Show WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINES to jude the aliv WW COPYRIGHT WILLIA WIILIAM MACLEOD RAINE t SERVICE CHAPTER VII continued 12 five ot of them far as we know lee e answered were kind of in a hole boys it if we jump up this bunch of wolves before the smugglers arrive they can give us the horselaugh horse laugh and say they just rode out for a picnic it if we dont show up till fill after the mexicans the smug alers are liable to be rubbed out well have to just jog along and hope for or the best gray dawn was beginning to sift into the darkness and bleach it with light lee held the lead jeff gray fit at his heels day poured down into the canyon in an incredibly short space of time nothing was left ot of the blackness of night but a gw swirling irling mist the men could see one another not as shifting shadows but as individuals vi duals all ali of them were conscious of a definite relief the leader drew up his horse getting close to the rock slide he said evenly they may be there or they may not were fixed so we have to guess at what these fel lows want it lees glance rested tor for a moment on gray mabe im the one chois to fall into the trap and this talk of smugglers mean a thing ride as loose as you can boys not too close together it if they fire atus well hunt cover each mad man for himself there will be plenty of boulders there or anyway brush it be better tor for one of us to crawl forward on foot and have a look see brand suggested before the echo died away a fusillade followed from round a bend in the gulch there came the crack of a gun were too latel chiswick cried S come on boys he slid from the saddle and ran toward the bend moving with the heaviness that comes from middle age gray passed him before he was halfway to the turn the scene gray looked looke dupon upon as he rounded the curve was one of the wildest confusion frightened by the firing two saddled horses were bucking wildly in the dry bed of the stream the men who had been riding them lay on the ground one of them face down and the ot other in a twisted heap two others in mexican costume were racing down the canyon to escape while three masked men shot at them with rifles as they ran another masked man was struggling with a pitching mule gray flung a bullet at the nearest ea rest of the marksmen the Theman man wh whirled led caught sight of him and ripped out a startled oath he gave a cry of warning fired once wildly toward the men pouring round the bend and turned to run he caught at the bridle of one of the plunging horses and tried to mount his foot could not find the stirrup nor could he fling bing himself astride the back of the animal A bullet struck the pommel of the saddle to which he was clinging with a yell of terror he let go and flew down the gorge dodging in and out of the rocks as he went though the face of the man w was a 8 covered by a bandanna except for the eyes gray recognized him as young howard taken by surprise the other bandits thought only of flight one ran limping to a horse pulled himself to the saddle and galloped off another plunged to the ground as if he had stumbled but did not rise again the remaining two penned in the rocks answered the fire of the attackers get to cover boys lee ordered well drive them into the open dont take any chances A saddled horse snorting with fear came out from the big boulders close to the spot where the two masked men crouched the nearest outlaw seized the bridle and mounted his com companion clambered on behind and the animal dashed down the canyon bring up the horses lee called to his son fr frank well tak take e after these these fellows he moved forward to check the casualties two mexicans were dead as was also one of the outlaws none of the chiswick party had been hurt the unexpected attack had sent their foes into panic gray turned over the body of the masked man lying in the sand he recognized the face of sid hunt the cowboy he had seen in yell store when he first arrived in tall tail holt the crook nosed man helped him self elf to the dead mans rifle and cartridge belt he caught one of the horses left by the outlaws and started down the gulch better wait for the orders of the old man brand advised ill just ride ahead and keep in touch with these fellows gray called back he passed a laden pack mule part of the load was silver he guessed the mule had got over its fright and was picking at the shrubbery after he was through the boulder field he put his mount to a canter regardless of the brush which caught at him as he plowed into the chap arral he was riding the gray geld ing upon which he had seen morg norris leave town presently he saw in front of him a man on toot foot sometimes the man was running sometimes walking in the ahe space of three or tour four minutes he looked back a dozen times fear of death was riding him hard As gray drew nearer the fugitive took refuge behind a mesquite dont you come any closer he warned his voice with terror the man was lou howard during his flight he had dropped the rifle because it interfered with speed reach for the sky gray ordered no funny business or ill drill you through A bullet whistled past his head bead he swung from the saddle and moved forward in his hand was a forty four ready tor for action the rifle he had left beside the horse dont youl shrieked howard you keep back get lern em up snapped gray quick the hands of howard went up the weapon in one of them dont kill me he begged gray disarmed him be safer tied up the captor said keep you from being killed by one of the boys when they get to you move over this way the crook nosed man took the rope from the saddle and tied up howard swiftly and thoroughly he c J 1 I I 1 it t 1 I need you along to keep me company left him lying in an open place on the trail A quarter ot of a mile farther down the canyon there ran into a steep rocky gulch narrow as a titans sword cleft far up this gray could see two men and a horse one of the men was riding the other clambering along the trail after him the sun was now out and shining on them it would be hot work tor for a man breasting that stiff slope especially if he were in a desperate hurry the haste gray took for granted since there were two riders and only one horse with vengeance hard on their heels he turned up the gulch after them in the rainy season water poured down this rocky bed but vegetation had small chance in such terrain whatever soli soil there might once have been had long since washed down into the gorge bel below 0 w the horse took the narrow bed of the trough like a cat its muscles standing out hard as steel while it reached from one foothold to another A bullet ricocheted from a flat rock above gray and plowed into the rubble close to the front hoofs of the gelding the sound of the explosion came down in booming echoes one of the men near the top of the gulch had fired at his pursuer gray did not stop he did not answer the fire the fugitives were moving again they were not look ing tor for a fight what they wanted was to reach the flat country just ahead of them where they could disappear into some of the hill folds that ran down to the plateau the men and the horse vanished above the brow of the gulch gray I 1 gave his bis mount no rest he had to reach the summit while they were still in sight the animal he rodo rode was strong and willing it had plenty of bottom heaving with exertion the gray came to the top of the rocky gash its rider had a shaky moment when the horse clawed its way to level ground enemies might be walting waiting there for him though he be did not expect it the men were too intent on safety his glance swept swiftly the country in front of him the men had gone one of the draws in front of him had bad swallowed them up which one he could not guess one point stuck out like a sore thumb in this country a man with out a horse was in poor plight the first consideration ot of these fugitives would be boget another mount they would strike for the nearest place where a pony could be picked up with safety the answer struck jell jeff gray almost with the force of a blow that nearest place was the L C ranch house these ruffians knew that lee chiswick and his men had fallen upon them in ia live oak canyon nobody would be at the rinch ranch except women almost certainly the outlaws would ride straight to the L LC C CHAPTER VIII ruth spent some anxious restless hours she found herself on the front porch a dozen times her gaze sweeping down the road to look for the returning posse with nellys help she laid in a supply of cooked food tor for the tha returning warriors whether successful or the reverse they would certainly be hungry after all it was nelly who first saw the approaching rider someone coming this way she called to her mistress swiftly ruth went to the door A horse was cantering bantering cant ering heavily up the road the distance was too far tor far identification of either man or beast but there was something unusual unusual about the gait of the animal unless very tired it ought not to make such heavy going presently she made a discovery A second rider sat behind the first A pulse began to beat in ruths throat something was wrong perhaps the man in the rear was wounded and they were sending him home she ran down the steps and hurried toward those approaching the house they were close upon her before she realized they were not from her fathers party she stopped abruptly looking at them intently the man in front she did not know the other swung to the ground and came toward her A cold wind swept through her there was evil ell in the jeering cruel eyes nice to meet up with you again missy 11 he said who are you she asked dread in her heart but she knew who he was wag she had seen him at tall holt just before and after herlacher her lather Vather had been wounded his name was morgan norris and he was the man jeff gray suspected of firing the s shot hot from the talk of her brothers she knew he was one of the most dangerous of the outlaw group never mind the name just call me one of yore admirers first off we want horses while kansas Is catching and saddling ill help you get some food together were in some hurry and well take it with us happened the girl asked her eyes on the bloodstained handkerchief tied abound his left arm below the elbow norris ripped out a violent obscene oath keep yore trap shut girl and do me like I 1 say he ordered youve been hurt wounded she cried there has been trouble her eyes were big with tear fear the color had died out of her face she was not thinking of him but of those with whom he had fought they too might be wounded woun dedor or worse ambushed by yore rotten kin he snarled shot down when we lookin for or it it when we have a chance ruth looked into his bleak eyes the focal points of a cruel savage face and knew what it was to be afraid she turned and walked to the house the man beside her he caught hold of her arm just above the elbow his fingers tightening with all the pressure they could exert let me alone ruth told him take ake your hand off me its it my say so he retorted with an evil laugh what orders are given will come from me sweetheart with an effort she wrenched hersell herself free there was a bond band of fire down her arm where his strong fingers angers had bit into the flesh no she challenged head up and eyes undaunted you barent harm me it if you did be trapped and wiped out like a wolf would I 1 well see about that he purred softly ile he was playing with a dangerous thought one that had just come into his mind could he use her as a protection and as a means of revenge it if he took her with him would he increase or decrease the peril of the situation in which he stood he was not sure whether he had been recognized if 11 so he might have to get out of this part of the country mexicans from across the border engaged in illicit traffic were at no premium in arizona but lee chiswick could use the killing of two of them to stir up a lot of trouble norris went into the house with her this man wants to take some food with him nelly 11 said ruth nelly looked at him out of startled eyes she made as it if to speak and changed her mind get a move on you he be snapped im in a hurry while ruth packed the food they had just been cooking the outlaw sat astride a chair in the kitchen with his arm across the back of it he watched her with narrowed eyes primal fires naming flaming in them the man lived in his passions in his hatreds and in his bis desires this girl appealed to both of them through her he could strike at the whole chiswick tribe he could leer jeer at them to this daughter while they combed the hills to find her it would be a magnificent revenge that was one side of the picture the other worked hand in hand with it the slender grace of her figure its fine spirited racehorse look stirred a tumult in him kansas came into the kitchen 1 I roped and saddled two cow ponies he said well need tour four norris answered four what mat for kansas asked were going to take these girls with us the other three in the room stared at norris kansas with incredulity the young women with gripping tear fear the hell bell we arel are kansas retorted you gone crazy from yore wound they will be a protection to us norris insisted like heck they will his companion snorted eating you morg this whole country would rise up and wipe us out use yore head the eyes of the killer glittered he said softly a silken threat in his voice saddle two more horses kansas felt a chill run down his back good god morg make tracks fellow norris interrupted his stabbing gaze fixed on the other kansas backed out of the room all ali right morg all right just as you say I 1 sure aint lookin for trouble with you ruth said to norris keeping her voice steady with an effort you do that to two girls scowling at her he answered harshly dont tool fool yo 1 but its like your friend said the whole country would hunt you down and stamp you out 1 I can look alter after myself I 1 reckon he told her and added 1 I need you along to keep me company TO BE CONTINUED |