Show GUNLOCK RANCH CHAPTER VIII VIII-Continued VIII Continued 13 13 Always blows the wrong way for tor me I 1 dont don't mind losing the timber It If It t had caught ca him rd- rd He Be Look here checked himself suddenly be he Jerked why hy cant can't cantWe we help the wind along next night theres there's a blow blow fuse jus give Ive things a start down there What mean mean Burn nurn him out Why not noU McCrossen took the cigarette from bis mouth mo th but said nothing Well sputtered Van Why dont don't you talk I dont don't fancy that kind of ot a Job fob McCrossen shifted moodily In his saddle Bill Deolson Denison and I 1 have hare got em Some Someday Someday Someday our plenty differences differences plenty of ot day I 1 expect to Iron em out with him But It'll be done In daylight Van sneered Look out he dont don't get you and the girl both Hes welcome to If It the lucks luck's his Well Well the the words came reluctantly reluctantly- Ill talk to Barney You'll have bave to pay him well After Arter Van came back from the hospital he reopened his office In Sleepy Cat CatI CatI I uI thought you said the old devil couldn't get well complained to Dr Carpy Carpy was laconic He lIe cant can't Some Someday Someday Someday day hell he'll crack up sudden But Van kept Jane so 90 closely under onder his eye that she had no chance to see Denison One day her father tather took her In town tn n business The volunteer fire fight fighters ers era were clamoring for tor their pay fight I and Jane lane knowing the details of ot the the- the agree agree agree- ment meat with as to how much beer and grub should be provided plus their pay rode with her father to town to settle with Bill she said to when the accounts had been straightened out I 1 want to ask a question and I 1 want the truth Par Par Par-Moe loe looked at her with shrewd benevolence Fire away girl l I Why does my father hate Bill BUI Den lson Ison son so shifted uneasily You wont won't like the truth Miss Jane Whether I like It or not I want you to tell me Bill nm she said Well your dad wants the Spring ranch started ranch started a fight for It at the Medicine Bend ncnd land office Bill BUI beat him there so he goes up to Washing Washing- Washington ton and Bill BUI has to sell off oti his cows to get money to fight and pay lawyers Fore he got through the boy had to sell everything but his shirt to keep his end up Kind of ot tough It was tough assented Jane grim grim- ly Her lIer eyes were half closed and ant her lips Ups compressed as If It to shout out un unpleasant un- un unpleasant pleasant details warmed to his story If UIt It want you Miss Jane an your own dad Id I'd call a man that'd act that w iy well well wonder to me Is Bill mIl never plugged plug ed him Now dont don't cry 1 I told to It you you wouldn't like It It Jane shook her head and brushed the tears from her eyes with a gesture of or defiance Dont mind a little shower Bill mil Youve You've told me what I asked for forthe forthe forthe the the truth Now I want to tell you something But please keep my se se- secret cret will cret-will will you Bill BUI Pard aloes aloe's huge honest bulk slow- slow moving Jaws and deep piercing eyes Invited confidence Jane had no difficulty dIfficulty difficulty culty In reposing It In the lanky ex ex- sheriff Shoot was all he said Swiftly she told him of her first I meetings with Denison and of their rides together She described how he had bad saved her life and how afterward her father had ridden over to the Deni- Deni Denison Denison son Eon ranch with Dave McCrosson cre cre- created created created a scene and forbade her ever again to see Denison Im watched now like a year two child she concluded and Im I'm Im I'm rebel rebel- rebellious rebellious rebellious lious 1 l looked at her appraisingly He De observed the animation of her man man- manner manner ner and the flash of her eye e e he lis lis- listened listened listened to the rapid flow of ot her h r words and the spirited way In which se spoke them The old frontiersman looked at ather ather ather her as an artist might look on a flow flow- flower er he could see but couldn't quite un un- understand understand understand all that was hidden within It itI ul I 1 wish said Bald Jane musing almost I as much to herself hers as to I knew Just what to do Do uDo suggest su est Jane bridled Do nothing That Isn't very pleasant to think about Youve got to realize your circum circum- circumstances circumstances stances he returned In the mess me youre you're In all around out there Its It's best bes t for you to sit tight n n do You u tu dont don't know It but youre you're on a box of dynamite Youve You've got three men me n out there all three desperate quick o othe on n the trigger And It wouldn't take much to start airy one Into action There There's a your our dad McCrossen and Bill Denison If It begins with three men like lik e that It wont won't stop till theres there's harm hue m em done Do you expect me to act as peace peace- peacemaker peacemaker maker mak r Bill I didn't say that that be no a o sort of use Therell There'll be peace there then e t when bobcats go back on Jack rabbits Well Vell sighed Jane reluctant you yo u know best Mr lUll Bill You know best Bill fim I may want wan wanto t to talk to you yon again Any time honey Hiding home with her father futher who wit o rode slowly she had plenty of time tim timeto e to think And her beg thoughts were sober sober- hued huet ossen MCl was a thorn In her side sit e. e To meet him every ery day and be bail balf- t q 1 d of rain ala by Frank H. H Spearman Sp arman Copyright Frank Funk It It Spearman Service S He tried to make up op to her I got gotoff gotoff gotoff off on the wrong toot foot with you yoo Jane he said one day ay The two were stand- stand standIng standing Ing log near the ranch house ranch house door In In the sunshine I know that all right All AllI I 1 can say Is If It theres there's I 1 can cando cando cando do to square myself Im I'm ready to do doIt doIt doit It whenever you say the word Is that fair Jane was looking up UI at the moun moun- talus She answered t without rancor a mild manner must be her cue now A week passed Van lay In bed He had bad to send Jane to Medicine Bend to attend to some hank bank business there To keep her under surveillance Van ordered McCrossen to ride to Sleepy Cat with her When Jane heard of ot the arrangements she flatly refused to go matter a-matter with you you damned cantankerous thing 1 I demand demand- demanded ed her father huskily Aint my fore fore- foreman foreman man good enough for you to ride with Janes Jane's features set I UI wont won't ride with him she declared crisply Why not noU thundered her father rising up In bed Oh I he exclaimed swearing VearIn 8 violently at a sudden twinge of ot pain Why wont won't you ride rifle with him you hussy hussy- buss Jane drew herself her t up the least bit bitHer bitHer Her Ber fathers father's rudeness rud ness stiffened her ber attitude If It you want to know the thereal thereal thereal real reason I dont don't want him trying to kiss me on the way home after hes he's had too many drinks In the Red fled Front saloon I wont won't ride with him If he be goes I 1 dont Finally Bull Page was assigned to es eS- escort eScort escort cort the wayward Jane and the two set off oft for town Jane was most In in- Interested interested to get some news from Bull Page about Denison but Bull had bad nei nel neither neither ther seen nor heard h rd of him since the Gunlock Knob fire lire In Medicine Bend Jane extended a note drew some money paid the hos hos- hospital hospital hospital pital bills and waited for the after after- afternoon afternoon afternoon noon train home When she got to Sleepy Cat It was ten o'clock at night and no rig rigas was as at the station from the ranch She was compelled to spend the night at the hotel It was as a longtime long longtime longtime time afterward before she realized that the he whole trip had been planned by her father tather and McCrossen for tor a purpose She rose early breakfasted alone and started out to pay the few remaining fire bills She went first to Spoils Spoil's place to pay for tor the beer Spotts was out Ought to be back pretty soon said Oscar lIes Hes got to be here pretty soon to let the bartender out for tor breakfast Ive I've an order to leave at said Jane Ill be back She walked over to the general store left her pro pro- provision provisIon provision vision order for tor the wagon to pick pickup pickup pickup up and aDd returned to Spotts Spott's barber shop Jake his crutches at his bis side was sitting In his barber chair Hello there Miss I Well I l Hows How's things out at Gunlock About as usual Jake Ive I've come to toay tolay pay ay lay for the beer No 10 more fires Not at nt present How much was the beer No hurry burry about that Yes but I want to clean dean it up Thank you maam ma'am said salt the tte saloon saloonkeeper saloonkeeper keeper and barber as Jane counted out und and handed him the money If ulf I could only call my ru old olt side pardner partner back out of It Spotts It-Spotts Spotts shook his head I I I wouldn't mind If It I never r got a Burned cent for tor the beer None of us will ever er forget Pan Pan- Panama ama Jake The Tile damnedest meanest fires that ever swept them hills said Spotts counting over r the money per per- Done more damage to the range range not not to speak of losin the best bestman bestman bestman man we had In Sleepy Cat and crip- crip up the best man we had In the hills Who was that Jake Bill Denison Why Jane started visibly Bill BUI Denison she echoed In consternation What do you mean Well you ou know hes he's In the hos hos- hospital pital pita I. I I know nothing of or the kind ex ex- exclaimed exclaimed exclaimed claimed Jane sharply She Site stood white as a u sheet et What has happened Tell me I Why didn't you know his eyes Is gone to hell What do you ou mean What Wiant has hap hap- happened happened Tell me uie Spotts started violently out of his torpor as he saw v with amazement the effect of his news on his visitor Why Carpy says su s 's his eyes e eg got burned burnet some through that Gunlock Knob fire Then some son son son- Juke checked him self Somebody set his ranch house afire lust night and nearly burned him up Ask Carpy hell he'll tell you She hurried to the hotel The doc doe doctor doctor tor was out on a call Jane June hurried hurtled to McAlpin's barn where she had left lefther I ft her pony posy and rode straight up the hill hili to the hospital CHAPTER IX Where is he Sister Ills room Is on the second floor floor- floor 16 Shall I f show you the way If you ou please Sister I learned only a moment ago that he lie was here Ive I've heard beard of this dreadful ranch-house ranch fire only this minute Did he tell you OU how howIt It happened Sister lie Ile has hardly spoken since they brought him In In But lift Mr bit Scott said Bald It I t was getting out of or the burning horning ranch house How flow could that have happened Ill Ills His Illse s eyes e cs were scorched In to saving me Sis Sis- Sister Sister ter from getting burned to death on act i Knob Knol Oh my dear You dont don't know what terrible Ores tires weve we've been having down own our way been en terrible everywhere this fall Do UDo you think there Is any chance hance to save his sight Oh Sister can you im tm- imagine Imagine agine how bo I feel Dear heart beurt I 1 do know how bow you feel teel Of ot course I dont don't know a thing about the case except that Dr Carpy has given very strict orders about his care She was too considerate to tell how worried l she knew Carpy to be Of or course his hili room Is dark And his eyes arc are bandaged bandu ed W Ve like Mr Denison so much much much-he's he's hes always been so 80 kind to us with nice gifts gUts This Is his room The nurse laid her hand hund on the knob of the door Shall I go In a with you 7 Do Sister said Jane Sister opened the door morn Good big ing Mr Denison morning Good Sister Jane walking In on tiptoe tiptop behind her guide heard his answer that with you Sister SI Jane had stepped as lightly lI as possible but buthis buthis buthis his ears had detected her footsteps Ive brought you a 1 visitor I 1 hope tope youre you're not cross site she he added banter banter- In gly Who Is visiting me he asked Jane had been gradually drawing closer to him Bill He lIe started violently For an Instant he was wa silent as If It listening for more Then he responded low and strangely Jane Yes Bill In the dark her ber hand touched his arm He caught both her hands crush crush- crushing crushIng crushing ing them within his own and drew one and the other hungrily to his lips Ups Sister he be said composed yet eager can you find a chair in the dark for Miss Van 11 With the nurse gliding out of ot the room Janes Jane's hands crept over his shoulders around his neck and as his arms enfolded her their lips met to give and to receive that for tor which I words were not needed nc I didn't want you to hear that I 1 Iwas Iwas was in trouble till we knew more about It How did you ou find out I was here Jane Jake Spotts Bill I 1 never dreamed of ot such a thing she said tremulously He lIe told me th the ranch house was burned last night Oh BUI nm Bull BullI I II I think maybe my eyes will be all nIl allright allright right In a couple of ot days Ben Page has been working for tor me for tor a while He got hold of Bob nob Scott to bring me meIn meIn mein In to see Doc Carpy and Carpy-and and the doctor sent me here He felt her warm tears against his cheek He kissed them away from her eyes Dont cry Theres There's nothing to cry over Ill I'll be all allright allright right tight when my eyes e es get better Doc Doc- Doctor Doctor Doctor tor says sa s 's that wont won't be long I wish you hadn't heard of It it I wish you'd oud never heard heart of ot me Bill mil To think of It that I should have been the cause of starting all this trou trou- ble hIe Oh why couldn't I have stayed home that dreadful day Instead of ot rid rid- riding ridIng riding ing Into danger Ill I'll ill never never forgive myself And Im I'm ashamed to say It Bill but the real reason I rode rote up there was because I was Just hun hun- hungry hungry gry ry for a sight of you you that that was the thereal thereal real reason Bill Denison only laughed Dont think youre you're the only one that was hungry for a sight If It I hadn't been scouting around the Knob trail where when I knew you liked so much to ride rIlle Id I'd never have caught sight of you ou What then Why Jane If It you were burning In a fire why why- shouldn't I Jump In after you What would be left for me Do your our eyes e es hurt terribly Bill 7 Not when youre you're here Jane Oh I know better hetter I know they do to And I can do nothing to help lie He made light lIht of her worry There were more furtive e tears t more earnest prayers pra ers more submission from Jane More IlIre happy laughs more ardent em em- embraces embraces embraces braces more carefree cheer from Deni- Deni Son Why Bill BUI she protested at length one ODe would think there was nothing the matter with you ou And 1 I am frightened to death I was frightened to death myself till you came Its It's not much fun sit sitting ting tang tIn alone here In the dark What frightens me most Is the thought that If the worst should come corne Id I'd lose you You can cnn never lose lo e me Bill He- He Remember member that Yes but n a blind man I he exclaimed desperately Jane I J never ne could ask aslou you ou to marry marr rue me blind blind blind- Theres only one way to keep keel me from marrying that nothing good Bill that's Denison-that's that's to kill me and make me Into dust even dust even then Id I'd tremble under unter his feet I would just would Just to annoy him Her ner tongue was light lI ht and happy when she said good good-by good by but her |