The diamond drill., 1920-04-17


Fendrick reappeared presently and
turned In at the lane. Cullison.
standing on the porch at the head Of
the steps looked like a man who was
passing through the inferno. But he
looked. too. personIfied day of judg-
ment untempered by mercy.
The sheepman spoke. looking
straight at his foe. srve just heard
the news. was down at Yesler's
ranch when you 'phoned asking II they
had seen anything OF Miss Cullison. l
came up to ask you one question.
When was she seen last7''
about ten o'clock this morning.
why?"
II saw her about noon. She was on
Mesa Verde. headed for Blue canon.
II looked like"
''Close enough to speak to herr Sam
asked.
"Yes. We passed the time Of day."
"And thenf" Luck cut back into the
conversation with voice like a file.
"She went on toward the gulch and
kept on to the ranch. The last saw
OF her she was going straight on. Wed
better travel over toward Mesa Verde.
so as TO be ready to start at day
break"
Cullison's gaze had never left him.
1t observed. weighed. appraised. Good
enough. Wen start"
He left Sweeney TO answer the tele-
phone while he was away. All OF his
other riders were already out combing
the hills under the supervision OF
Curly. Luck had waited with Sam
only to get some definite information
before starting. Now he had his lead.
Fendrick was either telling the truth
or he was lying with some sinister pur-
pose In view. The cattleman meant to
know which.
The party pushed up the gulch as
rapidly as they could. The ashes OF a
camp fire halted them a few minutes
later Scattered about lay the feath-
ers and dlsmembered bones OF some
birds.
Cass stopped and picked up some Of
the feathers. "Quails, reckon. Miss
Culllson had three tied to her saddle
horn when | met her."
"Why did she come up here to cook
them?" Sam asked.
Luck was already Off his horse, quar-
terlng over the ground to read what It
might tell him.
"She wasn't alone. There was
man with her. See these tracks?"
1t was Fendrick who made the next
discovery. He had followed a draw
for short distance and climbed to
little mesa above. Presently he called
TO Culllson.
Father and son hurried toward him.
The sheep owner was standing at the
edge of prospect hole pointing down
with his finger.
"Some one has been In that pit re-
Gently. and he's been there several
days"
"Then how did he get outr Sam
Nsked.
Fendrick kpelt on the edge Of the
pit and showed him where rope had
been dragged so heavily that II had
cut deeply into the clay.
"Some one pulled him out"
whats II mean anyhow? Kate
wasn't IN that hole. was she?"
Cass shook his head. This is my
guess. Some one was coming along
here In the dark and fell in. Suppose
Miss Culllson heard him calling as she
came up the gulch. What would she
do?"
Come up and help the fellow out"
hungry-as he likely was-she would
cook her quail for him."
"And thenT Why didn't she come
homer"
Luck turned gray agonized face on
him. boy, don't you seer The man
was Blackwell"
"And II youTl put yourself In Black
wells place you'll see that he couldn't
let her go home TO tell where she had
seen him." FendrIck explained.
''Then where is she7 What did he
do with herr"
n good chance. hut | don't think so.
He would keep her for hostage as
long as he could"
"Thats the way figure t." agreed
CullIson. "He daren't hurt her. for he
would know Arizona would hunt him
down like wolf II he did"
"Then where's he taking herr" Sam
asked.
Somewhere into the hills. fps idea
Will be 10 slip down and cut across the
line into Sonora. He's a rotten bad
lot. but he won't do her any harm un-
less he's pushed 10 the wall. The fear
OF Luck Culllson is In his heart"
That's about t." nodded Luck.
Hes somewhere In these hills unless
he's broken through"
There's chance he'll make for
one OF my sheep camps TO lay In a sup
ply. Wouldn't II be good idea TO Z
keep n man stationed at each one OF