The Ordway new era., 1921-11-18
CHAPTER xi,iZcontic ued.

watches. THE first was to remain
awake and on guard until midnight,
and the otter was 10 20 on duty from
midnight until dawn. The second
watch, with which was the faction's
leader, had-a nightcap of the vitriolie
whisky, ttung-itse -sprGwiing ON tho
ground. d.andsstpai ignvwaF went to sleep.
.oTAe first SadecH sat : AROUND the
.csaeRllag .BFashstood IRE, amt pltFSd
sartas fer -ctlgi@Tss OF. tq6scto, -Fartrldses
and tepoc,gt -Iut}esc sing. stfange and
,ssfidardish@ = -scuGs a6h 'lEanks 1aess
. RhlSSy,s onr ysty drqnksa'TarreySS3sana-
.bled alyay, all his ..tohaeces al his. caEt-
ridges; his knife, his rSae. and. hts. heit,
hIs.ceat aud nus hat. his boots and his
.shlrt-+-and offered co bee his trousers
and his ears on the turn of a single
card, 1t yss fanny, and II was dis
igilsdug. too Il was all. the work OF
,wtisky. which BIZ Dale had always
hated because It made. men foeis made
them. mouth their secrets and made
them commit murder .-. .--, --a
After some two hours. of these worse
thar baccinnaiian orgies the first
watch, heavy with drink, stopped play
ing cards and singing outlandish
songs, forgot all orders and began to
nod. Then ii was that Dale thought
OF the man who had been his faithful
guardian for many days, the lanky
BY Heck. Why hadn't he thought of
Heck before7 He wondered if Heck
had followed him to the trap, if Heck
was near him even then, If Heck had
gone for help.
BY Heck had mot followed Bill Dale
10 The little basin But he had fol
lowed Henderson Cor. and Henderson
Liof had followed Dale TO the little
basin. Cot had returned to Tie Big
Pine Mountain country only thar day
and he knew nothing of the plans Of
the Ball-Tourey faction until he wit
messed the Tnockery OF y trial, Gof
was now crndehing in the darkness on
the low line of cliffs to the eastward
from the walnut tree: and not far
hehind him wen hidden in the black
laurelS. watching him and watching
Bill Dale, cro,rched by Heck
Dates guardian bad not gone for
help. because he feared TO Leave Dale
utterly unprotected in-the hands of
the gang of cuttIroats. He believed
that he could rescue Dale himself.
When the first watch became little
more tlrowsy. he would steal up be
hind the tree aud cut the cotton rope
Then he reajfzed that Con had dis
appeared entirely He rrept forward
silently, his eyes alert. and moment
lafer he saw Goff Stealing toward the,
walnut tree. He climbed noiselessly
down over the face of the cliff and
followed Cot like a shadow. When
Gnfr's hands touched the tree, BY Heck
was within ten feet of IT,. Heck made
sure his ride was ready and took an
etiier step forward, watchfpg listen
ing
The shyster coal man leaned around
the tree to the left. In the glow of
Ihe low-burned fire the blade OF a
snail knife in his hand Cleaned dull
red. He whispered cautiously "A
you're in a fix, Dale. Ana it's
none of NY doing, either. Give me
your word that I'll get that coal prop
erty for fifteen thousand, and I'll slash
the rope How about il? Sick Of
this country. aren't your'
There came few seconds of silence
save for the lusty snoring Of the Sleep
ers and the musical tinkle of the little
creek, after which Cot muttercd dis
appoinledly:
We'll! then. hang"
And Heck kRe'v--that. Dale had re-
fused 10 sell the Moreland. coal for a
song even to save his life As Gonf
stepped backward. the muzzle of the
tall hlilmar's rihe went against the
small Of his 'aek. and the tan hillnmn
whispered foarseIy, 4hrouglI teeth
tishtiy cienrhed
Slash 'at rope d-n yore soul
Slash at rope. or I wisht | may hrap
dead ef ! don't shoot yore backbone
into four thonsand pieces. iGod Slash
i'll"
Gor Strengthened in surprise The
rifles muzzIe went harder against his
bnck and he knew it for exactly what
i was. He moved hand upward.
then downward and the cotton rope
VAS segered in IIhf az dozen piaeest
t"stiddy thar, now!, whispered BY
Heck. and re, 9ega94 to- hack ,aYay,s
Come along, wi. me! Se 3dadsfatf6d,
i,apler-belled1siithl; u 'BAhihe'h 96''er::'
The ;threesof sht,g 'turried1ih ihi6 aAe'i
deeper. shadows. oSGeIG FEaeis halted
Cor and turned TO Dale.
"S'arch him TO a gun. Bill. old boy"
Dale lifted from Henderson Gofrs
ifght-hand coat-pocket a blued and
stub-nosed magazine pistol.
Dang 10Y eyes and blast my for
rard?' Heck exclaimed in a muffied
voice. Hes plumb. death,. on them
little popguns. ain't he? Say. Goff,
ct ever ye shoots me with a thing like
that and find 1t out. DANCED eff don't