The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-01-24

| WOulu De as Weu 10 put HILle SCeneIJ
between himself and that particular
locality, and he started back up the
hill. Once he pulled up as If he would
go back, but he thought better Of 1t.
1t was out of the question to turn
those cattle loose. He could not kill
them and dispose of the bodies, not
when there were seven of them. He
might go down and blotch the brands
so that they would not read anything
at all. He had thought of that before
and decided against it. That would
put those three on their guard and
would probably not benefit him in the
long run. They would work the brands
on other cattle.
He hunched forward in the saddle
and let Rather choose his own trail
up the hill. Though he did not know
it, trouble had caught Billy Louise in
that same place and had sent her for
ward with dropping shoulders and a
mind so absorbed that she gave no at
tention to her horse. But that is mere.
ly a trifing coincidence. The thing he
|
Gated than Lilly Louise's problem.
Should he go straight to Seabeck and
tell him what he had found out! He
did not know Seabeck, except as he
had met him once or twice on the trail
and exchanged trivial greetings and
few words about the weather. Besides,
Seabeck would very soon find out
There it stood at his shoulder. grin
ming at him malevolently-hi past. 1t
tied his hands. Buck Olney he could
deal with single handed, for Olney had
the fear of him that is born of a
guilty conscience. He could send Buck
"Over the road" whenever he chose to
tell some things he knew. He could do
it without any cOmpunctions too. Buck
Olney, the stock inspector, deserved no
none if ever they met where Ward
would have a chance at him.
Olney he could deal with alone, but
with the evidence of those rebranded
cattle and the testimony of two men,
together with the damning testimony
stared heavily at the pine slope before
him. He could not go to Seabeck and
tell him anything. In the black hour
of that ride he could not think Of any
thing that he could do that would
save him.
,, And then quite suddenly in his des-
peration he decided upon something.
> lie laughed hardly, turned Rather back
from the homeward trail and returned
to the corral in the canyon. "They
started this game, and they've put it
up to me-" he told himself grimly,
and they needn't squeal if they burn
their own fingers"
: He hurried, for he had some work
ahead Of him, and the sun was sliding
past the noon mark already. He reach
ed the corral and went about what he
had to do as If he were working for
wages and wanted to give good meas.
u ure
Z First he rebuilt the little fire Just
= outside the corral where the cattle
i could not trample it, but where one
: might thrust a branding iron into its
Il midst from between the rails. When
it was going properly he searched Ger.
tain likely hiding places and found an
iron still warm from previous service
n He thrust it into heat, led Rather into
J. the corral and closed the gate securely
q behind him. Then he mounted, took
e down his rope and widened the loop
while his angry eyes singled out the
animal he wanted first.
Ward was not an adept with run
ming iron" He was honest, whatevel
men might say of him. But he knew
how to tie down an animal and h'
sacrificed part of his lariat to get tht
short rope he needed to tie their fee
together He worked fast-no tellin,
what minute some one might come ant
catch him-and he did his work well
far better and neater than had hi
predecessors.
When he left that corral he smiled
Before he had ridden very far up tn
bluff he stopped, looked down at tn
long suffering cattle and smiled agail
| sardonically. One could read thei
| brands easily from where he sat on hi
| horse. They were not blOtched; the,
| were very distinct. But they were no
| Yes within that corral. There wer
other brands which might be made O
Y6 monogram by the judicious ad
dition of mark here and q mar
there.
There, hang yuh, chew on tha
awhilev' he apOstrophized the absen
three. He turned away and rode bac
once more toward home.
Rather turned naturally into the ira
which ran up the creek to the ranct
. but Ward Immediately turned him ou
" Of 1t. "We aren't going to Overloo
= any bets, old timer" he said griml
and crossed the creek at a point wher
ID it was too rocky to leave any hoo
In prints behind them. He rode up th
n lower point of the ridge beyond an
IS followed the crest of 1t on the sid
r. away from the valley. When he reacI
N ed point nearly opposite his cabin b
h, dismounted, unbuckled his spurs an
d. slipped their chains over the saddl
1t horn. Then he went forward afoot I
ID recOnnoiter. He was careful to avoi
In rock or gravelly patches and to wal
r always on the soft grass, which mul
fed his steps.
he In wise he made his way to th
ID top ., ls ridge, where he could loo
IL down upon the cabin and stable an