The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-07-23
UP THE CANYON
BY ISABEL FROST.

East, all preparing to outfit for ten
days trip up through the canyon. Yet
they were not prospectOrs. She could
tell that. Neither were they tourists.
There was an air of businesslike di-
| rection and understanding among
them which piqued her curiosity.
| Three of them went out to look at
| some new pack saddles her father had
| just got from Denver. The fourth lit
q cigarette and read some Of the no
tees posted on the side wall. Meg
knew those notices by heart. Some
were months old. The most recent
| was the description of Tad Logan and
| the reward offered by the state for the
| taking of Tad, dead or alive.
"Going after it?" she asked lacon-
ically.
| He did not appear startled, but
sauntered over toward her with a
CLEAN of humor in his hazel eyes.
"How long has that been up there?
"AbOut q week. Have you heard
about it from where you came from"
"Just an item in the Denver papers"
| he replied. "Just kid, wasn't he?
Did you know him?"
Meg eyed him warily, but her smile
was bland and pleasant.
| "Well not very WELL" She replaced
the cover on the box Of dried apricOts.
"Of course, he used to come in here
for supplies. Everyone does who trav-
els north of Pixies Peak. We don't
think he's round here now, though.
He'd make for the Park and get over
the line into Wyoming. There amt no
| one around here but believes he hand
ed the Stolz boys all they were asking
for"
| Ten minutes later the four strangers
RODE away without q guide. Meg
| watched them from the doorway OF
| Dawley's General Emporium for Out
| filters Supplies. And suddenly she felt
two arms reach from behind her about
her waist and she leaned her head
| back on Tad's shoulder with a sigh of
relief
| "What do you suppose those fellows
wanted Tad?' she asked anXiOusly.
II bet they were looking for YOU"
| Tad grinned. He was d medium
sized youngster with curly, sandy hair,
blue eyes and a face that any motion
picture hero might have envied. He
had not hidden from local scrutiny
since the little trouble with the StOlz
boys. Public opinion was entirely with
him, and Tad offered no explanations
one way or the other. He was the last
person seen with the StOlz boys. They
had both disappeared, absolutely, from
mortal ken.
1t was, six days later that one Of the
strangers came back to Dawley's on
horse with sprung knees. AS he
swung out of the saddle, Meg saw that
he walked with a limp and one arm
hung loosely.
| She listened while he told her IA
Their how he and the fellow with the
cigarette had separated from their two
companions, each taking a different
trail. They had prowled around
through the canyon and each had fin
ally struck on the footprints of man.
Following them YEARLY, each had at
last arrived within aiming distance OF
man and had triumphantly pot
shotted his brother detective, thinking
he was Tad Logan.
''Pve left my pal with the other two
men and come down here for help. It's
q rotten hole up through there. l land
| ed my pony in badger holes twice, and
guess it's done for. Seen anything
of Logan?"
And just at this crucial moment Tad
himself came sauntering over from
the wagon shed, singing gayly.
| The stranger reached back for his
holster, but old Dawley's hand gripped
his wrist, and Tad had him covered in
an instant.
Meaning no harm to you," old man
Dawley said, gently, "but we don't let
strangers go pulling no guns around
here without explanations. This boys
my future son-in-law. He's Tad Logan.
What's it to your
The other man spoke steadily, firm
ly, his keen eyes fixed on Tad.
logan, I arrest you for the muir
der of Hans and Gus StolZ, cattlemen,
and order you to surrender in the
name of the law"
Tad grinned pleasantly.
'"That's all right, old man." he said.
81 don't blame you bit. Do you want
to see the bodies?" asked Tad with
sudden solemnity, dropping his tone.
81 can take you to the direct spot"
Meg watched the three ride away,
her father, Tad and the stranger.
Straight up the canyon Tad led the
way. Up and up until the trail became
a two-foot ledge clinging to the side of
the precipitous cliff. Finally, Tad
swung off his horse and lay fiat down
on the path. He rolled some stones
over the edge into the abyss below and
a call came back in a faraway voice.
"That's GUS" he said. "Hans is most
likely asleep. That's all they do down
there-sleep and eat and wait for me
to lower down food to them. They got
me out on this trail and the two of
them started backing their horses to
force JinX, my pony, over the ledge.
Instead of which Jinx showed them,
and I helped a little. Maybe that's
murder, but / thought 1t would do
I them good to stay there for while.
| They're only bruised a bit. Do you
think this will delay the wedding