Yes like wanting our land. She means to get It, one way or another." "Exactly. That rope you told me of was a bold stroke for it. Your father was gone your brother was the only male of your family. With him gone, too, you should have been easy." "It was murder she meant," said Nance, "no less. We've always known that." "And what about your father's death? Tell me about that If It is not too painful." "We don't know much about It. Our pappy was a mountaineer born in the Kentucky hills, lived In Missouri, a man who loved the outdoors. He was i hunter and a woodsman. He was careful, never took chances. That's why we've never been reconciled to the accident that killed him he was found at the foot of Rainbow cliff, as If he'd fallen down it. And no one In this country has ever been known to reach the top of that spine." "Have you ever thought that perhaps per-haps he didn't fall. That he might nave been put there as a way to cover a crime?" Nance shook her head. "Every bone In his body was broken," she said sadly, "he was as loose as a bag of sand. He fell down Rainbow cliff all right but how it happened, that's what we'd love to know." "And probablv never will," said Fair. "No." They sat for a while In silence. The little wind blew In their faces, sweet with Its fresh and nameless suggestion sug-gestion of flowing water. Out in the shadows the big black horse stood perfectly per-fectly still, his peaceful breath scarce lifting his sides. The collie was silent, si-lent, though his handsome head was up, his sharp ears lifted above his ruff. The child in Fair's lap continued con-tinued to sleep. It seemed to Nance Allison, that the night had never been so calm before, the stars so bright, the unspeakable majesty of the heavens so apparent. She wondered how It was possible to feel so safe and at peace In the face of this last disaster, to look to the future once more with hope. The little smile was pulling at her Hps again, her long blue eyes were ' soft with hidden light. And then, out of the sti'!ness and starlight, from somewhere across the river, there came the clear crack of a high-power gun, the thud of a hall In wood. With one sweep of his righl arm Fair flung Nance back upon the ! flor, himself and the child beside her. He slipped Sonny from his lap with i low word aud rolled clear. Quick s a rat he threw his body to the table, raised an arm above Its edge nd swept the lamp to the floor, extinguishing ex-tinguishing It Instantly ' Then he crawled back and the hands h laid upon the girl's shoulder were biking "Tell me," he gritted, "tell me It did not hit you !" "I can't," whispered Nance, "my left arm It feels all full of needles." Fair slipped his fingers down along the firm young arm beneath its faded sleeve and found it warm and wet. Sonny was awake but still as a little quail hid In the grass at Its mother's warning whistle. There was the sound of a soft opening op-ening door beyond, and Mrs. Allison's voice, low and terror-filled, said, "Nance girl " "Don't fret, Mammy," she whispered back, "I'm all right Just a scratch. Pin something on the window before you make a light." Bud's shuffle came round the table and he knelt beside her, feeling for her hands. "Mammy!" he cried with restrained passion, "I'll have my pappy's gun now or go with bare hands I You got to gimme it I" Nance got to her feet with Fair's arm about her and pushed the door shut. Then the mother struck a light and restored the lamp to the table. In Its yellow flare they peeled the sleeve from the girl's arm and found a shallow wound straight across, about three inches above the elbow. For a long time Brand Fair looked at it. Then he raised somber eyes to her face. "Eight inches to the right," he said slowly, "and It would have been your heart." She nodded. "Cattle Kate means business now," she said, "but I don't think she'll get me." "Not If I can get her first," said Fair, grimly. "Now let's have some hot water strong with salt." Mrs. Allison set about preparing this, whllo the bitter tears of one who had seen feud before, dripped down her weathered cheeks. The boy Bud stood by the table opening and closing his hands and muttering under hi.i quick breath "Pappy's gun it's good and true-sighted. true-sighted. Not high-power but I can hide and wait close close " "If you'd forgive a stranger, Mrs. Allison," put In Fair, straightening up and looking at the mother, "I'd say give him his father's gun. Aud I'd say, Bud don't go to pieces now after such a brave and conservative fight. Be a defender not a murderer." The boy turned his dilated eyes to him, wetting his dry 'tips. In the long look that passed between be-tween them something seemed to break down In Bud, the antagonism he had felt for Fair seemed to melt away. The mysterious comradery of honest manhood man-hood fell upon them both, and the man held out his hand. The boy took It and his eyes became sane. "We've got a big Job cut out for us," said Fair gravely, "and must be In the right at every point. We'll dig out the nest of vipers at Sky Line, but we'll do the Job cleanly. Now let's get busy with our first-aid." CHAPTER XIV Light on the Sheriff's Shadows. From that night forth Fair came frequently to the homestead on Nameless. Name-less. It was a dull spot now and his advent was a saving grace. The light of hope, the Joy of labor and accomplishment, accom-plishment, had in a measure departed. There was little or nothing to do, less to look forward to. For a little while Nance kept to the cabin as a matter of precaution, but soon she began to pick up the odds and ends of her pointless work to mend the fence which had been cut, and to make ready to harvest the crop of ha across the river. "Though I suppose it will be Just that much work thrown away," she said, "for the slacks will burn some night like they did before." "Take a chance," counseled Fair, "maybe they won't this time." "You bet we'll take the chance." said the girl with a flare of her old spirit, "we've never laid down yet." But try us she would, there was dullness in her, a desire to stop and rest a bit, and the hatred that was slowly growing in her stirred aueu each "time she raised her eyes to the distant line of Rainbow cliff gleaming gleam-ing in the light like fairy stuff. "If It wasn't for you now, Mr. Fair," she said to him, "I think I'd almost be ready to give up. You give me new courage as Sheriff Selwood did when he stepped behind me that da on McKane's porch." "No, you wouldn't. It isn't in you 10 give up. Perhaps reinforcements do have their effect but you'd never leave the line, Nance." The girl smiled. It was the first time he had used nr given Dame and her heart missed a beat, while the warm surge went through her again. "No I know It but sometimes I do feel well, tired." "You've had enough to make you so," he said, and laid his hand on hers. At his Infrequent touches Nance always felt a glow of returning strength, as If once more she could work and tight for her own. She counted It one of her scant blessings that Brand Fair had come luto her life at Its darkest hour. Sheriff Selwood had a visitor. The prospector, John Smith, rode Into his ranch yard and sat judging him with shrewd eyes. "Sheriff," he said, "I've a notion you and I could have a pleasant and perhaps per-haps a profitable talk. Will you saddle a horse and ride out with me a way?" "Sure," said Price Selwood readily, and asked no questions. He went Into his stable and soon came out leading the lean bay, mounted mount-ed and followed as the other turned away. "That's a pretty good horse you ride, stranger," he said, "I've noticed It at Cordova a time or two." "Yes," returned Smith, "he has blood and bottom also intelligence." They rode for a while In silence. Then the stranger slouched sidewise in his saddle and looked at Selwood. "I'm going to tell you several things, Sheriff," he said, "and show you some more. And I want to make a pact with you. It's about Cattle Kate Cathrew and the Allison family." "Shoot," said the sheriff succinctly. "I'm a stranger hereabouts, but I'm not a happen-so. I've hunted Kate Cathrew for two years." At that Price Selwood became alert In every nerve. "What?" he ejaculated. "On horseback, by train from New York to this side the Rockies. Are you willing to let me line up with you In this matter?" "I'm willing to do anything under Heaven that's square to get that bunch of rustlers for so I'm convinced they tfffifllflf "Now, Let's Get Busy With Our First Aid." are," said Selwood, "and to do It quick, for I'm afraid If we don't, something some-thing will happen to the folks on Nameless that can't be mended." "So am I. Miss Allison was shot In her doorway a few nights back." "G dl" cried the sheriff, "what's that?" "Just a scratch on her arm but It was meant for her heart. I was there at the time. The ball came from across the river a high-power gun." The sheriff groaned. "That's It! The same old stuff-shoot stuff-shoot from ambush no evidence ' nothing. It makes a man wild! I've done all a man could do, and I can't put my enger on a thing." "I've heard about the disappearing cattle," said the other, "and I've done a bit on my own hook. I may as well tell you now, that my name is not Smith, and that I've been In Blue Stone canyon for nearly two months." Selwood looked at hhu in astonishment. astonish-ment. "No one knows It "all, even about his own doorstep," he said. "I thought you were just passing through." "If you will, I'd like you to ride up the canyon with me," said Fair, "to where the right wall falls away beyond the mouth of Little Blue. It's early and we can make It by noon, 1 think." They fell silent for a while, threading thread-ing the hills that rose in a jumbled mass to the south of Nameless valley, and after an hour or so, reached the river. They crossed on the rillle where Nance was accustomed to ford on her way to Blue Stone, and entered the mouth of the great cut. . "We'll keep to the watfr as much as possible," said Fair, "because there are other eyes thun ours here sometimes." They passed the empty cave where Nance had found Sonny and Dirk and followed the stream on up to the mouth of Little Blue. "From up in there," said Fair riding rid-ing ahead. "I saw one of the Cathrew riders a man named I'rovine driving driv-ing a red steer up this way." "Ah!" said the sheriff, adding to himself "and so did Nance Allison. These young folks seem to know each other pretty well." "He went on north and disappeared. I followed next day and came upon a mystery some more of this water travel which leads nowhere." "We've had a lot of that," said Selwood Sel-wood bitterly, "it's what has baffled j the whole -ountrs." i "Well ni now jonr something said Fair, "that may set you guessing." The keen blue shadows were cold and the voices were murmuring In the high escarpments. Through pools and over shale, wherever they could, they put their horses, avoiding the sand, and presently, pres-ently, when the sunlight had trept almost down to the floor of the canyon, can-yon, they came out at the spot where the right wall fell away abruptly, showing the plain stretched out like a dry brown floor, dotted with sparse bunch grass. On the left the great precipice continued con-tinued unbroken. Fair went on ahead, still keeping to the water, though both horses were pretty well winded with the hard going go-ing it afforded, and at last drew up to let Selwood come alongside. Fie sat still for a moment. "Listen a bit," he said, "do you hear anything different from the sounds of water and the murmuring of the big cut?" The sheriff listened sharply. "Yes," he said presently, "I do. Sounds like wind." "Exactly., Yet there Isn't any wind, more than the draft which always draws down the canyon. Now look closely at the wall. Watch that clump of willows yonder. He pointed ahead and to the left where a dense green growth stood alone against the rock face. Selwood looked and for a moment his face did not change. Then, suddenly, his mouth fell open, his eyes grew wide with astonishment. astonish-ment. "Great Scott I" he said, "they're blowing out from the wulll There's wind behind them I" Fair moved forward and dismounted, dismount-ed, leaving Diamond in the stream. The sheriff followed. They stepped lightly across the strip of sand which lay between the water and the willows and Fair turned to the right, circling the clump. "Here," he said, "that red steer and the man who drove it went into the wall. I found their tracks that day. They've been obliterated by the shifting shift-ing sand since then." He pushed aside a feathery branch and the sheriff at his shoulder craned an incredulous head to look Into what seemed the mouth of a cave. "No It's not a cave," said Fair at his surmise, "It's a prehistoric underground under-ground passage. It leads straight Into the heart of Mystery ridge from this end, and It has an opening somewhere, attested to by this current of wind. This mouth is Just wide enough to admit one steer at a time, one horse and rider but what more do you want?" "Great Scott I" cried Selwood again, "of all the Impossible things ! And not a soul on Nameless knows about it!" "Wrong 1" said Fair, "Kate Cathrew and her riders know. That open plain yonder It leads out to a town, doesn't It? On the railroad?" "Marston yes. A long way across." "Water?" queried Fair. "Yes at Intervals. Springs. Do for driving yes not for range too far apart." "Exactly," said Fair. "Now, sheriff, find the other end of this subterranean subterran-ean passage and I believe you'll have solved the mystery of the disappearing disappear-ing steers." Price Selwood held out his hand. It was trembling. "I can't tell you what I owe you for this Information, Mr. ?" "Smith yes" said Fair smiling. "Smith. It means more than I can say to me." "It means as mnch or more to me," returned the other, "I've given two years of my life to a still-hunt for Kate Cathrew. I'd give two more to see her brought to justice." "And we'll get her 1" said the sheriff grimly, though with a Hit of joy In his voice. "Oh, my Lord, just won't we get her! We'll follow' this hole straight to its " "If I might suggest," cut In Fair, "I'd say we'll back out now even brush out our tracks and begin a systematic picketing of the Cathrew bunch. The cattle are fat on the ranges It'll soon be time to drive. Don't you think It likely that another big bunch might disappear down Nameless river?" "Say," said Selwood. smiling. "Mister, "Mis-ter, you Just move In my house with me. You can think faster and straight-er straight-er than any man I ever met. Let's go right now." Fair laughed and turned away, leading lead-ing Diamond hack down the canyon. "For the present," he said, "I'll keep to the background as I have been doing. do-ing. This woman would recognize me and be instantly alert for trouble. Another An-other thing, sheriff those men with her are not cattlemen." (TO BE CONTINUED.) |