Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-13
THARON OF LOST VALLEY
fco,rsoa., 1880. BY Dodd. Meod q COZ
THIS STARTS THE STORY
BY TINCIE E. ROE
Author Of "The Maid Of the Whispering Hills" "Ths Heart
Of Night Wind" etc.

and has controlled the valley for pears.
But Conrtrey seeks to oust ht,n. jim
Is shot from behind He 0tues Thdron
her last lesson In shooting and hands
isarn @ the name Of his murderer and
Dops TO "oet HIM More cattle haze
5ser setsed, and Tharon calls out her
thirty follo,oers to defy Conrtrey.
Tharon rides Ell Rey and is chased by
Courtrey. she stops at the cabin Of
me mon IN uniform, t1tth Courtrey a
,s,p yards beht,d. "Thdt." she SAYS,
Sis the man Pm going to XIII some
day"
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
DUT he could not help It. At any oi
d all costs he must stop this blue.eyet
girl from riding north to challenge
Courtrey on his doorstep.
The blood CONCEALED about his heart
at the thought.
where the rolling levels came up to
the confines Of the town they rode out
FAR enough to be safe from eavesdrop-
pers, halted and faced each other.
Miss Last" said Kenset gently. I'm
fuence with you, but / beg you to listen
10 me, You say there Ia no help for the
conditions existing In Lost Valley. That
outrage follows outrage. True, l grant
dress. are There Is law above the sheriff,
when Il can be proven that that officer
has refused to do his duty. That law Is
invested in the coroner. Your coroner
gate a murder--he can Issue warrant
and serve II anywhere in the state. He
can subpoena witnesses. Did you know
that?"
"Nor your" he asked Conford.
II knew somethin' like that-but
but % he's got a family; An he's been
only one against tn, whole push; n!; a,W,hsr What
man in tn valley dared tor stand behind
him? You saw what happened to Pete.
He struck UP Courtrey's arm when he
shot at Tharon one night last spring.
tried to pull of anythin like that"
A light famed up In Kenset's eyes.
III YOU, Miss Last" he said straightly,'
will give me your word to DC m no Shoot; shoot;
v" He looked directly at Tharon. and for
the first time in her life she felt the
strength of a gaze she couldn't meet
But Tharon shook her head.
"I'm sworn" she said simply.
Kenset's face lost bit OF color.
Billy, watching, turned gray beneath his
He saw something which none other
did, thing that darkened the heavens
Then" said Kenset quietly, well
have to do without your promise and go
ahead anyway. Well ride back to town.
demand OF Service a proper investiga-
ton by coroner's jury, and begin at
the bottom"
Tharon moved uneasily In her saddle.
"Why are you doin' this?" she asked.
why are you mixin' up In our
your cabin an your pictures an books
an things. an let us work out our own
affairs?'
.. Kenset lifted a quick hand. dropped
II again.
And he wheeled his horse and started
for Coryan. the others falling into line
at his side.
When Kenset. quietly impervious to
the veiled hostility that met him every
where. faced Steptoe Service and made
his request. that dignitary felt a chill
90 down his spine. Like Old Pete he
felt the man beneath the surface. He
met him, however with bluster and re-
he declared settled with the burial Of
the snow-packer In the sliding canyons
where he was found:
Very WELL" said Kenset shortly,
you see have witnesses to this" and
he turned on his heel and went out.
Now. Miss Last" he said when they
were in the wholesome summer sun
light once more, 'if you have any
friends, whom you think, would stand for
the right. send for them"
'Th Vigilantes." said the girl, "we'll
gather them in twenty four hours"
The Vigilantes?"
The settlers" said oonford.
An right. Until they are here we'll
suard the mouth Of this canyon that
leads into the Rockface, as l under
sand IT, Now take me to this man
Banner"
AZ low rambling house in the out
SKIRTS OF Corvan they found Jim Ban
ner sitting on the edge of his bed. un-
fT,n faTe,niaoly sick from some acute attack.
ils ms eyes were steady. however, and he
listened In silence while Kenset talked. |
Mary he said. bring me my boots
an guns. been layin' for this day ever
Sa. senee been In office: ! wisht Jim Last
was here to witness It,"
IN Two hours Kenset was on his way
70 me blind mouth Of the pass that led |
mo the Canyon Country, Tharon was
ttnoottng back to the Holding on FL Rey |
No w Rut things on watching basis there,
west TO rouse the Vigilantes
,o win kenset rode Banner, weak and
noi n quite steady in his saddle, but a
hsntng man notwithstanding.
All through the golden hours of that
cCoTnaay Csn,aay while he logged steadily on
@ aood Tor thought. indeed. He carried a
Fun at last-he who had ridden the val.
ley unarmed. had meant never TO carry
.e, en ne felt stir within him of saw /
assry, OF excitement.
ne meant TO have Justice done N n,,t
nard hand on the law of Lost VaIie,,
Sin Sn,uers uninvestigated, cattle stolen at
rii, settlers homes burned over thar
s, noSS 'neir hearths blown up by planted
er snail trS when they returned from any
, mnngs had seemed to him preposterous
Soun ssnaaows OF facts. Now they were
SHwn Hih%I 10 straight points before him. Tar
sw s,oie' solid. He got them from the bIma
ana h lnaron Last the gun woman
meant O., nau taken sides He who had
turmoil A"' ou' ot the boiling
tba n9 eSmped that night at the basa q,
msda ma wan where the hlind door entered
passens m's ped Just inside the dead bIacL
we, wesrr D. and watched while Banner
kets besiSs MI SUI bI. weak slept in his bian.
strans. ans was new work for Kenset
cs,Isss work, this waiting for men wbo
slim vo1ss themselves the Vigilantes-for n
and pIedged uI slrl who rode and swore
fooU,ee Vre than once in the quiet nieht tha.
his brou,' henset wiped a hand across
VIII" and found It moist with Swat
he "sS. asSss did he mean? Again and medtr, awat
WSaeeu WSSaeu himself that question "s"'h
Wha1a did he mean by Tha ron Io.o
wbsn "S' was this cold Are that bupnod d'ast! hJ
sInistorn ne thought OF her pulling tbns b,,In
fear tn olue guns on CourtreyPe Did tiose
sSadooU,s o see her kill CourtreyEto see 'd me ne
10 see sOTe,ming Teng worse Infinitely woTso iq ne
her to it itHur'rey famous guninan, beat
cold ID 81 osahIidddered and sweat in tbo o,oou
his bew,Idhe bep me starlt night and see ssarneaT cteaT
Answer aered saed heart. He could finS po
that Tbsshye save and except the h wearw nua one no
her ,swon. sr.'n nolGa Last must be holden from r
,h5snna naron ron Inst who Iooled o. ., ~
or thIs hIeep b'Se eyes and smoke ,i sn % WIN
The earnest et'n.lsed . killing He TecaIIeS
The simnIss' trown between her brnws
she saw IL ulrectness of her dutv ns