Show MOUNTAIN 0 MAN aw 7 sonnet fiction serial C 0 C ware savko by HAROLD CHANNING WIRE y xi continued 19 i like quito quite a nesta the observed halting beside arty moved down and was engulfed by the flesta fiesta eat already begun with temple red faced beaming behind be beard ard master of cenemo ie e barbecue pit ile he wielded alfi ife over quarters of beef potatoes from the coals offee from tive five gallon pots he while kept up a running with th those who passed in I 1 y ranger folks I 1 he called lug g his bis knife grubs up lani and waved to him irene though her eyes were over the throng greek breck nel med the faces looking for presently he saw her sit log near her cabin a cow ither side and two standing all were thoroughly en an themselves hem em selves and the sight a sudden stab of jealousy ks duty was with the lie ho felt responsible for or ad d so go while cook rode off horses he found places ley ey might sit then with tho the began to bring food shrieked at the slabs of 0 brought my dear a whole ase give me just the leg n passed with steaks in nasi ds or gnawing a roasted stared in amazement 1 I w anything like UP ships hips started easily in i senator had launched an it with a storekeeper from be e and mrs sutherland and id found another party of immediately breck brack took e of that to go on a qua quest st wn but in crossing the he came upon J G jack some of the cowboys he seen since the fight on buntain oun tain and then by the could get away the riding ted led shot drew men swarming aral fence inside horses ng g roped and saddled ile he ise se come from her cabin sh through the gate od watching from a disi eyes running over lines of m n the fence and others back in the trees and it hun him that there was not a mong them nor had st sl eared yet abruptly he id d walked back to the bar v tere re he had last seen iger ger was still there having B bite with temple breck brack to him cook approached it young fellow about slim to be here any minute but blut might have been held ar r some lomo reason nodded and the till bowled different ing tom if hed seen em am rent ent been around and I 1 re e it out cut ont think it looks bad tor for it t that up to some il ot of a deal nd ad its going to be from of the 11 breck brack as anything you want me to 0 65 on with the show young ck lost interest in the show ernson passed and sierra appear cook coo k was right i take care of himself and d a do no better than wait ion became unbearable etched the rodeo with sight knowing vaguely that wild re being ridden and men ut t his thoughts could not M d there he sought cook again ked himself into a fine ger eer checked him with a ng yourself he said to worry about sierra re le missing a lot of fun re god knows you may ibave ave you seen louy not enned ed theres going to 2 you know 1 by the old r rangers angers un manner Tt anner breck went at larch arch of louise temple pas 1 ln her cabin fixing up ed on the door minute shei she called out ake took halt half an hour he OPPe arca she had a dr dress of something as once before he felt aar 9 at a new girl al branger ll 11 see a ghost she angel ow smiled led and took her hand eal al enough ive come to L ance aulse card V I 1 t 0 it I 1 rn that selfish WW wm ilta ted d you dont want every other dance with me that be fair aarto to your guest 1 I think my guest understands louise shook her head no I 1 cant promise you then the first and third he demanded we can see about the rest later A fire of logs in a clearing CIL aring beyond the cabins lighted the whole camp bringing fences treo tree trunks people into red relief against tho the blackness outside three cowboys with a sax aphone n fiddle and guitar marched toward the fire and sat on stumps nearby men and girls surged onto a square of hard packed ground and with partners chosen waited for the music to begin breck turned laughing as he drew louise to him at the same moment ho he saw irene watching from a distance A cowboy stood at her side she held back a minute looking across then stiffly took his arm the music was oil all but lost in the at an AL at ivl V W 41 is V jf 11 J 4 4 fix r jimr A 14 al ar IW gi WO IV A Us 3 4 11 1 by the time he could get away the riding had started shuffling and babble of voices yet the guitar strummed strummer strum med out its rhythm and there was plenty of space about the blazing logs greek breck found himself moving with louise as if in some firelight promenade they danced in silence tonight there was that sweet yielding quality about louise which made conversation needless she seemed content held close in his arms as they slowly circled breck felt a quick new thrill sweeping his thoughts clear of all troubles the music stopped louise drew away breck brack came back to ties at the sound of his own voice that was an awfully short dance she smiled up in complete understanding it though the second began at once and a jovial faced cowhand from jacksons outfit rushed up to claim her remember breck brack called in parting were next again ho he strode away to where he had last seen irene wondering how she would meet him being prepared tor for petulance or disdain or even flat cutting yet she turned from her first partner with a gay laugh sent the boy off grinning and held out her two hands gordon this dont you adore it im having simply a grand time I 1 she slipped into his arms readily dont lets miss any surprised though concealing it breck brack tried to enter her talkative mood how different f from rom the last dance where nothing need be said ile he made conversation to continue irenes frivolous banter she closed her eyes dreamily and when they passed louise the first time was apparently unaware of it then other couples swept about them and for or several minutes they were among strangers irene clung close to him once she looked into his face ace h half alf explaining pla ining ning the ground is getting rough when louise again approached from rom beyond themire the fire breck unconsciously ly moved from irenes grasp she glanced up Is the dance ended gordon she was tal tall U and now tilting her head br brought ought her bier lips almost to his no he answered but swiftly she silenced hi him m with a kiss long warm full u upun pun his mouth he threw his head bac back k halting cowhands grinned louise passing g near his shoulder stared one oae and turned away lie he pushed out to the throngs irene save for or edge and releasing his hand band ached flen ched about one wrist he whirled her sa savagely into the shadows of th the e pines pine S fury choked him words burst uncontrolled that was waa cheap irene I 1 cheapens me and makes you low in the eyes of everyone herel not a girl out thero there would do it not like tharl irene faced him defiantly antly oh good lord since when have you turned puritan ot of course you have never ne ver kissed at a dance be forel these people are different brock breck flared they the y take things in a different way and you know knew it well brock breck stared at her wo we know each other pretty well irene but I 1 never thought you would try to make me a fool among my friends no gordon someone else has done don that iler her hand reached to ward him ile he avoided it so youre saving me irene shrugged thanks breck brack finished you might havo have taken a better time and place run along irene retorted with head up ups lips in a sarcastic smile my cowboy friend has this next and I 1 know ashes waiting for you the dance had ended breck returned into the light louise was standing away from the crowd ile he wanted to rush to her take her in his arms but she met him with level unsmiling eyes 1 I think she said this Is our dance id rather sit it out sit breck demanded you ask me to sit still they walked in silence back to a shadowed path suddenly he began you saw that of course im sorry it mean a thing oh it she stopped her arm remaining impassively in his grasp nol she gave a strained little laugh A girl kisses a man and it mean a how strange I 1 always thought it did she sha turned from him the laughter died from her voice and her next words were tense with controlled feeling im a girl with a girls view maybe we are silly sometimes but no girl would kiss you like that without the right some previous right I 1 suppose now you better go back to her louise breck pleaded you must understand me I 1 have known her a long time once we were engaged but it was not love and we found it out you surely realize what happened irene did that for a purpose in front ot of you ile ho looked at her smiling a little im a man and not supposed to know about technique but still im not blind she would not faco face him Loul louise sel 1 ila ho begged throwing one arm about her walot waist stop right there hanger ivo ive been waiting for that tho the voice came from behind him somewhere in tho the dark brack whirled one hand falling failing to his gun hold keep cm am cupl A mounted man burst from tho the trees areck looked up at art tillson towering above him and then into tho the round black bore of a pistol the cowboy sat in his saddle unsteadily his lett left hand gripping tho the horn hatless without a coat and ills his horse borso was lathered from hard running louise he said thickly you get back brack pushed her into the shadows then ho he faced young tillson art ho he snapped youre drunk put away that gun and got get out of herel wha a a tal t art leered in mock wonder leaning tar far over until his faco face came close to brecks you tellin me to got get out sos you can go back to the dance nice all right you with two women an me with none im but a mountain tool fool that it suddenly his mood changed his faco face turned to that of a fiend set with a cold i bloodless look brack heard the guns hammer click then a gasp of terror from behind him im going to kill youl the words gritted gritter out from clenched teeth the gun moved CHAPTER it if breck had not seen the sash flash he would have thought the report came from Till sons pistol but the hare flare was from one side then he saw art grip his saddle horn with both hands and slump forward grab that barsel breck leaped obeying the voice ile he drew the animal down art was falling failing then it was sierra clims slims long arms that reached up supporting him before ho he struck the ground mighty close pardner the slow voice drawled you a come out like this where V cant say now hero here help me pack him louise louisa ran from the shadows take him to dads cabin she cried with art lying unconscious be tween them breck brack and sierra turned into the back trail the gun shot had either cither gone unheard or was accepted without interest by the dance crowd for or no one had moved from the clearing but before the party reached temples Tem plas cabin cook stepped from a fringe of trees up he began then his eyes tell fell upon the form they carried and lie he strode ahead with no further question As soon as they had tillson on a bunk he closed the door saying no need to have anyone find out if we can help it his thick brown fingers went with unexpected skill over the boys body stripping oft off his shirt expos espos ing a gash through his right arm and across his chest abruptly he be turned to louise go get joe scott iles hes a horse doctor but heu hell do the girl ran out breck poured a basin of water and gave it to cook behind him sierra rolled a cigarette and looked on unperturbed 1 I been following art since afternoon he be offered found him bustin around up on the ridge ridin like he was loco hed come down here sit lookin anfor on for awhile then beat that poor critter lot his back up the slope drunk sure then about dark I 1 saw him start sp scottin spott ottin ln you pardner maybe youve got an idea what bit him TO BE CONTINUED |