The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-11-18

earnestly. "Not II l have to tackle the
whole outfit alone"
you won't have to do that. What's
the idea, Moore"
ooh, | was just thinkin'," he an
Swered, still uncertain. IF l show yer
a way, what is thai in it fer meF
Brennan stiffened, his features ex-
pressing nothing.
What do you mean? I'm an officer
o the law"
81 know 1t; / amt asking yer ter
make no promise. But yer WORD VIII
90 a HI ov a ways If this ever gets IN
court If | help yer I've got TO be pro-
tccted frum Bill Lacy. He'd Kill me
as quick as he'd look at me. linen
I'd want yer ter tell the judge how 1t
all happened. / know ye're square,
Dan Brennan, an whatever yer says
goes"
The MAJ shall stuck out his hand.
That's the gospel truth, Matt" he
said gravely, "an' I'm with yer till the
COWS come home. What is 1t you
known"
Well" with a quick breath as he
ooh the plunge. "it's like this. mar
shall; there is just n place out yon-
der" and he waved his hand to indi-
cate the direction, ION the east rim o
the valley, where yer might get down.
Ye'd have ter hang on tooth an toe
nail: but both of yer are mountain
men, an | reckon yer could make the
trip If yer took it careful an slow
like"
Westcott asked: "How can we get
there safely? Can you guide us?"
Moore swept his eyes over the dull
range Of sand, expectorated thought
fully. and rammed his hands deep into
his trouser-pockets. He was slow
about answering. but the two men
waited motiOnless.
IF it was me-" he said finally, I'D
take it on foot. It'H be a jaunt ov
near on to three miles, unless yer
want ter risk bein' seen by them
Mexes on the main trail. You couldn't
20 straight, but would have ter circle
out an travel mostly behind that ridge
O. sand thar to the left. Coin that
AVA nobody's likely ter get sight O.
yer on foot. You couldn't take no
boss. though. Here'd be my plan:
Lead this we're outfit O. mine an your
ponies back inter them sand dunes
whar nobody ever goes. They're tired
'nough ter stand, an there amt any
thing fer EN- to Craze on. Then we
kin hoof it over ter the place Pm tell
in yer about, an yer kin sorter size
it up fer yerselves. That's fair, amt
it?"
They went at it with a will. The
team was driven into the security OF
the sand drifts and unhitched. The
saddles were taken from the backs or
the ponies, and what grain Moore had
in the wagon was carefully appor-
toned among the four animals. Salts.
fed these would not stray, the men
looked carefully to their supply Of
ammunition and set forth on their
tramp.
This proved a harder journey than
either Brennan or WestcOtt had an
ticipated, for Moore led off briskly,
taking a wide circle, until a consider
able ridge concealed their movements
from the south. At last Moore turned
sharply and plunged into what resem'
bled a narrow ravine through the
ridge. Here they struggled knee deep
in the sand, but finally emerged on the
very rim overlooking the valley.
So perfectly was it concealed they
were within ten feet Of the edge be
fore the men, their heads bent In the
strenuous effort to advance, even real
lied it's immediate presence. Moore
grinned as he noted the surprise de
picted on their faces, and waved his
hand.
"Yer better lie down an crawl uI
ter the edge" he advised. "Some
hole, amt itr"
II should say So" and Westcott
dropped to his knees. II never
dreamed of such a place. Dan, ain'
this an eye-openerY
TT sure Is" and the marshal creep
cautiously forward. "Only it's devil:
who've got possession. What's tina
down below, Matt? Houses, by lingo
Well, don't that beat h|l?-all thu
comforts Of home"
"TwO big cabins" explained Moore
rather proud of his knowledge. Cart
ed the logs In from OF Badly, more'I
forty miles. Creep up a bit an III
show yer how the trail runs. Dom
be afeerd; nobody kin see yer from
down below"
"All right, son where Is itr
ut starts at the foot O. that bowl
der" indicating with his finger, IAN
goes along the shelf clear to the end
then thar's a drop ov maybe five fee
to that %outcroppin' o. rock just below
It's wider than 1t looks to be from
yere. After that yer can trace l
quite a spell with yer eyes, kindel
sidlin' ter the left, till yer come t.
that dead root ov a cedar. TheI
thar's a gap or two that amt owe
easy, an q slide down ter another
shelf. Yer can't miss 1t, cause there
no other way ter CO."