The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-01-04

locality, and he started back up the
hill. Once he pulled up as If he would
go back, but he thought better of it..
1t was out Of the question to turn
those cattle loose. lie 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 Rattler 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 triling coincidence. The thing he
had to decide was far more cOmpli-
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 Il
few words about the weather. Besides,
Seabeck would very soon find out
There it stood at his shoulder. grin
ming at him malcvolentIy-his 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 lie chose to
tell some things he knew He could do
it without any compunctiOns too. Buck
Olney, the stock inspector, deserved no
mercy at Wards hands and would get
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
of his past! Ward lifted his head and
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.
IEe 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
ure.
First he rebuilt the little fire just
outside the corral where the cattle
could not trample It, but where one
might thrust a branding iron into its
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.
He thrust it into heat, led Rather into
the corral and closed the gate securely
behind him. Then he mounted. took
down his rope and widened the loop,
while his angry eyes singled out the
animal he wanted first
Ward was not an adept with a run
ming iron" He was honest, whatever
men might say Of him. But he knew
how to tie down an animal and he
sacrificed part of his lariat to get the
short rope he needed to tie their feet
together. He worked fast-no telling
what minute some one might come and
catch him-and he did his work well,
far better and neater than had his
When he left that corral he smiled |
Before he had ridden very far up the
bluff he stopped, looked down at the
long suffering cattle and smiled again
brands easily from where he sat on his
horse. They were not blotched; they
were very distinct. But they were not
Yes within that corral. There were
other brands which might be made of
4 Y6 monogram by the judicious ad-
lition of a mark here and a mark
there.
There, hang yuh, chew on that
lwhile! he apostrophized the absent
-hree. He turned away and rode back
)nce more toward home
Rather turned naturally into the trail
which ran up the creek to the ranch,
Jut Ward Immediately turned him out
If it. eve aren't going to overlook
my bets, old timer" he said grimly
md crossed the creek at a point where
t was too rocky to leave any hoof
,rints behind them. He rode up the
over point Of the ridge beyond and
ollowed the crest of it ON the side
way from the valley. When he reach
d point nearly opposite his cabin he
unbuckled his spurs and
Tipped their chains over the saddle
orn. Then he went forward afoot to
econnoiter. He was careful to avoid
ock or gravelly patches and to walk
lways on the soft grass, which muf-
ed his steps.
In this wise he made his way to the
op Of the ridge, where he could look
own upon the cabin and stable and