Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-01-22
CHAPTER VIII.
"You Won't Get Me Again"

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, ana
they were not yet past the point of
straying off their new range. So, hav-
ing keen eyes and the incentive to use
them, be paid attention to stock tracks
in the soft places, and he saw every
thing within the sweep of his vision,
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 it wa,
hidden from sight. He saw that there
were cattle within it, however, and
two men at work there. And by
nose of a horse beyond jutting ledge
sixty yards or so away and the crown
of hat showing just above the ledge.
A lookout, hef judged instantly and
pulled Rather behind the rock he had
been at some pains to ride around.
Ward was a cowpuncher. He knew
the tricks of the Grade so well that he
did not wonder what was going Oh
down there. He knew. He was tempt
ed to DO as Billy Louise had done
ride Oh 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 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
be 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 oown again curiously
A man walked out into the center of
the corral and stood there in the re-
vealing sunlight. Wards eyes bored
ike gimlets through the space that di
vided them. Instinctively his hand
went to the gun ON his hip. 1t was
long pistol shot, and he was afraid he
might miss, for Ward was not a wiz
ard with a gun, much as l should like
to misrepresent Linn 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 fire.
quently missed He measured the dis
lance with his mind while the man
stood there talking to some one I'M
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 anothel
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 its 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
him 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 surprise
when he recognized him. After that
brows. This other man either upset
his conclusions or complicated his
manner 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
man were implicated he could not be-
tray one without betraying the other.
And if the business down there in the
corral were lawful. then he must think
of some other means. At any rate, the
thing to do now was TO make sure.
The two in the corral came out and
closed the gate behind them, aud the
first man kicked apart the embers of
a small fire and afterward busted him
self with the ground, either looking for
tracks or covering them up. They
came little way along the side of the
bluff. mounted and rode up toward
where the lookout waited And one of
them rode a dark bay and was slim
and tall and wore gray hat.
Ward glanced at Rather standing
half asleep with reins dropped to the
ground. He reached out, took the
reins and led the horse farther down
under the shelter of the ledge. Rat
tier pricked up his ears at the sound
of those other riders, but he did not
show enough interest to nieker a greet
Ing. He was always a self conferred
beast and was content to so his way
alone. like his master
Ward stood up, where be could see
the rim of the bluff over the ledge of
lava rock. He might get a closer view