The Arizona copper camp., 1920-11-13

/ y
thar amt no man knows this country
/ better'n he does. Then, why should
Enright an his crowd come yere, un-
less that was fact? They must have
come for something; that lawyer amt
yere on no minin' deal; an no more
has Beaton been layin' round town fer
month doin' nuthin' but drinkin'
whisky. The whole blame outfit is
| right here in Haskell. and they
wouldn't be If this wasn't headquar-
ters. That's good common sense, amt
/ it? What made yer ask me bout Pas
cual Mendez this mornin'? You don't
hook the Mexican up with this affair,
do yer?"
"Sadie told me she heard Enright
speak of him at breakfast; that was
al she heard, just the name"
Sadie? Oh, the red-headed watt
ress at Timmons', you mean? Big
Tins girl?"
/ Donovan forced into the wagon, and
driven off"
And they took the old Shoshone
trail. out past Hennessey's ranch?''
/ $50 she described it. Does that
mean anything?"
Brennan did not answer at once, sit
ting silent, his brows wrinkled, staring
through a creyasse of the rock up the
stream. Finally he grinned into the
anxious face of the other.
DANCED if L know" he said drawl-
ingly. maybe it does, and maybe
again it don't. was sorter putin
this an that together. I never got hold
0y any proof, but Lacy has shipped a
pile o. cattle out o. Villa Real, al
though why he should ever drive his
Fcows there across the desert instead
o. shippin' them here in. Haskell or
Taylorville, never could understand.
That's the/principa1 reason I've got for
an if they be, then the Mexican must
have some kind o. camp out there
in the sand whar he hides between
raids; though, damn If know whar it
can be-" He paused refectively. It'll
oe like hunting needle in the haystack,
Jim but / reckon you an I'll have to
get out that way, an we might have
luck enough to stumble onto the old
devil"
Westcott changed his position, in
advertently bringing his head above
the protection of the rock Instantly
there was a sharp report, and speed
ing bullet grazed his hair, fattening
out against the stone. The rapidity
with which he ducked caused the mar
shall to laugh.
Not hurt, are you? No. That was
"a rifle; Mike isn't such bad shot with
that weapon. He's over there behind
that tree-see the smoke? If the cuss
pokes his head out, I'll try the virtue
of this 45; it ought to carry that far.
Hah there he is; made the bark fly
anyway"
The afternoon wore away slowly,
! the two men realizing more and more
clearly the nature of the siege. Their
0nly safety lay in the protection Of
+ he rocks, as they were now entirely
/ surrounded, and fired upon from
either bank the moment either raised
| head. No attempt was made, how.
ever, to assault their position, nor did
! they often return the fire, desiring to
| preserve for future use their small
supply of ammunition. Brennan re-
NAMED watchful, but silent, brooding
over his plans for the night, but West !,
cott became overpowered by fatigue
and slept quietly for several hours.
The sun was already sinking behind
i the range of mountains when he finally
aroused himself, and sat up. Brennan
greeted him with good-natured grin.
t'Well, do you feel better, Jim?" he
asked pleasantly. Thought I'd let you
| sleep as long as / could, for we've got
some job ahead of us. Sorry thar amt
10 breakfast waitin', fer wouldn't OBJ
! ject ter bit o. ham bone myself. 4
reckon if Lacy coops me up much long,
er he's liable ter win his bet; I'm
plumb near starved out already"
I'm afraid they've got US, Dam"
ooh, 1 don't know; leastwise / ain't
put up no white flag yet. You're
game fer a try at gettin' out o. yere,
amt yer, old man? I've sorter been
| reckonin' on yer"
'Tll take any chance there is re
turned Westcott heartily, staring into
the others face. 'Have you some
planY
Maybe faint that exactly. but I've
been doin' a powerful lot o. thinkin
since you was asleep, Jim, an reckon
we might beat these fellers with
fair show O. luck. This is how / figure
it out. Thar won't be no attack
that's a cinch. Lacy knows we can
shoot, an he also knows we're
marooned yere without food, The cas-
! lest thing is ter starve us out"
''But there are good men in this
camp, iaw-abiding men," interrupted
the miner "Won't they take hand?"
Maybe they might if was free ter
get 'em together; but amt. Most O.
'nm arn ont i'm tha IninoS anyway.