Show GUNLOCK GONLOCK RANCH RANCHo a aby o by FRANK FRANI II 1 I. I SPEARMAN III 0 Copyright Frank H II nn n Service SYNOPSIS Sl Sleepy ep py Cat Cat desert town of cl the Ibe Southwest u is celebrating the Fourth of July Jane Van beautiful daughter of 01 Gus GUI Van Tam bel bet hated owner of Gunlock ranch rand hat has arrived I from the Ibe East for the first Sect time She watches the Frontier Day celebration in in company with Doctor Carpy Carp crusty tender tenderhearted hearted friend of the community Henry of the Cir Circle Circle cle Dot ranch tricked ID in a fake horse race the day before by b Da Dave e e McCrossen foreman at Gunlock plans revenge lie enters enter Dill Bill Denison a handsome young oung Texas wrangler in in the rodeo which McCrossen is favored to win win and an l la lays faS heavy y bets on him him- Unknown to the crowd Dent Denison on is is a champion horse borse horseman man McCrossen and the young stranger tie in i the various events e Denison then drops a cigarette carelessly Racing down Iown the track full tilt tilt he picks pick up the cigarette The ver vcr diet dict goes goU to Denison when McCrossen refuses to attempt the stunt Entreated by the crowd Denison agrees to perform another trick Jane Van is asked for her bracelet and throws it on the track Just as Denison rides L II to pick it up a yell from Barney a McCrossen henchman scares the pony nearly near- near k ly I costing the rider his lin life Gun play is is pre prevented vented by the intervention of or Doctor Carpy Carp Back on Gunlock ranch after alter two years can in in Chicago because e of 01 her fathers father's illness Jane gets lost riding in the hills and meets Deni Dem- Denison son son now a neighbor who guides her ber home Not knowing her identity he speaks bitterly of Van She tells McCrossen who brought her home and he denounces denounce Denison as a a cattle thief Later she asks ask Doctor Carpy why her father u ii i. unpopular and he tells ber her it is is because of Van s 's ruthless and unscrupulous character McCrossen tries to woo Jane but is i. 11 sharply rebuffed Once again she loses loss her way in in the hills and meets Den Den- ison icon ison On impulse she be gives him her ber bracelet for guiding her home Their interest in in each tach other r growing she be reveals her ber identity to him bun CHAPTER V Continued V-Continued Continued 8 8 Carpy laughed his dry little laugh Well WeI l he exclaimed benevolently You did pick a real outsider didn't you What did you think of ot the brute In her ber confusion Jane hesitated why I Why 1 thought him not had at all an she declared with spirit What do yon you think of ot him 7 Why to speak Just offhand Jane Id I'd say Bill TIm Denison had his enemies but I think hes he's about us ns square and andopen open open and aboveboard a young youn fellow 13 liS lives ll lIn s In the hills I dont don't suppose any of ot your fathers father's following would agree aree with me lie struck me too Doctor as ns Just such a man min Interposed d Jane Im What do you know about things like that asked Carpy Jocularly Youre Just a kid I He lie might be a horse thief for tor all you could tell girl Jane drew herself up Dont be so sure about every girls girl's being a fool fool fool- some or them might fool tool you I lie He told me he used to work at Gunlock What was the quarrel between hIm und and Father Dr Carpy laid ald his cigar on the edge of the table and braced himself Its a kind of or long story he be began not knowing exactly how to tackle a dell dell- delicate cate subject subjectIve subjectIve Ive lots of or time remarked Jane disconcertingly To begin with Ith your father was wag al at always ways a grabber Jane Probably couldn't help It just It-just just built that way 1 I suppose suppo that hurts your feelings 7 The girl winced a little We II Whether It does or does not Doctor I want to hear henr both sides and I know you are honest Go ahead please Her appeal was not unheeded Youre a kind of ot surprise Jane continued the doctor slowly for tor In spite of ot the fact that the family name Is not very popular In this country everybody Is talking about you you how how nice you are and all that Just to show you Jane how bow feel feel- feelIng Ing lug has been weve we've got an aD ex sheriff out here one of ot the best and biggest biggest- I hearted men In the mountains Hes He's a 8 character He Be happened la in to the hotel bote the other day and we got to talk talk- talkIng Ing fog about you you now now dont don't blush or get confused girl youre you're youre you're entitled to a good send off send off and I gave you a 8 good one Old Bill BUI set where youre you're setting with hIs hla feet on OD the table chewing tobacco listening to every word and never all aU the time saying one word himself When I got through I told him about you and that you had hadan hadan hadan an aunt In Chicago who'd been out nere here here-a a regular sport and no fancy tancy airs because she bad had a rich brother now now Im I'm telling you this Jane only to show you bow how some of ot us felt felt shifted his bis quid and says Doc Its It's kind of ot bard hard for tor me we to believe bell ve theres there's one decent Van in the world Im I'm damned If It Ill I'll ever believe theres there's two Oh Doctor I 1 IDo Dont Do t take It bard hard gIrl One thIng tiling about these frontier men they're as open minded and simple as children just a word or a smile from an up n up- up D. D coming girl like you and you'll bave have handBill band hand em cm eating out of ot your Bill Denison worked awhile for tor your foreman at Gunlock was f father ther he be Your father tather thought Denison was Just could do everything everything- about a t right He and do It well wen He lIe made so eo much your father that be gave money mone him a share for In the cattle a n tenth I be quit Denison When belleve It was w. w s fora settlement on OD his is bare ebare asked t for a erd told Him he be didn't didn t have bave no an anY Your Y our father faUer ra r share They went to law nw about It Denison got ot beat beat he he dIdn't t have any any- anything anything thing but a verbal contract So Bill went back to live on his own ranch next to the Reservation Its It's small but has plenty of good water from a n big spring that makes It valuable Theo Then he be bt began an running oft off enough Gunlock cattle In small email bunches bunches cat cat tle tie he claimed belonged to him any anyway way to way to pay pity ofT orr what your our father owed him him- There was a n great hue and cry But Bill was WiS too smart for the Gun Gun- Gunlock GUDlock Gunlock lock boys boys privately I 1 think the In In- Indians IndIans Indians helped Bill niH They swear by him So Bill was cussed by your father tather as a rustler It made cattlemen laugh thinking of ot your fathers father's own o reputation tion In that respect And the old man brought a lawsuit sult against a Bill to oust him from the little ranch account bad title That suit salt Is still pending In Inthe Inthe Inthe the land office at Washington Now that's Just about the story Jane If It Ive I've hurt burt your feelings some I didn't do It because I 1 wanted to You asked ask d me to tell you the truth Did I do doright dorl doright right rl ht or wrong The shock of ot the doctors doctor's story so o humiliated Jane that she wanted only to get back home and hide what she felt to be the shame of ot her father from everybody She had bad promised to ride back the tile hill hIB trail trull with Denison she felt fell she Just couldn't do It She took a short cut home bome across the desert Her ller mystified and disappoint disappointed ed admirer after lingering patiently In the hills till dusk rode Into town only to learn at McAlpIn's barn that Jane had taken her ber pony out early In Inthe Inthe the thc afternoon It was a painful night She realized why the name she bore was so unpopular unpopular unpopular ular In Sleepy Cat Cot Her Ber depression bore her ber down even Quong saw v that something was wrong He lIe cooked special dishes to tempt Janes Jane's appetite but her appetite could not be tempted Why dont don't you get out and ride any anymore anymore anymore more asked Bull Page one day You haven't been on a horse for two weeks wE-eks just Just sit moping around the house eating nothing talking nothing Just 11 c cs s sa a II si A s What Did You Think of tho the Brute reading and reading Mast be your liver Next Nest time Im I'm In 10 town Ill I'll buy buya a bottle of ot Belchers Belcher's Liver Lifer Regulator for you Liver regulator I l laughed Jane scornfully Quong takes It t urged Bull quite serious I dont don't need any liver regulator Bull Just let me alone Ill I'll be all allright right For another two weeks Bull was wor wore vied ried Then sue SUl lenly Jane relented She would take a n horseback ride If It Bull would ride with her not her not other otherS wise They started together It was Vas after atter- noon The air was thick with a soft sort haze baze that tempered the suns sun's rays The trail led In and out ont of ot the thin pine pinewoods woods She began to think her nervous ap apprehension ap- ap apprehension of meeting Denison again bad had been a wasted worry Indeed and her guide were homeward bound within a mile of ot the ranch house when both beard the clatter of hoofs hoots behind them Jane would not have ba looked around for tor a 8 million dollars Bull told her there were two men coming up Who are they Looks like Carpy and Bill Denison Janes Jane's heart raced However this seemed not so bad Three men and andone andone andone one woman were better than thao one man and one woman Carpy and Denison approached together Where are you riding to today doctor doc doctor tor asked Jane Gunlock ranch Jane showed surprise sick lIck at the ranch One of ot the boys said Carpy the first Ive I've heard of ot It It exclaimed Jane Who Is la It IU One of ot the boys that got cut up last night downtown I 1 sewed him up and want to see flee how bow be he Is Nothing seri sect serious ous I guess said Carpy Any news In town doctor asked Jane though thou h not In the least Interested In Sleepy epy Cat news Nothing but the brush brosh fires up North This whole country's country dry dryas as tinder I 1 hope the winds will keep em up North What do you hear bear from your father asked the doctor in re re- return turn Oh hes he's better said Jane He Ue talks about aboul coming homo home pretty soon Doc Doe Doctor commented Well that's news tor Carpy noncommittally Hea Hes got gota a wonderful constitution that tha t man thinking to himself that It was much too to good How V have you yon been your yourself self girl Irl Oh Im I'm just fine One doctor to go SO eh Come on girl Ill race you through this pine belt Jane saw her chance to escape an uncomfortable situation for tor Denison Dentson hadn't said n a word She dashed gayly ahead and outran Carpy But Denison followed her overtaking her ber and rid riding ing lag alongside The spurt couldn't last forever though th uh Jane Jano prolonged It to the best bestor of or her ber ability She wondered whether she had d Jumped from the frying fr pan Into the fire she was alone now with Denison When she slackened her pace out of breath her cheeks checks were aglow I 1 wouldn't push that pony of ot yours too tou hard suggested Denison tally lies Hes a nervous critter Oh hes he's all right rl bt said Jane lightly but It does docs shake shale one up doesn't It 2 she exclaimed punting panting a little It does doe agreed Denison But nut I f got my real reul shakeup when I 1 spied you on the trail Ive I've been staking myself out alone on this trail every efery day for a month or so so hoping to get Jet sight of ot you I haven't hn vt nt felt much like riding late late- ly Iy I 1 was afraid jou you were sick I 1 watched for the doctor coming out bu buI buI I didn't see him 1 I used to ride ur uI Gunlock Knob every day or two VO to see sett If It I 1 could see anything of ot you I wish you do such things s. s Where Is Gunlock Knob Its ts t's that peak over Ofer by the spring Its It's really on your fathers father's ranch I 1 Iguess Iguess guess but Im I'm always careful not to torun torun torun run Into any of oC your men Im sorry but you mustn't look for tor forme torme forme me any more please more please dont She glanced at nt him firmly as she spoke To Denison she had bad never looked so lovely Why V by he demanded Have I I- I You haven't but I have have I I guess that's the way to put It I mustn't see you any more I dont don't expect to re re- remain remain remain main In this country very long any way wag What have I 1 done Jane Nothing nothing been telling lies about me be he declared with some bitterness No No It If you'd tell me what they are 1 could answer them themI I said no not I No one has talked about you His sudden Intensity frightened Jane She burst Into tears Now Ive I've made matters worse I 1 he exclaimed penitently I didn't mean to scare you Jane JaDe I 1 guess my barks bark's worsen my bite But it makes me m wild to think Ive I've been lied about to you You haven't sputtered poor Jane Dont you believe me when I 1 say no no- nobody's nobody's nobody's body's been talking about you Please Ilease excuse me then 1 do be be- believe believe lieve leave you But If you'd give me a chance to Id I'd be willing to tell you every mean thing Ive I've done In my life life life- and lInd leave It all to you Dont Don't con condemn demo me without a bearing that's hearing that's all nU allI nUI I f ask Nobody Is condemning you yon Im I'm only It If anything condemning myself For what he demanded For e ever er er coming to this country at atall atall atall all If It you must know she declared in angry desperation But Jane that doesn't sound rea reasonable protested sted her companion companionI I 1 rant cant help belp that that she said petulantly I 1 wish Id I'd never ne seen this country And Im I'm going to leave It the tIle very first minute I get et a chance chanc Dont Don't see me any Rny more I dont don't want to see anybody till I can cnn leave here and for tor forget forget get everything Just as you say Jane This is ls some trouble I dont don't know about about he be said But If It 1 I cant can't see you any more Jane please remember that wherever you are here or ten thousand miles from here I J love you yon Jane got home bome thinking of oC how wretchedly she had handled the sit situation nation with Denison It proved pro to be her foreman Mc Crossen who had been cut up In a gambling quarrel Jane kept Doctor Carpy for tor supper and that evening she held him as long longas as she could She felt down In the depths When he be started for tor town Jane walked out in the moonlight with him talking and clinging to his hand When he mounted she still asked questions to keep him talking and kept his hand handIn In hers Jane he be said theres something hurting your mind not oot your body bod Do you want to tell teU me girl Not tonight ht doctor Sometime maybe maybe come come ome to me Just the same earne l as If It I were your father tather You are a lovely young girl Jane With what God has given you you youcan youcan can cnn make or break any man In 10 the world Use your power mercifully Her face tace fell tell against his hand Ho lIo Hofelt Hofelt felt Celt on It the warmth of ot her tears worry my child And If It the load whatever It Is gets too heavy heavy- you know v where to bring brine it be he add add- added added ed wheeling away uway She had promised Doctor Carpy to ride every day and while attending the wounded man he be kept close tab tabon tabon tabon on her but she avoided the main trails and kept to the hills bills near the ranch bouse house Carpy brought little news Dews from Sleepy Cat but he spoke of the forest fires north of ot town I hope we shant shan't be bothered here bere said Jane No danger here |