The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-12-09
CHAPTER XVII.
The RustIer.

6S thisT he demanded
sharply.
'"Bout an hour ago"
|. returned the Circle Y
man. II was rustiin' UP
thsse strays down IN the basin an
bcadfn' them toward the crick when I
runs plum into . man from the Three
Bar outht- He was plum excited over
". Bald they'd ketched ors.sy down
by the Narrows some time after noon
an" -
But ths Circle man finished TO the
empty air. for Hollis's pony had ieaped
forward into a cloud Of dust, running
desperately.
The Circle Y man sat erect. startled.
We'll. I'll be- he began. speaking
to Potter.
But tho printer was following his chief
and was aleady out Of hearing.
Now what do you supposs"--- again
began the Circle Y man. and then fell
silent. suddenly sm'ttsn with the use
lessness Of speech.
He yelled At his saunt stssrs and
shifted the calf In front Of him to Q
moro comfortable position. Thsn ne
proceeded on his way. But 40 he rode
his lips curled. his eyes narrowed ana
speech again returned to him.
Now why would Q man get 90 e.
cited over hearln' that some one was
goin' to .tring up a measiy rustierf'
Tho Interrogation remained unan-
swered. The Circle Y man continued
on his way. Watching tho fast dlsap-
nearing dust clouds on the Circle Bar
trail.
when Hollis reached the Circle par
ranch house there WAS no one about.
He rode up to the front sallery and dis
mounted. thinking that perhaps Norton
would be In the house. But before he
had crossed the gallery Mrs. Norton
came to the door. She was pale and
laboring under great excitement. but In
stantly OWNED Hollis's srrsnd.
They've taken him down TO the COT
tonwood!' she told Hollis. pointing
toward the grove In which Hollis had
tried the six-shooter that Norton had
given him the nrst day after his arrival
at tho ranch. They are going to
hang him! Hurry"
Hons was back IN the sadfis In an m
slant and racing his pony down past the
bunk house at breakneck speed. He
urged tho little animal across an inter
vening stretch OF plain. up a slight riss.
down into shallow valley. and into tho
cottonwood. riding recklessy through
tho trees and urging tho pony at a
headlons pace through tho underbrush-
crashing II down. soaring the rattlers
from their conceaiment and startling
the birds from their lofty retreats.
For ten minutes he rode az no had
never ridden before. And then he came
upon them. They stood at tho base OF
hr-balsam. whose gnarled limbs
spread natly outward--three Circle Bar
men, half dozen from the various
outfits whose herds grazed his range.
and the rustler---Creasy-a rope knot
ted about his neck. standing directly
under one Of the outspreading limbs OF
tho tree. his head bowed. but his face
wearing n hooking. defiant grin.
The rope had been thrown over the
limb and several men were holding IT..
preparatory TO drawing II taut. Nor
ton was standing near. his face pale.
his lips straight and grim with deter
minatlon, Apparently Hollis had ar
rived Just In time.
None OF tho men moved from their
places when Hollis dlsmounted. but all
looked at him as though expecting him
to express approval of what they were
about to do. Several lowered their
gaze with embarrassment when they
saw that no did not approve.
What is all this about. NortonT' he
asked, speaking to tho latter. who had
stepped forward and now stood beside
Greasy,
Whatever excitement had resulted
from tho sudden discovery that his men
had captured rustler and were about
TO hang him. together with the strain
of his hard ride to the cottonwood, had
' disappeared. and HolliSs voice was