Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-07-12

lie was sitting up in the bunk, and he
was pointing his big forty-five at her
relentlessly. "Get up from there ~ he
ordered sternly. "Don't try any game
like that on me, Buck Olney! Get up
and go over and sit in that chair. I've
got few things to say to you"
Billy Louise somehow grasped the
truth, up to a certain point. Ward was
sick; so sick he didn't know her.
She thought she would better humor
him. She got up and went and sat in
the chair as he directed.
Ward, keeping the gun pointing her
way, sneered at her in a way that
made the soul of Billy Louise crimple.
She faced him big-eyed, too amazed
at the change in him to feel any fear
that he would harm her. He had whis-
kers two inches long. She wouldn't
have known him except for his hair
and that was terribly tousled: and his
eyes, though they were wild and angry.
His voice was hoarse, and while he
glared at her, he coughed with a hard
croupy resonance.
$50 you came back, did yuh?" he
asked grimly at last. "Well, you didn't
get a chance to plug me in the back.
How long did you lay up there on the
bluff this time, waiting to catch me
when l wasn't looking? I've been wish
ing I'd left that rope so it would have
hung you, you -w (Billy Louise
listened round-eyed to certain man.
sized epithets strange to her ears.)
81 suppose you and Foxy and that
halfbreed have been fixing up some
more evidence, huh? You figure that
/ can't catch 'em this time and work
the brands over, so they'll stand Yes,
and I'll get railrOaded to the pen.
Well. you've overplayed your hand,
old-timer. let you fellows down easy,
last time. don't reckon Foxy object
ed much to those few / turned back to
him, and 1 don't reckon you did any
kicking when you found I'd cut the
rope so it wouldn't hold your rotten
carcass. You can't let well enough
alone, though. You thought you'd raise
me, did you? You thought you'd come
back and try another whack at me be-
hind my back You knew hanged well
/ wasn't the Kind of man that would
jump the country. You knew you'd
find me right here, attending to my
business like I've always done.
"But you've oyerplayed your hand.
This time Pm going to get you-and
Foxy and the breed along with you. 1t
was a rotten trick, running Yes over
Seabeck's brand. If | hadn't caught
you in the act, you'd have planted
them cattle where all HI couldn't
have saved me when they were found
If hadn't caught you at 1t and run
NIX monograms over the whole cheese
I'd have been up against it for fair
So now you're going to get what's com.
ing to yuh. won't take any chances
on your not trying it again. I'm going
to protect myself right.
"You throw that gun on the bed
| chilly Louise did so, her eyes still
upon Wards flushed face.) "Now, gel
down that tablet from the shelf
Here's a pencil" He drew one from
under his pillow and tossed it toward
her. Nov you write the truth abou
all this rustling. It's a bigger thing
than shows right in this neighborhood
know that. And l know, too. tina
Foxy has been pulling down some OF
the side. He never paid for all th'
stock that's running around vented
and rebranded MIX. I've got that size,
up. Pretty smooth trick, too heal
better than working brands. He ough
to have been satisfied with that-but |
crook never is satisfied. / knew b
wasn't the tenderfoot he tried to max
out, and when saw some of his stoc
and that gate fixed to ring a bell whe
it was opened, knew he was crool
But he made big mistake when h
threw in with you, you
~ want you to write down tn
truth about that Hardup deal; VIII
was in with you. know, all right, bu
/ want it down on paper. And l wan
to know how long Foxy's been in wit
you, and who's working the game o
, the outside. Get busy; write it a
! down. I'll give you all the time 20
, need don't leave out anything. Date
: and all, want the whole graft. Don
I try TO get away. I've got this gu