The Arizona copper camp., 1920-12-11
The STRANGE CASE OF CAVENDISH

We'd better both of us hold 'em up. (
can hear the creak of the wheels now,
so maybe you best slide down. Is the
outfit loaded?"
Travelling light, I should say" and
Westcott, after one more glance, crept
down the sand heap and joined the
waiting man below. Both stood intent
and ready, revolvers drawn, listening.
The heavy wheels grated in the sand,
the driver whistling to while away the
dreary pull and the horses breathing
heavily. Moore pulled them up with a
jerk as two figures leaped into view,
his whistle coming to an abrupt pause.
"H-rs fire" was all he said, staring
dumbly down into Brennan's face over
the front wheel "Where in Sam Hill
did you come from?"
''T'm the one to ask questions, son."
returned the little marshal, the vicious
blue barrel shining in the sunlight,
land the smarter you answer the less
reason I shall have to hurt yer. Don't
reach for that gun! Are you travelling
alOne?"
Moore nodded, his hands up, but
still grasping the reins.
'Then climb down over the wheel.
Jim, take look under that canvas :;
Moore, here, is generally genial sort
o. liar and we'd better be sure. All
right-hey? Then dismount, Matt, and
be quick about it. Now unbuckle that
belt and hand the whole outfit over to
Westcott; then we'll talk business to-
gether."
He showed his own weapon back into
Its holster and faced the prisoner, who
had recovered from his first shock of
surprise and whose pugnacious temper
was beginning to assert itself Bren-
nan read this in the mans sulky, de-
fiant glance, and his lips smiled
grimly.
Getting bullish, are you, Matt?" he
said, rather softly. "Goin' ter keep a
close tongue in yer head; so that's the
game? Well, I wouldn't, son, if was
you. Now, see here, Moore" and the
marshal's eyes were like f1ints. You
know me, I reckon, an that I amt
much on boys play. You never heard
tell O. my hittin' anybody just fer fun,
did yer?"
There was no answer.
"An' yer never heard no one say"
went on Brennan, "that 1 was afraid
ter hit when needed to. / reckon also
yer knows what sorter man Jim West
colt is. Now the two ov us amt out
here in this ID Shoshone desert
fer the fun of it-not by jugful. Get
that fact into yer head, son, an maybe
it'll bring yer some sense. Do yer get
me?''
"Yes," sullenly and reluctantly.
"but yer haven't got nuthin' on me-"
"Oh, haven't I? You drove a young
woman out here from Haskell night
afore last for Bill Lacy. Amt alb
duction no crime? An that's only one
count. I've had an eye. on you for
more'n six months, an Lacy's been
making a cat'spaw out of you all that
time. Well, Lacy is playin' his last
hand right now, an I've got the
cards." The marshal paused, fully
aware that ne had struck home, then
added quietly: "It alters struck me,
Matt, that naturally you was pretty
decent fellow, but had drifted in with
a bad crowd. I'm offering you now a
chance to get straight again." He
threw back his coat and exhibited his
star. eyer see, / amt just talkin' ter
yer as Dan Brennan-Im the law.'
The boy, for he was scarcely more
than that in years, shuff1ed his feet
uneasily, and his eyes wandered from
Brennan to Westcott The look Of sui
len defiance had vanished.
"Wotcher wanter ask?"
"Who was with you the out-trip,
along with Miss Donovan?"
'"Joe Sikes."
"And yer left him back there, guard.
ing the girl?"
''He stayed; them was the orders,
while I was to bring back the team !;
but reckon he won't need to do no
guardin' to speak Of, fer we run inter
bunch O. fellows"
"How many are they?"
maybe dozen; don't just know 50
"What was done with the young
lady?"
Moore spat vindictively into the
sand, digging hole with his heel. He
had talked already more than he in
tended, but what was the difference?
"Cateras took her." he admitted,
"but don't know whar. tried ter find
out whar she was, but nobody'd tell
me. Then had ter pull out" Z
Westcott interjected a question.
"What's the valley like, an how do
you get into it?"
"Well, I'd say it was just sort O.
sink in the desert, a kinder freak.
Anyhow, I never saw nuthin' like it
afore. The walls is solid rock, almost
straight up an down, but thar's con-
siderable stream f1Owin' down thar
that just bursts out hole in the
rock, an plenty O. grass fer quite a