Meade County news., 1918-03-07
CHAPTER VIII.
'rYou Won,t Get Me AaaIn.n

NNE day late In the fall Ward wa
~ riding the hills Off to the nortl
and west of his claim, looking a
the condition of the range there anC
keeping an eye out for Y6 cattle. HI
had bought another dozen head Of
mixed stock over toward Hardup, anG
they were not yet past the point OF
gtraying of their new range. So, hav
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 a
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
30 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 Rather behind the rock he had
been at some pains to ride around.
7 Ward was cowpuncher. He knew
the tricks Of the trade 80 well that he
did not wonder what was going on
down there. He knew. He was 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 sheriff must be guilty
Of a most heinous crime. That was
his code-to let every fellow have a
chance to work out his own salvation
or damnation as he might choose.
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 d.
vided them. Instinctively his hand
went to the gun on his hip. 1t was a
long pistol shot, and he was afraid he
might miss, for Ward was not a wiz
ard with gun, much as should like
to misrepresent him as a dead shot
He was human, just like yourself. He
could shoot pretty well, great deal
better than lots Of men who do more
boasting than he ever did, but he fire.
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
Rrate him forever from that future
where stood his air castles.
He let down the hammer with his
thumb, slid the gun back into its hol-
bter 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
q splinter of rock and watched. He
had no plan, but his instinct impelled
him to closely watch Buck Olney.
Another man came into view down
there In the corral He also stood
plainly revealed, and Ward gave
little snort of contemptuous surprise
when he recognized him. After that
he studied the situation with scowling
brows. This other man either upset
his conclusions or complicated his
manner Of dealing with Buck Omey.