The Monticellonian., 1918-03-29
CHAPTER VIII.
"You Won't Get Me Aoain."

riding the hills off to the north
 and west of his claim, looking at the condition of the range there and keeping an eye out for Y6 cattle. He had bought another dozen head of mixed stock over toward Hardup, and they were not yet past the point of straying off their new range. So, hay ing keen eyes and the incentive to use them, he paid attention to stock tracks in the soft places, and he saw every thing within the sweep of his vision, and, since the day was clear and fine, his range of vision when he reached high point extended to the Three Buttes away out in the desert.
 By sheer accident he rode up to the canyon where the little corral lay hid den at the end and looked down. And since he rode up at an angle different from the one Billy Louise had taken the corral was directly beneath him so directly. in fact, that half of 1t was hidden from sight. He saw that there were cattle within it, however, and two men at work there. And by chance he lifted his eyes and saw the nose of horse beyond jutting ledge sixty yards or so away and the crown of hat showing just above the ledge. A lookout, he judged instantly and pulled Rattler behind the rock he had been at some pains to ride around.
 Ward was a cowpuncher. He knew the tricks of the trade so well that he did not wonder what was going on down there. He knew. Hewas tempt ed to do as Billy Louise had done ride on and pass up knowledge which might be disagreeable, for Ward was not one to spy upon his fellows, and the man whom he would betray into the hands of a sheriff must be guilty of most heinous crime. That was his code-to let every fellow have chance to work out his own salvation or damnation as he might choose. 1 don't suppose there was anything he hated worse than an informer.
 He got behind the rock, since he had no great desire to be shot, and he dis covered that his view of the corral was much palmer than from where he had first seen it. He looked behind him for an easy retreat to the sky line, and then before he turned to ride away he glanced down again curiously.
 A man walked out into the center of the corral and stood there in the re- vealing sunlight. Wards eyes bored like gimlets through the space that di vided them. Instinctively his hand went to the gun on his hip. It was a long pistol shot, and he was afraid he might miss, for Ward was not wiz ard with a gun, much as I should like to misrepresent him as dead shot. He was human, just like yourself. He could shoot pretty well, a great deal better than lots of men who do more boosting than he ever did, but he ire quently missed. He measured the dis tance with his mind while the man stood there talking to some one un- seen. To look at Wards face you would have sworn that the man was doomed. but something held Wards finger from crooking on the trigger. The man had his back turned squarely toward the gun. Ward waited. The man did not move He waited another minute, and then he opened his lips to shout And when his lips parted for the call that would bring the fellow facing him Wards tricky brain snap ped before his eyes the face of Billy Louise.
 He lowered the gun. He could not shoot when he knew that the bullet would split a gulf between himself and the girl-a gulf that would sep arate him forever from that future where stood his air castles.
 He let down the hammer with his thumb, slid the gun back into it's hol- ster and dismounted, with glance to- ward the place where the lookout was stationed. He was sure he had not been seen, and so he crouched behind a splinter of rock and watched. He had no plan, but his instinct impelled hi1a to closely watch Buck Olney.
 Another man came into view down there in the corral. He also stood plainly revealed. and Ward gave a little snort of contemptuous surprlse when he recognized him. After that he studied the situation with sowing bro,ys. This other man either upset b;- conclusions or complicated his .na,ner of dealing with Buck Olney. Ward would not have hesitated one second about putting the sheriff on the trail of Buck, but if the second mn were implicated he could not be- tray one without betraying the other And if the business down there in the coirnl were lawful, then he must think of tt,me other means. At any rate the thing to do now was to make sure.
 Tie two in the corral came out and closld the gate behind them. and the frs man kicked apart the embers of a small fire and afterward busied him. self with the ground, either looking for tracks or covering them up. They came a little way along the side of the