Show el ak aar at LAKE dy JACKSON A baloo c C err pi 1 ill 1 J L horse re me ma I ail ill anoa act vin tl i i 4 1 er Is do albl t lamor ini I 1 prop properly arty orly own J i t i J LI hi sin san i young worn well I 1 in av am niton ai and 1 1 cl I t row low up 1 hi 1 Is i S 1 1 1 OS lluc lie bo h t 4 i n it the he r ran an 1 I 1 1111 it tre tr CI tl r I 1 i 11 th i il the ran i I 1 HT 0 it a 1 kl I 11 li i i biorge orse and pi 1 r airo r n fedir 0 or of r n I 1 i ill W i 1 i ij tit st 0 of f tit them e no I 1 I 1 1 all 1 C CH I 1 i ir i r ve vet t trin i i i I 1 i dv alv I 1 i rous rou judin 1 ini 4 it us an old 1 I 1 tait i s I 1 0 to trapp ap pp ctr 1 oil 11 1 i naion p I 1 0 4 wit 1 1 1 II als 11 I 1 t th h aft ran in I 1 i i i rl ramn 4 vore RH ini i i visit the i j I 1 1 D 1111 1 il i rne me 1 is held up ano r I 1 if r ti ali e on in itji p ay iy roll Is 11 11 iedith ao A mill 1111 TI impton were 1 I 1 i 11 1 l 0 1 it II 11 little si sori or i 1 i 1 i title i who ito so 90 fir 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1 lanz 11 in iwert sl I 1 ais the thin inn I 1 li 1 11 1 tin tilt il III I 1 r ll 11 18 the oil ns fralic 1 lore inre roll poll I 1 i i li l ii i sr hr I 1 tit M 1 it ir ills 1113 nion mon N ii 1 i I 1 III his no if i i I 1 i n like he luke 4 S foul fold Ilot leel i I 1 faine think in 1 1 ir t th tl 1 ml I 0 11 ton on I 1 i to I 1 i t i it I lihi iiii ii i rl 11 I 1 stirred his 11 As t lie sti st I 1 arii aig on v white it le tw lii L il i l a ii i ameo I 1 I 1 his big e I 1 r hallit ri lit I 1 ir r I 1 I 1 it f n hi i hinr obi i 11 nt 11 finnk ago anro ill apt 11 li 11 1 civi i 1 1 il 1 of if lila ilia i aamir it i to bit tinne N ne 1 T i A 1 1 I I I 1 inlall II 11 iii 1111 ipton liton wa waid 1 il 11 ille only n I 1 ain lilg ti if to t q iii a jol ill tins oi T I 1 i if it ir said it I 1 iii hi lilal got gin I 1 li it uhl 11 ilu tit nt tl 0 it is S to wor f t I 1 i 1 I I 1 I t alli tills in ial liln i I 1 nl linvle 1 ii r 1 ill nii full BC mn binl 1 1 ax 4 ma f 1 I 1 ing alir 1 ail 11 1 11 1 1 in TI I 1 ger 1 li arnt 1 t 4 t ri 1 to ti it r tr I 1 1 I fi fri I in n i 1 nilar lie aali ilif I 1 I 1 1 i 1 illi tn io to alz ilz s him i f i i tit tursi ilij atlon lit la wh hr r fl il ial T i il so i ir coul an I 1 i ine I 1 i t ip i P to to coal I 1 r I 1 lipon lit III irk vent z i 1 11 ii in is elion il 1 li lt it k ning SUI 1 I 1 0 o lt said gaid ill I 1 1 A t ti III hed i i IT i I 1 i oas or so RO a as boon inn as lit tj 1 in i I 1 i I 1 r ml bit ll la 11 l l N W ri i 1111 no nn 11 hi ir to t b tol I 1 i tit in till iii 1 I it 1 irl rho ti ini in I 1 i it flir w in n hor boiu in nt ni alie e thalur agreed israil isri il with silent nos nods for the sike of pence fielce personally he was rather inclined to fancy judiths figure to admire her ter red blooded beauty and he always mouthed up the ends olf his mustaches staches nu in tier her presence judith having early taken mrs measure found an impish joy in murdering the proprieties for tier especial benefit she said D n apon occasions when sirs mrs lang 4 arthy was there to hear bear at table slie she talked of prize boars baars and sick calves and other kindred vulgar matters hut but tile the major admired tier her marcia as days went by proved to be a s pet somewhat timid thadd but highly good natured affectionate creature generously offering her goodwill good will and rogers lg ers the lawyer and ferris the th artist both of the sophisticated sir sufficient type were little behind the major in interest during the last week of may blay it a rimor cuine cattle to judiths ears of which at first she thought little carson coming to tier upon a bit of ranch business dryly before taking lila ills departure that a report had got gol around among his nien men poker rare load mentioned it to him that blue I 1 luke lake ranch was oil its last legs that if it was even to be doubted if the nien mm ever saw another pay day before the whole affair went into a receivers bunds judith laughed at him anti anil told him not to worry me sat said carson im not ill the kind but edees like that aint good to have floating around A man wont do moren half work when aben lies wondering all the time if lies hes go ing to get gel his mazuma fur for it hut but when again the rumor came tills this time telephoned up to tier her from the lie lower end by doe doc tripp she frowned and wondered and slie she was care careful rai upon the thirtieth of may to send charlie miller the storekeeper into rocky bend for the monthly pay roll money charlie left for rocky rend in the afternoon spending the in town to get the customary morning start for the ranch tile men were to be paid at SIX alx 11 f p upon tills this same day pollock llanil ton told judith that rayne bayne trevora was coming to the ranch to have dinner inner spending the night and HIP following day judith made no te be ond favoring him anith a quick tool look of question sho she had not bp be llevad that the man inan would come what next nest tile the lust last day of may came and true rue to ills his promise evns a guest at the lie house from which so short shori a fleir no lie he hall been evicted lie ile din 1 d I I 1 there ere that thai night cool and self cm min casually polite to judith civil tin and courteous to the hie other gui pec lally to 0 o major and mrs LI w ol 01 illy lint anil mal matda ria loading leading COT I unobtrusively making makin alir 1 liked I 1 1 r I morning after ors arrival juleli us ia up betimes and break fill id d alne lap i lunching inching Lt early noun fol foi rl r lit hi r in the onice expecting C i ral miller hiff ler she was at work on oil tilt thi pi lit roll houk book ihen her telephone rang ran it nas doc tripp anti and thee the e wa sujlo d excitement in ills volve voice T nl ill news judy lie began 1 if I su sun lo 10 I 1 As 1 I US as though you getting gettin youl 11 whit ali it Is it doe doc she broke in sli odi iril tell me it s charlie rii arile miller ler hurt no not liv b I 1 thrown off his horse brick back in skittie creek canyon and robbed Ul lilly lie he told all that had lia hap p ir 11 it miller hastening back with tin n ige money was riding through tl 11 e burrow gorge when a man sprang if out oui Mid tid denly in front of him aci shying swerving anex I 1 ii illy had thrown him before hp be ek ild get to his feet the bag of gold nn ail II li i ills his coat had been torn off hi ob CIE mil not ver er benched away and the high ni maian ills his face masked with a red him lina lann handkerchief had bad run roto tl it thick timber charile Uh arile just walked in 1174 reeling like n dito iken man cripp concluded I 1 an ini 8 ailing a roase posse of men from tills this on it try iry and get the stick up man Y IT 11 d better do the same game up there 1 rr a moment judith sat staring tit a the telephone hone dully robbed of a thousand dollars and in broad day light A thing thine like this had not oe oc currer carried on the blue lake for a doceu ve rs bayne she gasped for she thought that site she tinder i 1 od id the of the kumoi whid had bad twice la in a week come to her ber himself was on th ranch right now ifer her two alt bisti clinched yes was here wit will I 1 triple purpose to curry faaoi ettli opton agal n possible need of it II to establish nn an alibi for him ra alf to witness judith kolii ali nt at six ane tie must turn tum the men away with an excuse yo V x q lk it I 1 lo 10 1 at 1 iv I 1 A man had sprung out suddenly CHAP CHAPTER TER V rifle shots from the ithe cliffs thank heaven it was just nooel noon I 1 judith sprang to tier her feet her eyes bright and hard and ran town down to the mens quarters coming coining up from tile ane corral were carson and bull bud lee miller with the pay roll money has been held beld up and robbed at squaw creek she told them swiftly get some men together carson and try to head the robber off on the level miss judith demanded carson slowly of course its on the level she cried impatiently oil oh I 1 know youre thinking im going to immediately to the bank at rocky bend and have another man sent out with more money you can count upon getting your pay at six I 1 1 I told you I 1 muttered furson carson that I 1 worrying none personal but if I 1 was you pd id sure have the money on tap with that he loft left tier her going hastily to round up what hat men he could tind and get them into their saddles bud lee ills his ebes still on lier her stood chere he was well deman demanded deil the girl arent you going too suddenly ring angered ered by ills leisurely aar she added cuttingly not afraid are you 1 I was thinking lee answered coolly that the stick up gent will wiil most probably figure on n play like that if he was real wise hed mosey inosa v along toward rocky bend and pop poll off your second man two thousand bucks a day would make a real nice little draw judith paused frowning there was truth in that aliat if really were behind this lie would have planned ahead it if do my way contini vid lee thoughtfully ill have just enough time to roll a smoke bad saddle saddie little old climax 11 max lies iles in the stable now youre not of my illy double you ivan if 1 ii I smart livard man inan had planned the holdup hold up lie won lint figure tin on 1 a I play piny like tills bled think wed have n rocky bender brins it out or else wait until tomorrow I 1 it wont io do she sli decided d quickly 1 I wiil w vid ilat liere here tit at ax six alp i il mtv f v effs preil ill hi hori sr hoalt thais chalot ridin all I 1 n lint bot tie aln it my illy way ond ril ill enn allin lIp ble voll on in own string of li oai ant und ift ae I 1 orah on iid ral ralle inore than ii 1 ild int ill 10 I 1 0 block back heeled cled at 11 six jepth quick at decisions decision cooked hini him hard in the eye heard beard lits ills plan and till three nd nate i later bull bud lee iee n revolver vrr in ill his shirt rode away from the arnrich linuse house herded headed toward rocky bend judith already hall had called u up tripp and the lihn himself self leading the hie fastest saddle horse lie he could get its ills hands bands on at brief notice was voas also riding toward rocky bend from the lower end five miles in advance of lee nt at tile start lie ile went at a gentle trot rot consulting ills his water watch now and then so bud lee riding as one once e those hard bard daredevil dare devil riders rode who carried across the land the mailbag mail bag of the pony express overtook doe doc hilpp and changed to a fresh horse nt at the end of the first fifteen miles the clock at tile the bank nt at rocky ridge marked forty three minutes after two a as lee leaving a sweating horse nt at the bior on maln main street presented his check at the paying tellers window the money in a small canvas bag was ready hello bud and hello fello I dant was the beginning and end of the conversation which ensued lee ice did not stop to count the money lie ile drew his belt up a hole bole as he went back to the door found a fresh horse there ills his bit and all but lifting the bauble boy olt off his feet mounted and faed back along main street judith was to send another fresh horse for him so that lie ile could not full fail to be back nt at the ranch house by rix nix As rud bud lee riding liard hard but aelier without thought for the horse which carried liliu blin began the return trip lie drew art w the heavy cal iber r front from ills his shirt and thrust it into lots lils belt to be continued |