Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-06-08
CHAPTER xX1v.-(continued.)

| "Oo0Sp alltt AiCti1i1tS " AASAS SHoA -
%chaparral beyond which they had left
| the new horses on pasture and beyond
, which an instinct told them they would
find the marauders if they had not al
ready gone on. So when they reached
| that jutting woods they hitched Jess
pony and made their further way with
extreme caution.
That they were not much If any too
late presently the faint odor Of smoke
! gave them assurance, the pungent,
sweet smoke of dried SassafraS boughs,
| and almost at the same ome the
sound of the clearing Of a horses nos
trils came distinct upon the quiet night.
Buck, we'll in the lead, fell back eau
tiously at the sudden glimpse of their
quarry, and the three men held a whls-
pered conference. Hitching their horses.
they crept forward afoot through the
shadow of the trees.
Almost at right angles to the chap
arral grove ran the edge of the larger
woods just within whose shelter the
two men. with Jess and their tethered
horses. still fingered with a reckless
ness scarcely to be credited.
Though their fire burned low it
served to throw into a dim relief the
clustered group of horses and he three
figures more Immediately about it, the
men standing, Jess sitting huddled on
the fallen runk Of a cottonwood tree.
The rumbling voices of the men
reached the listeners in the adjacent
grove. Evidently they argued, almost
quarreled. Once the girl lifted her head
n watched them. Apparently they
reached some decision, for the mar
who was not Grange turned briskly and
started toward the horses further away.
Grange faced the crouching girl. They
could hear what he said to her.
Swear to me, Jess, that you won't
leave this spot fore mornin', an Wen
leave you loose. If you won't swear,
you won't leave 1t nohow, but We'll tie
you so you can't"
Jess paid no attention to the words.
"An We'll fix you SOS you can talk
as much as you is talkin' now" he add
ed, angrily. rs you leaf as we'll as
dumb?'
Still Jess did not speak.
Grange growled an oath. He
stepped back from the fire, stopped,
and took up a coil of rope. AS he did
so the girl sprang forward, and as
he faced her she stood erect, the brand
ing rod, which had been lying near the
fire, clutched in her hand.
She spoke then in fearless anger and
contempt.
If you come near me, you cur, I'll
kill YOU" she cried. What does you
know bout swearin', you lynn thief"
The other man drew near again.
In the name of all Gods devils" he
cried aloud, air you still waitin' here,
Granger"
He seemed to fly into a sudden fury
of evaporation. He jerked the pistol
from it's holster about his waist, and
the click of the trigger sounded clearly.
"Drap that brandin' bar. gal" he
shouted to Jess, or, by God, I'll drap
you"
1t was her that Perry Green lifted
the restraining hand he had been hold
ing on Bucks arm. There was a flash
and al echoing report from the chap
arral, and the man before Jess flung
wide his arms as he pitched forward
the pistol he had held whirling against
the feet of the girl.
Instantly she stopped and seized il
and covered the astounded Grange.
Now come on with your rope" she
cried to him, "but it's going bout you
neck, you coward, an not roun' me-"
Leaping forward, they seized hin
with scarce a show of struggle, bouno
him with the rope he held in his supin.
grasp. and Buck, with a thrust upol
his chest, sent him sprawling backward
upon the ground, where he lay still a:
that other one whom they turned owe
contemptuously with their feet.
Kilrain was holding Jess in his arms
A few minutes later Perry Greer
stood over the r%eplenished fire alone
its light Pickering over the forms upo,
the ground before him, equally silent
though one was living and the othe
dead. Buck had gone back through tn,
woods, guiding his horse upon which
sat Jess, her father riding beside her
until they shoul come to the spo
where they had left Jess own pony.
That was a silent group, too. Witt
her hands resting on the broad horl
Of Bucks saddle Jess sat bendin,
slightly forward as she rode.
Something intimate to her was il
the touch of that saddle-somethinl
intimate in the close presence Of Buck
own young body as he walked at he
feet, his grasp upon the bit. He ha,
hardly spoken a dozen words to hel
but there had been no need of words.
The light in his eyes as he ha,
looked into her own his every motion
now told her of his service and hi
love. She did not hav to ask to knoy
whose hand 1t had been that once agail
had been ready and sure to save he
, from a threatened peril. She did nc
have to ask to know that life he'll
nothing for this mar in all the gamu
of its rich possibilities which he woul
not gladly forego for her and for tina
love which Jess knew, also, he ha,
come to know by the fine sympathy Q
love was his now for the asking.
They left him after he had put he
on her pony, his touch strong, We
tender upon her, his face looking int
hers in the darkness of the midnigh
woods through which she and he" ia
Their went on together.
Perry Green was still standing owe
the fire when Buck got back. Almos
j Immediately thereafter, however, h
. left his position. and, going over to tn
! group of horses, returned with one Q
/ those of the captured men. He locke,
> at Buck.
!, sit up there, Grange" Buck com
. manded.
! But the mar sulked. Perhaps it wa
/ q weak despair that held him dumb an
!. inert.
: sit up, damn you!" called Buc
] again, III now the man twisted himsel
as he was hidden.
The other two eyed him with a grir
disgust.
You know said Buck, what's du
/ you, Bill Grange! Due you over ar
over again! It's the hemp what set
: ties such scores as the Loop has agains
such Is you. But, cause you hav
worked an messed with us, an 'caus
!. you're such u poor excuse for a mar
: an 'caus we're willin' to give you
, chance to keep o u worthless life LIVE
!. from these here diggin's, we're goin'
!, give you q show of winnin' 1t. Tain
mllCh nf a show f'a fr,iA enough hi