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Show I THE RICH COUNTY. REAPER. RANDOT.PH. UTAH MAIjnI By H. C. WIRE 9 D. Ine. Appleton-Centur- WNU Service THE STORY THUS FAR Summoned to the CC ranch in central Walt Gandy is on his Nevada, desert-wis- e r. way to help his old range partner. Bill Walt is stopped short by a girl who holds a rifle in firing position. She knows him, tells him how to get to the ranch, and tells him that they will meet again. Within quarter of a mile from his destination, Walt is stopped again. This time by a man who tells him to tesque, get out and then tells him the C C crew is in Emigrant, the closest town, for an inquest. Someone has been murdered. Riding to the inquest in Emigrant, Walt leaves his horse at the livery stable. Walt learns that Cash Cameron, owner of the CC ranch, is in trouble. A hard but honest man. Cash has many enemies. At the inquest Walt sees Hollister and the girl who had stopped him. Chino Drake, former cook at the C C ranch, has been murdered and Sheriff Ed Battle is trying to pin the blame on Cash Cam eron. The girl is called to the stand. She is Helen Cameron, Cash's daughter. She seemingly faints and, as Gandy rushes to her aid, slips something in his hand. It is the bullet from Drake's body. Walt rents a post office box and leaves the bullet in it. leaving the post office he is accosted byHea dank, swarthy man who offers him a' job. draws the man out, finds that he wants to usurp Cameron's public range land. Gandy then turns him down in biting fashion. The man leaps at Walt, who whips him after a bard battle. The man is Pete Kelso, foreman of the 77 ranch, an outfit hostile to Cameron. Gandy is called to the sheriff's Hoi-liste- n office. CHAPTER VI Continued Sheriff Battle sat behind an ancient, desk, slouched in a swivel chair with a back high enough to support his large head. A second man, seated on a wall bench running from the desk end, r was Hollister. The C C foreman uncrossed long legs and stood up, his weathered, studious face lighting with a grin. This the man you mean. Battle? I know this fellow. You dont need to search him. He turned to Walt and held out his hand. How are you? Bill Hollister knew nothing about the stolen bullet. Walt Gandy was certain of that as he gave back the handclasp and the grin. He looked into the face of this partner who had urged him up from the border, across two weeks of hard desert travel, and in that silent second he was aware of something. Bill Hollister had changed. How, he could not say, had no time to consider, for even as the thought flashed to him, he heard Battle snap: You dont need to tell me what I need to do, Hollister! Al? s Yeah, said the deputy at back. Go through him! ' Walt jerked around. Not so fast, He looked into the bore of you! the deputys gun. Aw, put that bean shooter away. Whats the charge, Sheriff? Got a search warrant, have you? Battle had risen, drawing his huge weight upward and propping it stiffarmed on the desk top. You, Al! Whats the matter with you? I Said go through him! Walt laughed. He raised bis arms and felt the hands move thoroughly through his pockets. Matches, money, tobacco, his watch, his knife, a horseshoe nail and his handkerchief; nothing more. He saw Ed Battle sink down like the gas going out of a big balloon. The sheriff glared at his deputy. He seemed to feel it was the mans fault that nothing had been found. He hesitated, cigar in his teeth, frowning with mental effort. Here away from the eyes of his voters, Sheriff Battle became less a thunderous bull, roaring for results, and seemed a human being of not too much will, easily swayed, and at this moment, baffled. Hollister," he launched out bluntly, Im giving you a chance. I want you to come in with the law! Hollister grinned. You, he emphasized, want me to come in with the law. Where do you figure I am, Ed? Up a flagpole and no ladders, said Battle promptly. Itll be for the good of the C C and the whole Emigrant Bench, he went on, if you and me can get n-faced, down on the same footing. Look out there on the street. Look at those women. They and the kids are the ones who are going to suffer if our ranchmen get to gunfighting with each other. Im older than you Ive seen bloody times, and they didnt start from no more than what has happened here right flat-topp- ed Gan-jdy- solem- now! Walt Gandy leaned over and studied the floor boards between his boots. It came to him that this man showed surprising intelligence after all. If he would use it! Cash Cameron, Battle was saying, has represented the power in control here. With the example of a big fellow like him holding the lid screwed on, and able to buy out any man who wanted to quit, there hasnt been much cause for trouble. Wasnt no need for the little fellows to jump his range rights aor each others. But if the C C crumbles and its grass on public domain and in the national forest is open for anyone to grab, theres going to be hell. Battle Yoared suddenly, I wont have it! ' Under his heavy brows Bill Hollister was no ' longer smiling. Youre dead certain, are you, he asked, that the C C is going to crumble? Battle leaned forward over the Yes. flat top of his desk. His eyes narrowed and glittered. A man in Camerons hole right now dont dare take up a gun-e- ven if his range is being crowded in on! The C C dont own title to five thousand acres of land. Its using close to a hundred thousand, all public. Every man who rode in to the inquest today is figuring on just that. Get the C C tangled with the law, get you people tied up in court and-yomight as well start raising hogs on your five thousand acres, because your power on the open cattle range is gone, and nobody will be afraid to crowd you. Wait! Battle waved his cigar as Hollister started to speak. The power on this range has shifted from Camerons hands now, back into mine, where it belongs! And Im going to use it to the advantage of everybody, big man and little man alike. You people cant even chew what youve bit off out there, let alone swaller it; I guess Ranger Powell was beginning to see that himself when he announced the C C allotment in the national forest is going to be cut next summer. Battle clamped his cigar righteously, saying around the end, Time for the little fellow to have a show here, and Im seeing that he gets it! Bill Hollisters Little fellows, quiet voice asked, like the 77?" His smoking Battle stiffened. stopped. Hollister uncrossed his knees, and the C C foreman and the sheriff of Emigrant County traded long measuring looks. What do you mean by that? asked the sheriff evenly. This, Hollister stated. Funny thing, isnt it, that every man, woman and child on the Emigrant Bench from here north to Salt Flat and west to the Barricades, came to the everyone except hearing today those from the 77! Still sitting stiffly upright. Battle made no reply. Youre right about what is going to happen here, Hollister went on. This range is Someone has got to move out. There isnt enough land here of any sort, private, public or national forest to hold the flood of animals that has been poured onto the Bench lately. Thats too almighty true! But dont you talk to me about the little fellows. He eyed Ed Battle, took a long breath and rocked his body forward in a lightly balanced motion. Cash Cameron has played square with them. He figured when he bought a mans brand, taking his cows, he bought range rights too. Thats custom. But no, these little fellows have hung on, getting a few more cows and only waiting to jump his grass at any chance. Little fellows! It took Bill Hollister some time to get warmed up. He was hot now. Look at em out there on the street, sure! A pack of wolves licking their chops! Eyeing each other to see who is going to lead in a rush onto the C C. Give them a leader and the rest will follow all right. And you, Battle, you know who itll be! Ed Battle seemed set against answering. Hollister flared. Everyone came in today to see how the inquest was going to fall, to see if Cameron was going to get properly tied up. Only the 77 didnt! Wheres Stoddard? His 77 is the biggest contender for range rights that we control. But they arent troubled about how this inquest will fall. The 77 knows! over-stocke-d. Meaning that Ive been bought, Battle asked suddenly. said Hollister, that Meaning, someone who keeps his name off the records is part owner of the 77 brand. Visibly the tension went out of Sheriff Ed Battle. He relaxed, shaking his head. Nope. You guessed wrong that time. I own nary a cow in any size, shape or form, not on paper nor on the 77. If Jeff Stoddard and his bunch didnt come in today, they had their own reasons. He gave Hollister a placating grin. But were sort of wrangling ourselves off the track, arent we? I called you in here to make a proposition for the good of everybody. Want to listen? With an abruptness of action not usual in him, Bill Hollister rose and his lank form towered. Battle, he said, evenly, youre a plain white-ribbe-d skunk! Your baits goqfl all right, but it stinks of next elections votes! Color flooded hotly into the fleshy huh?- - ... Hes face of Sheriff Battle. He gripped ure with a jerk of his chin. his desk edge. Control over some been around all day. Hasnt he quick and revealing retort came anything to tell? Says he knows nothing about it, only after a minute of struggle. Bent couldnt When at last he got up onto his Cameron answered. and he was heard have had of anyone, flood anger feet, the red drained away. He looked out with mending the south pasture fence I said I had an- this afternoon. So he couldnt have cold, hard eyes. other piece of evidence, Hollister; seen, either, if it was somebody who something I didnt bring up at the came in from any other direction. Only the youngest cowhand, Paul inquest. His ponderous figure came around Champion, appeared free of whatever it was that gripped these othtp the open floor. ers. He swung the knotted end wondered. Walt Gandy Watching, of his halter rope and kept running Battles gaze went down, came one hand back to the throat of his he asked, why back. Hollister, did you have Paul Champion run horse. A grin of repressed excitewater into that corn row where ment looked almost foolish on his boyishly eager face.;-IChino Drake was lying dead? say we better . , ' he beAt Ed Battles questioning thrust, gan. shut. Hollisters jaw 'had sprung Never mind, Paul, Cameron Muscles bulged. He stood planted him gently. stopped a as if to take a blow, fighting Walt had begun the makGandy seemed it to Walt Gandy man, yet of a ing someone cigarette. Now he flung the dogged courage of unfinished the tube away. He faced withto an on end, plodding grimly Theres one out fire nor vital care for what Cameron, saying, would come after that end was thing I guess ought to be made reached. Whatever had happened known right now, before anybody to Bill Hollister had struck him at starts to check up. Cash Camerons white head pivthe roots. ; . r, oted. , Battle had the knife in and he afterwas this on I your place Well? Want me gouged with it. to say why you had that corn row noon, said Gandy. It was Hollisters voice, snapped flooded? To cover some boot tracks! out in the dark: Why didnt you Some almighty big ones! tell me that! Again the sheriffs eyes went Only Cash Camerons features them Walt downward, and following visible from where Walt stood ; were the black rested upon Gandys the others fwere blotted in the night. Bill Hollister stitched boots that wore. They were big: number elev- But he could feel the quick stab of ens. These that he had on today eyes toward him. He did not know yet who the cowpuncher was, makwere brand-neThe trouble with that trick, said ing a squat shapeless form at the s right side. CamerBattle, was that you slipped up. ons mouth opened, closed. A hand came up and smoothed down the coarse hair of his gray mustache.' Say, look here! Gandy blazed. But he felt that he was only throwing words against a stone wall. The silence of these men was that thick. Battling a rise of impatient anger he turned from them, pulling the tobacco sack from his shirt pocket. Cameron warned. No lights! Then almost at once: Listen! Its all right. Go ahead. His daughter came abruptly around the bunk shack end. She reached Cash, and standing d close up to his size, seemed to Walt Gandy once again as she had this afternoon, a small and fragile girl in spite of the rough garb in which she clothed herself, and far too rare a person to be caught in the black war that was gathering around her. Ive gone all through the house again, Dad, she said, her voice lpw Whoever did it and controlled. wasnt trying to rob us. No, of No, said Cameron. course not. He asked no further, and it was Bill Hollister who spoke up: Then theres nothing missing, Ive gone all through the house Helen? again. Dad. Slowly she turned and lifted her One track didnt get flooded. My face to him, though in the dark deputy ran cement into it and Ive she could not possibly read his feagot the cast. Never mind about tures. A rifle, she said, and a the pair of boots that left the track; pair of boots. Yours." weve probably got those too. All others stood fixed, but the efof her words upon Bill Hollister fect I was sudden action, almost as if CHAPTER VII from relief. Paul, he ordered rapidly, put SOMETHING' was wrong at the up the horses. Walt, throw your but strangewar bag down here. You can turn ly silent for a pair who had not Sunspot in the end corral by himseen each other for two years, Walt self tonight and give him something Gandy and Bill Hollister topped the extra. Bent Lavic will show you the last bench and looked ahead to the lanterns and where the grain bins home buildings. Out upon the open are. He turned into the dark, away flat they had ridden in waning day- alone. light. Here under the mountain wall His voice cazhe back over departnight had come, darkening the ranch ing shoulders: Ill rustle firewood basin and spreading a gray mist for whoevers going to cook. close to the ground. As Walt kicked Hollisters long - legged black stable floor for straw across the bedding, caught up beside the palomino. They he looked at BentSunspots feet. Lavics between loped through a lane post were big all out of proportionThey on saddle the sheds and that shrunken corrals, passed he The boots body. reached an open yard. And then, wore would be about size eleven. almost before seeing them, , they " Cash Cameron was in the kitchen were upon three men standing motionless in front of a bunk house trying unfamiliarly to get together door. The door was open. No light a meal in his own house, and as Walt Gandy entered, he asked, showed inside. ' You know anything about Hollister swung off. Gandy waityoung fellow? behind walked in close him. ed, then Behind Gandy, Bill Hollister came Cash Cameron turned his white in then with an armful of wood. just head. The boy, Paul Champion, was Sure he does, Bill said. I sufon his left. The short figure on his right was one Walt could not recall fered his cooking for a couple of years and lived through. Guess we having seen before. can stand it for a few days. . Place has been searched, Bill, All the buildings. said Cameron. Walt swung around from hanging Someone while we were gone. his hat on a peg near the door. HoUntil that moment Walt did not llister continued. Were short on see a fourth figure which had re- cooks, but I dont want to bring a mained crouched back on the dark new man out here noW. Ive got doorstep. It rose as the ranch own- an idea that well talk about later. er spoke, came out with a scuffling Go ahead, Walt. You take the job. limp, and the twisted body of the deAs Gandy peeled out of his coat formed man seemed at night more and rolled up his shirt sleeves, the gruesome than ever. He dragged other cowpuncher who had stood at past within touching distance, slant- Cash Camerons right hand out ed his sunken eyes up in a direct there in the dark, emerged from a stare into Gandys, yet showed no lean-t- o storage room with a gunny-sac- k recognition. full of potatoes balanced on Walt had thought this afternoon his left shoulder. He walked on that the man was more than a little short legs, bandy enough to fit the off; he changed the opinion now. roundest horse ever born. A calf Something with a worse twist than could jump between them and not insanity looked out from those scrape his boots. His face was He caught the fed-in-g deep eye-pitand now solof a mind as warped as the homely, emnly intent upon the job of carrybody. ing potatoes.' What about Bent? Hollister (TO BE CONTINUED) Marked Man 4 asked, indicating the retreating fig THE CHEERFUL CHERU5 we PerVyfc.pj tJl could do $re.t tkiryjo rbe to lofty 3t.tior$ , . And If we could juyt Our dubious rektiorvs 4 w. ranch-owner- raw-bone- WNU Service. Strange Facts V Large Possessions Five Men to a Tree Early Invitation C. Based on prewar areas, Hollands colonial empire is 60 times as large as The Netherlands, the Belgian Congo is 80 times as large as Belgium, the French possessions are 22 times as large as France, and British territory throughout the world is 140 times as large as Great Britain. C In Algeria, as many as four or five Berbers may own a single fig tree, one man possessing its roots, one its trunk and the other two or three its various branches. L Those who contributed gifts last year to the Crypt of Civilization at Oglethorpe university in Atlanta, Ga., have been given an imperishable metal card that en, titles any descendant, of the 187th generation, to attend the opening at noon on May 28, 8113. Collier's. QGQ60OGO0O DEPARTMENT, PERSONALS , .... EVERT WOMANS FRIEND Dr. Murrays Hygienic Powder. Sample by man. 10c (coin). MURRAY MED. CO., 4200 Melrose Are., HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. Speech of the Soul Utterance is not confined to words. 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But kidneys sometimes lag in their work do not act as Nature intended fail to remove impurities that, if retained, may Soison the system and upset the whole machinery. Symptoms may be nagging backache, persistent headache, attacks of dizziness, getting up nights, swelling, puffiness under the eyes a feeling of nervous nxiety and loss of pep and strength. Other signs of kidney or bladder disorder are sometimes burning, scanty or too frequent urination. There should be no doubt that prompt li wiser than neglect. Use Doan t Pillt. Doan' a have been new friends for more than fortywinning years. They save a nation-wid- e Art recommended by gratefulreputation. people the country over. Atk your ntighoorl |