Show 3 A fill M rv installment TWELVE THE STORY SO FAR FAH ellen carey rustlers had been mysteriously killed the killers note to ellen she sh vie the postmasters postmaster daughter seems interested A lot of texas ex peace officers have its iti jack curleys turleys Tur leya leys writing jen jeff confronts 1 ted in two men jeff brand rustier ruit lei been brought in by the big ranchers rancher to jack who had posed as a rustler rustier though and a calhoun Call ionn terry manager of a bis big kill off rustlers terry objects and his really a spy for or one of the big ranch ranch who li Is regarded inimically by ranch li is offered for or sale lale in small mail men jeff kills jack and sends the body both and ranchers ran chen four parcels to small ranchers rancher ion shows how to the chief ol of the lie big ranchers CHAPTER A texan led the pack packhorse hors eback back to the camp among the pines couple ot of fellows brought some nome freight in for mr mcfaddin McFadd ln and then lit out like the heel flies were after ther them 11 he said the other boys are cha chasers sirs them they acted right funny me mcfaddin raddin and ellison stepped forward the texan released the diamond hitch and whipped off the tha tarp A body slid to the ground those present stood sta staring ring at what they saw ellison leaned over him its lack jack turley one of 0 our stock detectives tec tives he said by god they got the double crossing bluntly fedison killer mcfaddin McFadd ln said F from rom the coat pocket ellison drew the note morgan had written here is yore killer he be read come back to report we had bad better move last gaines said after being chased oft off the map these two fellows must suspect something lets go mcfaddin McFadd ln said with a sardonic laugh we dont have to wait any longer for turley to guide us hes here A little late for his appointment with us but I 1 reckon he help that the regulators as the invaders called themselves looked to their cinches and mounted from the prong they wound up through the pines into a country of open range too wild for homesteaders the spread was too rocky and too hilly to invite settlers presently they would cross a mountain spur from which they would drop down into a district of gulches rock rims and emall mall valleys where at not too fre duent bent intervals a few nesters desters and cow thieves held the tort fort unmolested except when posses from the big ranches came hunting stock that was missing on ellisonsr Elli sons list were the names of a dozen men who lived in this section they straggled forward in no formation ellison and mcfaddin in the van from a long rocky slope they came into a little mountain park not far from the surn summit mft mcfaddin McFadd ln lifted a shout of warning and whipped up his rifle two men had appeared on the rim and started to ride down but at sight of the large company pulled up and turned one ot of them flung up a hand in protest as the flying V C mans gun cracked the echoes of at ahot rolled across the valley nat sorrel horse stumbled and flung Is s rider then raced across the slope with reins flying wild the man who had given the indian peace p bace sign called to his companion it was almost as though the dismounted man had bounced back from the ground so quickly was he on his feet he ran a few steps along the hillside and vaulted to the back of the uninjured horse behind his friend three or tour four texans fired but the horse and its double load reached the rim and vanished giving the cowboys hl hi yi dippy yel yi mcfaddin brought his cowpony to a canter and pursued the others followed him A roan horse carrying tw two linek men was traveling fast down the side of the spur but was already showing signs of distress weve got leall deml yelled mcfaddin come on boys just ahead was a little clearing with alog a log cabin on the edge of a creek A man had appeared from behind it driving a few cattle he was at casual ease in no hurry whatever at the sound of the roaring guns he swung his head took in the situation and instantly forgot there was such a thing as leisure in the world while the fugitives were still a good two hundred yards C ant in t he lumped his bis horse to a top p and vanished up a draw the hunted men flung themselves from the back ot of the horse and ran into the house the door slammed behind them the pursuers dragged their horses to a halt and many of 0 them dismounted frightened by the firing the horse of the men in the cabin splashed through the creek wd bolted ellison took command he named our or five men to follow the cowman who had disappeared up the ravine the others he be distributed about the place most of them in or back of the barp barn which was over seventy five yards from the house several he stationed across the brook in the brush near the edge of the clearing A steady intermitted jakk sniping centered on the cabin ady its windows were shattered aw fc defenders had dug spaces in the dry mud between the logs of f the walls which they used as loopholes tor for their guns one had a rifle apparently the other was armed only with a revolver the door of the cabin opened a few inches and a hand came out to wave a white flag A voice called out something that was drowned in the crash of guns gunk quickly the arm and the rag were withdrawn the door shu tand bolted why not let them sur surrender renaer R IH K jf gaines asked save us some time and trouble let em surrender and then hang lem em mcfaddin McFadd ln asked harshly no by jacksonl I 1 wont stand lor for that if were going to hang em well have to dig em out we dont even know they are on our list collins said we know damn well they are they are the same scalawags scala wags who brought turleys curleys Tur leys body back the forted man with the rifle served notice he was not to be taken too lightly he wounded in the arm a ranch foreman who exposed himself rather carelessly ellison passed the word among his men not to take any unnecessary chances A few moments later a bullet tore through the cau calf of 0 one of the texans the men who had pursued the cowman returned alter after a tinte time on account of his long start they had failed ailed to catch him this was disturbing tur bing it meant that news ol of the invasion was bound to get out the leaders held a consultation we cant tool fool away the rest ol of the day here mcfaddin McFadd ln said impatiently to heck with this siege stuff I 1 move we charge the cabin and wipe em out losing three or four our men benl allf son scoffed that would be dumb ot of us collins then made a suggestion youre both right what say clint 11 k weve got emill em yelled relied mcfaddin stays here with ten or twelve men and attends to this business while I 1 take the rest and sweep the hill pockets I 1 can get back before dark alter after some discussion the antelope creek mans plan was adopted mcfaddin said he would ride with collins there were some thieves in this district he had been wanting to get a crack at for a long time be sure not to let yourselves get cut u t off from us ellison cautioned t 1 and dont waste any time weve got about four hours I 1 would guess five at the most by that tire time well have to be on our way or we may not get out of here at oil arf whatever happens don dont t be tempted to swing too will wide e a loop CHAPTER ellen was malding making up a post office report that had to be sent to washington when she saw a horseman emerge from a fissure in the hills bills and come down the long slope to the ranch at a gallop he was flogging bogging his mount with a quirt jim budd was at the door leaning against the jamb resting from the exertion of having swept the floor it was in his horoscope that he would go through life as easily as he could seems seem s to be a ge nelman in a hurry miss ellen jim drawled A faint unease stirred in her men did not usually ride like that except to carry bad news the rider drew up in front of the post boffl office ce and flung himself from the horse the man was lee hart he spoke to ellen who had come out to the porch wheres lane he demanded father Is down with the men fencing a new pasture ellen answered about three miles due west from here do you have to see him hart mopped his per perspiring tore fore head with a bandanna handkerchief never saw it faill he cried bitterly need a man and he aint there wrong lee the girl wanted to know wrong I 1 everything the heavyset bowlegged man slammed his dusty old hat on the porch floor A bunch of wild injun s Is baidin this cou country they came bustin down on my place with forty guns poppen a indians the girl repeated incredulously 1 well these texas warriors the paper was telling about they was chasing two guys I 1 lit out nickety split who were they chasing 1 I dunno likely wiped out by now they but one horse between them when I 1 took my last look they were making for or m my y house to hole up tip what do you want with father well we got to spread the news to everybody im headin for or round top someone has got to ride up the alford road and let the settlers there know tell em to meet here send the cook it if you got anybody else no ellen said promptly im not going to get jim mixed up in it mixed up in it you tellin me yore black man Is too good to work with us hart snarled im telling you tt it Is none of his business hart fastened his gaze on two horsemen coming down the road at a slow trot in his eagerness to tell the news to jeff brand he forgo his indignation he bowlegged through the dust to meet the riders as they drew up at the hitching post have you heard jeff the b big outfits have done brought a bunch of texans here to run us outa the country paul vallery told me this moning he got it from lane car ey who read tt it in the denver republican well sir air I 1 seen them comin down the hill heu hell for leather and lit out just in time they was chasm two birds brand swung from the saddle to go for forward wEird domeet to meet ellen chasing who he be asked over his shoulder 1 I dunno wait to find out I 1 burned the wind getting away from there you dont know what became ol of the two men they got into my house and tort fort ed up but I 1 reckon they hold out long must of been a hundred in that army fifty eight t brand corrected how do you know we hid on a ridge and counted them morgan said I 1 A bunch of warriors brought in to shoot down innocent men I 1 hart cried angrily well see about that im on my way to tell our friends at round top no need jeff said weve already sent a messenger better stay and gather a relief party to ride over to your place well need every man we can get when do you aim to go weve got to get oft off right quick if were going to save the boys they have trapped say inside ot of an hour we cant get together seventy or eighty men that quick hart protested dont need more than ten or a dozen well lie in the rocks above and shoot down at them not me hart answered promptly 1 I just got out with my skin and I 1 dont aim to try it again jeff looked at the man contemptuously go hide under a bed you louse the pale blue eyes of brand burned into the man but not till youve done your job ride up the alford road and send do down all the men you can find after that you can go jump in a lake jeff turned away and joined ellen on the porch he grinned at her well sometimes a newspaper piece turns out to be true he said morgan joined those on the porch id better ride deep creek and warn the folks up that way from what lee says looks like these fellows are headed there yes better rope one of the horses in the corral jeff added casual information im going to lees place to see what has happened to the two trapped in his house maybe I 1 can make a diversion from rom the rocks that will help them must you jeff asked ellerf ellen in a low voice he nodded cant desert two ot of our men without trying to help them his manner was cheerful and nonchalant dave has picked the tough job hes liable to meet a bunch of these texans any turn of the road but someone has to warn our friends 1 I suppose so but you dont have to go and attack fifty men do you brands gaze followed morgan as that young man swung on his horse to ride to the corral hell do it too if they dont get him first that guy will do to ride the river with his attention came back to what the girl had said 1 I dont see what you can dp do alone cant teu tell till I 1 get there soon soo n as a bunch of the boys roll in tell them to hop over to lees place fast ast as their brones will bring them she watched him always spectacular fling bing himsel fInto the saddle without touching the horse he waved his big white hat in farewell as he rode away TO BE CONTINUED |