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Show THE RICH COUNTY REAPER. RANDOLPH. UTAH fasST3sfi. Ernest Haycox 7 THE STORY SO FAR: Clay Morgan has decided to play a lone hand against g Ben Herendeen, a rancher bent on the cattle country his own way. The two men have been enemies ior years, having first (ought over Clays wife, Lila, who died hating him and be llevlng she should have married Herendeen. Morgan is a solitary figure, devoted to his daughter, Janet. Although two women, Catherine Grant and Ann McGarrah, are in love with him, they know he cannot forget Lila. Of his former friends,- - only Hack Breathitt has not gone over to Heren-deen- s side. Gurd Grant, Catherines brother, hesitated about Joining Herendeen, bnt became Morgans sworn enemy when he discovered that Catherine had been to his ranch. Hack Breathitt, seen camping with Pete Borders, a rustier, Is being watched by Herendeens men. Now Clay has just learned that run-nln- Government Valley is to be auctioned at Sage City, 190 miles away. Morgan knows Herendeen will be bidding for the land, and he is determined to get it. Meanwhile Hack Breathitt has encountered some of Herendeens men. Now continue with the story. CHAPTER VII Hack Breathitt held himself in the thick shadows by the courthouse corner and saw McGeen and Liard Connor leave the Long Grade saloon. The two of them immediately separated, McGeen turning toward Old Town while Connor traveled to Gentrys stable. More Three Pines riders drifted from the saloon, moving toward the dance hall. Instead of going up the stairs they turned down the black alley between the Odd Fellows Hall and the adjoining saddle Meanwhile shop. Clay Morgan walked down Stage Street with Harley Stewart, these two going into the bank. Hack saw Morgan come out of the bank, and went at once toward his partner. the stable wall, wide of their mark. Mens boots pounded down the Odd Fellows stairway; somewhere a woman screamed. Breathitt was on his horse, racing along the Burnt Ranch road, when, looking back, he saw four Herendeen men rush from the side of the courthouse. McGeen was in front of him, but fading back from Breathitts fire, into the shalt, low alleyway beside the bank. Breathitt went by him, pounding the pony with his spurs. There was a short following fire and afterwards, in the safe darkness beyond town, Breathitts Indian yell sailed up. He was a fugitive then, and knew it; and this was his way of telling them so. Low-ben- Morgan took the desert road as soon as he left War Pass, heading northeast into the open flats. At midnight, from a summit point he looked down upon the breaks of the Crooked River, whose rounded peaks and shale pinnacles and bare ravines lay tangled and disheveled in the moonlight. From this elevation he saw one lone light buried in a far pocket, which was the location of Vane Walrads ranch, and went downgrade into the river canyon. Beyond one in the morning, he sighted a close row of poplar trees beyond the stream. He passed over a swaying cable bridge, the geldings feet booming up enormous ech- - around. Clay? said Morgan, Im riding out. He saw the glitter of Hacks Whats up? gunbelt buckle. Nothin. Nothin at all. Morgan said: Dont let anybody No, push you into the wrong stall, Hack, and turned across the street to his horse. Morgan stepped into the saddle; he kicked his feet into the stirrups, sat there a moment looking ahead of him, and went out of War Pass at a gallop. Hack thought, I ought to be with him. Liard Connor appeared at the bank comer, exactly opposite the point he had disappeared from a few minutes before; whereupon Hack Breathitt crossed Stage Street, passed the hotel and ducked down an alley. At this same moment McGeen stepped from the shadows of the blacksmith shop. He had his head directurned, watching the tion, but whipped around when he heard the strike of Breathitts boots. The two stood here, face to face with half the street between them. Hack didnt say anything. He held his ground, showing McGeen his McGeen swift, malicious grin. pulled up both hands and caught the lapel of his coat, which was his way of showing Hack he didnt want to draw, and afterwards he rolled up the street toward the saloon. Connor was near the door of the Long Grade; he saw McGeen and started down to join him. Breathitts laughter was a soft bubble in his throat. He crossed the street and circled the blacksmith shop at a short, jumpy run. He trotted on around the Odd Fellows building into a small vacant lot adjoining Gentrys saloon. The dance-ha- ll lights fell on the street and, hugging the side of the wall, Hack saw Liard Connor step from Gentrys. Hack was softly laughing again, at Connors back. He said: Wrong way, Liard, and watched Connor jerk around. All right Connor said: all But he wasnt talking to right. Breathitt. Bones McGeen broke out of the shadows near the bank. They had him hipped. Drawing, he had his one single moments choice McGeen on his left or Connor in front of him ; knowing Connor to be the tougher man, he threw his shot that way. Connors head flew up and the sound of Hack Breathitts gun pounded between the walls of the street and was drowned out by Bones McGeens fire- Connor fell on g the walk and pulled himself to his knees; his gun had dropped on the walk and now he crawled forward, trying to reach it, and fell again with his arms stretched out full length, fingers touching the guns butt. Hack Breathitt felt McGeens shots breathe by. He snapped an answer across the street, meanwhile plunging past the open mouth of Gentrys toward his horse. The shadows sheltered him and McGeens shots crushed through the soft wood of half-doze- i 0 tt o o o o o o ;home fron talQhillli evenly spaced pattern and narrow border was tried all these defects seemed to melt away. The long curtains with ruffles on three sides also helped to make the ceiling seem higher. Pink and white striped material to repeat the wallpaper color was used for the as recemmencfaf by tfw (I. S. NUTRITION chair cover and dressing table skirt. The chair is a remodeled U.S. NIIDS USkrr.nH FOOD RULES on. rocker and the orange crate dressOt 00 amomo nem The wagon boss had made up his ing table has hinged arms. Direcmind. He said: No, not a bad ride tions for them may be found on at all. Take that strawberry. pages 4 and 19 of SEWING, AflUTlllONA 5. Book rose at once. His Morgan upper legs had gone stiff; he stamped his feet on the ground and limped over NOTE: Book 8. in the series which Mrs. Corn Flakes are to the white horse. He put his gear Spears has prepared for our readers, is Kelloggs on the strawberry and hit the sad- now ready for mailing. There are 32 restored to Whole Grain pages of these new ideas for homemakers dle. with complete working drawings. Also a At three thirty, with eighteen description of the first seven booklets of Values of Thiamin (Vitamin hours of steady riding behind him, the series. Send your order to: he came upon a main break in the Bi), Niacin and Iron. EveryMRS. RUTH WYETH SPEARS road. One fork led into the southBedford Hills New York east, the other swung toward the one needs these vital food Drawer 10 north. It was now within a half Enclose 10 cents for each book hour of the land office deadline; elements every day. ordered. this at paused junction, scanning Name the forward haze with an anxious Address eye, he made out no kind of a blur on the horizon. This land ran straight into the cloudy mists, flat as a board. A few fresh prints time in the Navy is on showed either road; they were theTelling system. Morning hours alike, these roads, as to the wear are from one to twelve, but afterand tear of usage, and nothing gave noon hours are from 1300 to 2400 him a hunch except that the northSo if you ask a sailor (midnight). ern fork seemed to head more near- the time and he says seventeen, ly toward the spot he thought Sage subtract 12 and you get five City ought to be. oclock in the afternoon. Its simAnd so he took it, but two miles pler if you ask him what cigarette later this road brought up before he smokes. Chances are hell say: the burnt ruin of a ranch house. Camel, for Camel is the favorHe wheeled around, backtracked ite cigarette among Navy men as to the junction and followed the oth- well as among men in the Army, er route. Wagon tracks came from Marines, Coast Guard. (Based on the desert and dropped into the actual sales records from service road, a wavering mens stores.) Local dealers are Greatest Benefactor pattern coming out of nowhere and featuring Camel cartons as gifts He who increases the power to leading apparently nowhere. It was for men in the service from the bear does even more than he who then four oclock and he thought he folks back home. Adv. decreases the burden. had lost his race. Twenty minutes later the desert marched to a rim that fell downward three hundred feet into a valley. The road descended a sharp grade. At the bottom of the grade, straddling the silver streak of a shallow river, lay Sage City, its gray housetops and A CYCLE OF dusty streets making a toy towns BETTERMENT from this elevation. He set pattern the tiring pony into its last run, came down the grade and crossed a wooden bridge. He saw the Advertising gives you new ideas, d buildstreet, the and also makes them available e ings and the spire of a courthouse sitting athwart the far to you at economical cost. As these end of the street. When he reached the courthouse and stepped down, a new ideas become more accepted, pair of men came out of the door. Land office in Morgan said: prices go down. As prices down, TYH m up-stre- et - 7. Who made the Mecklenburg of Independence? Declaration and a canyon taking him down a how long is 8. Approximately a thereafter draw. 1. Shortly The symbol IHS represents rocky the Suez canal? desert of scab rock and sage, smoky what? with falls heat and falls distant 2. What is the meaning of al The Answers brush fires, unrolled before him. fresco? Nowhere did he see a break either 3. How does a meter compare 1. A contraction of the name' the shape of a ranch, or a town, or with a yard in length? Jesus. a moving object. He had his mo4. Where was the legendary ment of tremendous disappoint2. In the open air. of Atlantis supposed to be? island 3. Longer (39.37 inches). ment; and then, completely clear5. Didactic writing is intended 4. West of Europe. ing the canyon, he discovered, on his n chiefly to what? 5. To teach. right, a chuck wagon and a riders seated around it. 6. Which of the following is a 6. Porpoise. 7. Citizens of North Carolina. He pulled over at once, but re- mammal barracuda, porpoise or 8. One hundred miles. mained in the saddle until the wag- shark? on boss said: Get off and pitch in. He stepped stiffly from the saddle, ON THE found a tin plate and cup at the tail gate of the chuck wagon and helped himself to the pan of short RUTH WYET lltllllli ribs and Dutch-ove- n bread by the fire. He crouched here, drinking IF IT ever seemed to you that down two hot strong cups of coffee the walls and ceiling of an attic without delay, before touching the room were coming down on your solid food. The mark of the long head know how the owner of you ride was on him and oh the big this room felt before she began to jaded horse, and Morgan knew that experiment a bit with wallpaper the crew, sprawled idly under the and furnishings. sun, saw all this and were making samples of wallpaper Large their guesses. A man on the run, were in place to test thumbtacked finished He would be they thinking. when with tiny a them. Only paper his meal and tapered a cigarette and lay back on the ground, propped up by an elbow. This food hit him like a shot of whisky. It took the heaviness out of his muscles, it made him cheerful. But he was increasingly pushed by the sense of and they give yon wasting time. He said: Which way The Questions VMM long-reachi- quick-followin- Atmuen - to Sage City? The wagon boss drawled : Theres a trail about five miles over yonder. Keep on it. I hear old man Lowry aint in good health. Morgan thought about that. The brand on the big white horse was Running L. Maybe that was whht the puncher was talking about. He said: Never met him. Ive been on the trail since last night at nine oclock, from War Pass. I swapped horses at Crooked River, and roped this one off the grasslands. What I need is a fresh horse for the ride into Sage City. Ill be back this way day after tomorrow. Not a bad ride, said the wagon boss idly, and let the silence come ' Stayin wnu- Release quiz with answers offering information on various subjects pounded between the walls of the street. oes from the planking. Before he saw the house definitely he began calling: Hello there hello, Wal-rad! There was a yard behind the poplars and the blurred skeletal outline of corrals and wagons and hayracks, and a house almost hidden by the trees. A door slammed. He passed through the poplars to reach a front porch, and held his seat here until Walrads voice came at him, sleepy and uncharitable. Well, who is it? Clay Morgan. Im riding straight through to Sage City, Vane. My horse is going bad. Morgan?" said the man, and was still. Morgan heard a pair of horses stirring in the adjoining corral. One of them softly whinnied, and then the rancher said with a reSure, Clay. viving cordiality, Ill be. back to pick up my horse in two days. Moonlight put a silver, phosphorescent glow to the roads dust. Pulling in for a walk, Morgan looked at his watch and found it to two ; one hour later with be half-pathe moonlight changing and day not far away, he knew his horse was done. Nor could he see the shadow of ranch or house ahead. He let the pony drop to a walk and in this g way covered the next The road climbed to a long roll of land, tipped over the crest and point into a shallow meadow, through which a creek ran with a pale glowing. ' There was a box elder grove here. Coming to the water he let his horse drink; and heard a rustling in the low tree branches. A tall white horse, followed by three others, came out of the covert and stopped. He roped the white horse, saddled it, and left his worn out pony to graze. At noon the country changed again, the pines dropping behind st time-eatin- half-hou- r. 24-ho- ur wheel-and-ho- of HUMAN half-emp- ty false-fronte- once-whit- go there? They nodded. He passed into a shadowed hall, heard voices through d a doorway, and pushed that door before him. There were only four other men in the room. One of them, standing with his by the rooms side-wa- ll face turned from Morgan at the moment, was Charley Hillhouse. Charley Hillhouse said: Eight thousand, and came about and discovered Morgan. more persons enjoy new ideas. It is a cycle of human betterment, and half-close- (TO BE CONTINUED) it starts with the printed words of a newspaper advertisement. JOIN V THE CIRCLE Q READ THE ADS |