The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-28
Ferguson told him of the girl The

questioned.
u stayed In cabin down at Mace
which heard the girl say was called
Bear Flat. I didn't ketch the name of
the man. -
| Stafford grinned coldly. ~ reckon
they didn't know what you come over
here for?"
Il didn't advertise" returned Far.
guson quietly.
III you had" declared Stafford. his
eyes glinting with interest. you
would have found things plum lively.
Ben Radford's the rustler I'm vantin'
you to put out Of business!"
! Ferguson could not Withhold a slight
start. Yet in the next instant his
face was inscrutable. "Well now"
he said, that sure would have made
things interestin'. An 80 Radford's
the man, an that's where he lives?'
Stafford filled and lighted his pine.
I'm takin' Dave Leviatt's word for
! it." he said.
who's Leviatt?" queried Ferguson
my range boss" returned Stafford.
Hes been ffdtn' sign on Radford an
says he's responsible for all the cattle
! that we've been missin' for the last
six months
Ferguson deliberately rolled a cigar
cite. He lighted 1t, and pulled for a
moment in silence, the manager watch.
ing him.
Back at Dry Bottom" said Fer
guson presently, there was a man
shootin' at can when struck town.
He put Ave bullets through it. Was
that your range boss?"
Stafford smiled. THAT was Leviatt."
he said, my range boss We went
over to Dry Bottom to get gun
| fighter. We wanted a man who could
shoot plum quick Radford's lightning
with six. Leviatt said shootin' at
can would be good way to find
man. Gettin' you proved he was
| right"
| Fergusons face was mask OF i'm
mobility. Where's Leviatt now?" he
questioned.
up the Ute with the outfit"
He amt been here lately?"
mot since day before yesterday"
| "Um-m. You're givin' me a free
hand?"
"Of course"
Ferguson stepped away from the
door. I'm looAin' around a little"
he said, ito kind Of size up things.
| don't want YOU to put me with the
outfit. That strike you right?''
Pm hirin' you to put rustler out
of business" returned Stafford. II
amt tellin' you how it ought to be
done"
Ferguson nodded. He went to tho
corral fence. unhitched his pony,
mounted, and rode out on the plains
in the direction of the river.
Stafford watched him until he was
a mere dot on the horizon. Then he
smiled and went into tho Office.
Nv
Upon the morning of day during
! the second week of Ferguson's con-
nection with the Two Diamond ranch
| the range boss rode in to make re-
| port to Stafford The meeting took
| place in the managers office. No cat
| tie had been missed. The manager
was plainly pleased
81 reckon Ferguson's dom q little
/ good,' he said.
Leviatts eyes glittered coldly. "If
you call ridin' around with Mary Rad
| ford dom good. why then, he's doin'
it," he snapped
II amt heard that he's dom that"
| returned Stafford.
"I'm tellin' you about it now" said
i Leviatt. Il seen him with her tweed
last week" He sneered. He's a
better ladies' man than gunflghter,"
he said; II reckon we made mis-
| take.
Stafford smiled indulgently. Hes
certainly good locker" he said. 81
reckon some girls would take shine
to him. But l amt questionin' his
shootin' I've been in this country a
long time an | never seen another
man that could bore can six times
while it was in the air.
Leviatt sneered. "He could do that
an not have nerve enough to shoot a
coyote" he returned.
Stafford smiled. Suppose you try
good a way as any to find out If he's
got nerve"
Leviatt's face bloated poisonously,
but he did not answer.
Apparently aware that he had
touched a tender spot, Stafford con-
tinued gently: "Mebbe his game Is to
get in with the girl, figurin' that he'll
be more liable to get chancest at
Radford?"
Leviatt rose abruptly. He'd better
not go to foolin' with Mary Radford,
damn hint" he said.
II reckon that wind is BLOWN in
two directions" grinned Stafford. III
I see him I'll tell him he's to stay
away from your girl"
His smile grew as he watched
Leviatt spur furiously out into the
plains.
Meanwhile Ferguson was taking his
time. Certain things were puzzling
him. Where did Leviatt stand in this
matter? That was part of the mys-
terry Stafford had told him that he
had Leviatt's word that Radford was
the thief who had been stealing the
Two Diamond cattle. Leviatt had
suggested employing gunighter, had
even gone to Dry Bottom with the
manager to help him to find one.
Leyiatt was in the habit OF visiting
the Radford cabin. The girl had told