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Show The Cache American I KW Hl'KMCT ARNOLD, r)M ktl bea ooorr of Ik kf Outs T. (i bail but aa tb dm Irani ouibrra Trial la OiallaU la lb aprlaf al 1171. Tom, nb bu aoa and daachlrr, SIEVE and 10V, art mount la W Tom mul deliver l.aoa loniborai lo tb Indua atral by September I ar luti a ptoflubl ronlrarl. a tuipert Ibal tb Indlaa Supply Ca. Il bylnf la drlay tb Cron T brrd. II nrampt la art aa lb bank al lb Rtd riser. Durlnl a Tom Arnold It killed, and la burled aa lb prairl. Hoik CLAY MAX-NINand KD SPLANN dlipul lumped. lV auihorliy aoa, and lew, drlrabni tplaaa la a debt, dlarbartei him. Lea decide! la croti tb rlter. CHAPTER XI The mules balked at the wa-teedge. Clay leaped up on the footboard. The heavy wagon shoved the mules on and they were out in the flood In scrambling tangle. Quartemlght and Joe Wheat got there first They grabbed the mules bridles, straightening them out then lashed them on across the river. It had been bad moment threatening to spill the outfit into the water. Afterward, coming back to help with the cattle, Quartemlght growled, "Lew, one of these times" and let rs It go. He shrugged. It didnt matter new. Jackson had followed with the commissary, taking time to let his own team feel their way. The real job was ahead. He saw that all the longhorns had risen and turned to watch, their dumb brains growing more and more suspicious. They were back a mile from the river, far enough for him to string his men behind them and start the pool gently at first In a walk. But when they were aimed right, with the arrowhead taking shape, he waved a signal to Rebel John. On either side they sent their horses racing forward to the point, while behind them and along the flanks all the others crowded iif suddenly, slapping their rope ends against their chaps. Four thousand closely bunched longhorns were instantly running; and to a trail man's eye no sight was ever prettier than that brown wedge, truly a flying arrow now, as it hit the river, carried on by its own momentum, unable to stop or turn aside. Guiding the point with Quarter-nigh- t. he drew his first easy breath. And when the last steer had risen up the bank and the herd began to graze out with their fright gone he shook his head and grinned. Jhat much was over with. They had crossed the Red. An hours travel took them winding through low bald hills on this side of the river. A little later, pointing onto a flat plain beyond them, he rode around to QuarternighL "John," he said, "Im leaving you for a while. Theres something I want to look at You wave Joe Wheat up here when I'm gone, and if I dont get back by dark choose your own bed ground." He pulled off, adding, "Keep it out in the open trees. But away from creek-bottoyou know that. This was Indian country now. Lew turned his horse east, keeping deep in the hill folds out of sight of the river. The trail was immediately beyond the mesquite, not in one ribbon of tracks, but miles wide from the hoofs of millions of longhorns bound north. But no herds moved there now, and running his gaze along south two or three miles to Doans Crossing, he saw that an earlier speculation had been right. A darkly massed pool of cattle spread over the flat shelf with little streams trickling into it from the distant hills. A dozen outfits too close together had run and mixed in last nights storm. It would take time to part them out. He was lucky. Darkened by the late afternoon sun, the Wichitas showed nothing of the maze of broken canyons and scrubby forest and looked wholly tame. But he knew of the tribes swarming in there, in that last land of the Comanches, wiih the Dakota Cheyennes added now. The North The Fork was a bloody stream. Texans had made it so, following it with their herds across a country which had been guaranteed forever to the Indians. Those attacks were no longer in open warfare. They had settled down to trail raids from the Wichita canyon mouths. For what chance did the Indian have against the white man now? Poor devils, he thought, not much. He was back tn the mesquite belt again, almost through it toward the bald open hills, when some alert instinct warned him. He halted. It seemed minutes before he first heard the distant talk of mens Voices and still more time before there came the thud of hoofs. Their pace was a quick trot and by the mingled beats he judged five or six riders in the bunch. He moved a little, not to be caught at close quarters in tne mesquite, until, past the thin screen of fernlike leaves, he saw the men. There were only two. But they were leading our heavily packed horses. They were coming out of the southwest, and seeing that direction, he wondered. From the Cross T's last camp? H had his answer Owl-llca- in a moment Down in the fold between the bills they cut his trail, halted and faced toward the bruth that hid him. He drew his gun, waiting; yet some need for haste was driving them on. With only a short pause they continued their quick trot up the nest h.ll and vanished to the north. He shoved the gun down into its holster and sat a little longer to make sure they would not turn back. He bad his answer. One of the men was Ed Splann. Splanna bedroll from camp was lashed on one of the packs. Heading on west, he turned the meaning of their fast travel over In his mind and waa certain of only one thing. They were not following the Cross T herd now, but Splsnns presence was sign enough that they Intended to meet it somewhere up the trsiL In his cool thinking now he felt that firing the man back thera at the river may have been a bad mistake. Ha could no longer watch what Splann was doing, and it had set Clay Manning's antagonism in a new and more dangerous way. Hed rather have a man blow off hii aurly temper any time. Hu horse loped on with an easy rhythm, and the smooth green land and the warm sun laid their peacefulness upon him; and It seemed a strange thing now that be couldn't condemn Clay altogether. Time was when he would have bated the big blonds hair. Age, maybe. He was twenty-fiv- e last month. And he knew himself what Jealousy could do. But that didn't explain It all either. Clay was caught with bis tail in some kii-.of a crack. Jealousy over a account for the three- wouldn't girl rwhe (Vnty. saying, "Theres an account book In I d like to have." She watched with no question as his hand touched the old leather-boun- d book and drew it out. He did not open it then. between Clay and cornered tie-uSplann and Steve. Twilight dropped swiftly; full darkness caught him at the edge of the hills. He turned north with a far-opoint of light to guide him in. Yet by the time he had ridden the three or four miles the fire had ded to embers and the camp was wholly silent. Pulling off his saddle, he could see the dark bed of longhorns and the dim shapes of three of the night guard. All others must have fallen dead asleep at sundown. As he walked past the end of Joys wagon the flaps parted. Her voice reached him in a little wordless cry, only half uttering his name. He turned toward her. "Lew!" she said again, and then, Where have you been? She was crouched at the foot of her bed with a coat pulled across d her shoulders over a gown. He could tell by her wide-ope- n eyes that she hadnt been sleeping. One hand reached out and tugged Youd gone and nobody him close. could tell me where. He put an arm around her. She laid her head against his coat. "Ill always come back," he said. Dont you worry. I know. She waited. Then her voice came with a desperate pleadI thought you went because ing. of Clay. Something happened between you south of the river about Ed Splann. I saw it What has Clay done? He shook his head above her quiet I dont know. Hes following one. his own trail somewhere, looks like. Thats all anyone can tell." Yes, and youve got to help him. moved her cheek gently. She Youve got to. Dont you see? He did, and the ache in him to do for her sank away to its lonely depths. With her father gone there was but one man she wanted to turn to for a womans security. There would always be Clay. He tightened his arm and let her go. "You'll have to get some sleep." She nodded, drawing up from him, and past the canvas flaps he saw the small box against the wagon's side. He reached in and raised the cover. p ff high-necke- Pace Seven in bert There had never been a time on the Cross T or on this trail when Tom Arnolds presence bad not been like a strong controlling pressure over all the crew. It was a thing Lew had felt even in these weeks when Tom had tried to keep himself in obedience to his trail boss. Now that pressure was suddenly gone. He could feel the release definitely around him; and for two days, while they crawled northward up a rising plain with the dark Wich-lta-s ten mile east, he watched a change. Among the older men it showed only tn a deeper quietness tor a little while and In their talk. Death bad been a frequent part of their experience. It was Steve he fell to watching mostly these two days, as the Red River Valley vanished behind them and a brackish stream, the Salt Fork, began to curve in on the west, forcing them over toward an arm of the Wichita Mountains, thrust out dark and knotted onto the plain. Steve, for the first time In twenty-on- e years, was no longer under the restraint of a stem, forceful man. he'd had litEven at twenty-on- e tle experience with which to carry off this new freedom easily and lest to give him any knowledge of how to walk in his fathers boots. They didn't fit It would have been only amusing, his young and exaggerated importance now among men who had fed him from a bottle, if his growing sense of ownership had stayed within the limits that even Tom Arnold had put upon himself. But he was like a young bull now, head up, looking for an older one to challenge. And it was plain enough that he was being urged on. It was a habit of his now to leave his swing position whenever he chose to, and late this second afternoon he came riding to the point, froivn-in- g down his long straight nose. "Lew. he asked, "why we keeping so far off the trail?" "Better grass over here." You call this grass? He nodded. "Best there Is. They were out of the curly buffalo and bluestem now, In the grama of these middle plains. It was short, hardly more than six inches, and dry even in this month of June. "Dont look at it from your saddle," he said. "Get down and rub some of the tops in your hand. You'll find a lot of little black seeds. Theyre as good as corn for putting tallow on a herd." One hand reached out and tugged him close. Utah By VIRGINIA VALE Released bv Wetlern Nei..per Union. tons sleeves. requires . Inch Du days on AFTER three Director Leifih to an unusually ruirrnl star cumtilion. I In (TO BE CONTINUED! yards 33 or l.irfr demard an slii'MIy inner llml Mims orclrt lor a lew et requited the must popular pattern numbris Send our order !o: Jason issued on order to the cast of "Nine Girls" that thered be no more eatinp between meals; he was afraid that theyd be unable to get into their clothes before the picture was finished. The first had brought day, Jeff Donnell of chocolate cookies, DEPT. 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Iheyve been fa(old to for demand Parthe Willard was owing heavy Losing weight mous fur prompt action for 30 years. 1 ake ker's trouble. Doing a hot rumba their oil, have a market value of care to use them only as directed. Accept n king-fis- h, six-fo- ot 25-fo- 1,000-foo- all day for a scene in What a Woman" he wrecked five shirts, lost 10 pounds. Thats my last shirt" said he. From now on, far's I'm concerned, were doing a remake of Sahara. no substitutes. 35 some $4,500. d Universal has just produced a on the history of a professional model's career; called "Cover Girl, it stars the Candy Jones. It shows her being Interviewed by Harry Conover, being referred to members of his staff for tips on grooming, wardrobe accessories and demeanor, being sent out on various assignments, finally being selected to pose for a magazine cover. fea-turet- te Steve pulled off his hat. His light curly hair sprang up. He put the hat on again. "Same grass over there, I'd say. "Sure, Lew said, "and too many longhorns eating it down." He grinned a little. "What else? "Were losing time over here, thats what. The trail was made for a man to follow. Its shorter. Wed better get back." He shook his head. "Too thin, Steve. You didn't think all that up He by .yourself. Clays advice? gave his own answer. "I guess. But I'm not taking it. No mutiny either. He grinned again to ease what he wanted Steve to understand. "Mutiny in a trail herd is the same as mutiny on the ocean. I'm captain of this ship." Their horses carried them forward through a silent time. His grin died. He could see an odd struggle against words that in the end had to come out. His scowling eyes turned from him, Steve said, It wont be mutiny, Lew. Weve been talking it over. You know this leaves Joy and me Now wait, he said. Wait a minute! Lets get one thing straight. From here to Ogallala Im trail boss of this outfit. Therell be no change. The light brown eyes jerked across to him. Thats talk. Talk," he said, that I can back op. Steve, youve got no fight with me. Dont let anyone rib you into it. Youve got too much at stake. Youre headed toward all that a man could want. You've never asked me about this new land youll have You want to know? in Wyoming. He went on without an answer. Its paradise, he said, for cattle. No dry years up there. Youve got mountains at your back door and a river in your front yard, the Powder, and a sweet-gras- s country as far as you can look." His own vision of that valley stirred him. Steve, he said, "you've got the biggest chance there is!" Something like a sneer had come across the thin wide lips, pulling them downward In a disdainful look and yet in a bitter way. "A pretty Steve said, but not for picture, me." His head came up in a Jiigb Me, Im not tying myarrogance. self to any cow ranch. Im through with that! He swung his horse away. Riding his own slow pace beside the point, Lew turned his head and watched him go; and in the arrogance and the swaggering roll of the young shoulders was all the conceil of those men who held themselvei above the common man of work. SJ matt-rial- much-publiciz- Guy Kibbee, whos checked in at Warner Bros, for his role in "The Horn Blows at Midnight, starring Alexis Smith and Jack Benny, has an impressive title in the picture. He appears in a heavenly sequence of "Chief in Charge of Small Planet Management! was released When "Stagecoach season, it picked up in the 1938-3two Academy awards one for Thomas Mitchell as the years best supporting player, and the pictures scoring was given the second honor Claire Trevthat year. It or and John Wayne, with Mitchell and Andy Devine in supporting roles. Now its being released again good luck for everyone who missed it the first time. 9 A significant new series titled "American Story, written by Archibald MacLeish and tracing the history, development and fulfillment of the literature of the Americas, will be presented by the NBC University of the Air Saturdays, beginning February 5. This, is the third permanent series of the NBC University; others are "Lands of the Free and "Music of the World. Inter-Americ- X the undiscovered voice of America? The Hour of Charm begins its fourth singing contest February 16; "the ideal girl singer of conAmerica will receive a tract at $150 a week, and will sing with the Spitalny orchestra. The preliminaries will be conducted locally, and the 10 best contestants will go to New York for the finals, to sing once on The Hour ol Are you all-gi- rl Charm." ' ODDS AND ENDS CBS has engaged a notable array of soloists for the Invitation to Music " programs lor the next three months . . . Clay Womack, the original Mr. Five by Five the writers dedicated the song to him; he weighs 312 pounds has been signed by W arners for a comedy role in Make Your Own Bed . . . Clifford Odets, actor and playwright, turns director with None But the Lonely Heart as his story and Cary Grant as his star . . . C. Aubrey Smith, 80, celebrated his 52nd year in show business with the start of Sensations of 1944 . . . Dorothy Comingore returns to the screen in The Hairy Ape . New Wartime Edition i Fleischmanns "Bread Basket. cooking ntire section on wartime roblems. Economical, ration-poi- sugar-avin- g easy breads, ivers. Quick, ideas. All made with dessert he 'leischmanna yellow label Yeast-tVitamins both with fresh yeast jnlv B A and D, as well as the Vitami Standard Write besides. Complex Brands Inc., Grand Central Annex, Box 477, New York, N. Y. nt at your drug store. |