The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-13
CHAPTER XII Shorty in Hot Haste.


 About noon on the twentieth Shorty, walking from the bunkhouse toward the ranch house. saw Cor wins horse standing at the edge of the porch in front of the sitting room door.
 He peered into the sitting room, expecting to see Gail and Corwin there. The room was empty. Shorty entered. He walked into the parlor. It was vacant. Shorty decided he wanted a drink of water, and pro- ceeded to the kitchen. He had to pass through the dining room to get to the kitchen. Gail and Corwin were not in either room-
 Shorty walked to a window on the side of the house opposite the porch. He saw Gail and Corwin standing at the edge of a little stretch of timber. They were talking animatedIy.
 Shorty watched the two for some seconds and then he wheeled from the window and went out upon the porch.
 For five minutes he looked at Cor wins horse Then his attention was attracted to an object that hung rom the pommel of the saddle.
 Shorty spent some other minutes looking at the coat. And then, finally, a crafty gleam lighted his eyes.
 "I wonder if he carries them damned papers in his coat?" he asked him. self
 An instant later he was searching the pockets of Corwin's coat.
 In an inside one he found the papers-legal-look documents. He hurriedly glanced at them, saw they bore the names "Fane" and Cor win, and stuffed them into the in side pocket of his vest. Then. grin ming he seated himself on the edge of the porch.
 He had his pretext now; he could kill Corwin on the pretext that the latter was trying to cheat Gail Fame out of the Circle Dot. Corwfn could not prove his claim of guardianship over the girl.
 Shorty whistled in grim enjoyment. He hoped Corwin would search for the papers. Thus would that crisis for which Shorty yearned be forced. But Corwin did not search for the papers. When a few minutes later he and Gail came raund a corner of the house. Corwin walked directly to his horse, put on his coat. mounted, and smiled at Gail, who had walked to a point near Shorty.
 Then Corwin was gone and Shorty bent his gaze on the sand at his feet.
 Shorty" asked the girl. why didn't you come in to dinner?'
 Wasn't hungry lied Shorty.
 Gail stepped close to him, placed a hand under his chin and forced him to look up at her.
 Shorty she said, you lie. Are you sick again ?''
 No. n1a'am."
 Well, what is the matter?" Her tone was authoritative
 'eNothin'.''
 She was still looking at him i'm tently. And now she flushed.
 Shorty she began, 'you are"
 She let go of his chin and stepped back her face crimson.
 Are what?' asked Shortly bellig- erently.
 Nothing" she answered. She turned her head quickly and swept past him. her face af1ame, little odd gasps escaping her as she fled into the house.
 Shorty's face grew pale.
 He sat on the porch for some time Then, remembering rne papers, he went to the bunkhouse, closed the door. opened the stove and burned them.
 Feeding them, one by one to the flames, he noted one that had not the legal appearance of the others. It
 
 letter-head of the Green River Stage Company - from Corwin's office. shorty read it, his eyes aglow with interest:
 "Corwin:
 Not meetin' up with you, I'm writ!n' this to let you know that we'll be in at Twin Tree Ridge tonight as per understandin'. The other boys has swung around town not wantin' ba I'm stoppin' to let you know. There's an even dozen of us, as per your or ders, an l reckin that if the stage has got a guard. we'll give them some argument for cnat ten thou sand. I'm leavin' this with Por Billy, an you can send him to Twin Tree if there's any change in orders Hope you plug that guy Redmond plenty. Ia ta. Red Linton.''
 Shorty read the note twice. And then for long time sat silent, hi: lips working soundless, his hands clenched, his eyes blazing.
 Redmond was in danger. Corwir was the outlaw chief, and Corwin apparently, had devised some scheme to do away with Redmond.
 Shorty ran from the bunk-hou to the lean-to- merging from tn, door of the latter he pumped intN Gail-who had come out of the hous, when she had seen Shorty runnin! toward it. Shorty was dragging hi saddle; he dropped it when he col Hded with Gail. and before he coulc stoop to recover it. the girl seized him by the shoulders
 What is wrong. Shorty?" Sh had noticed his excitement, and he voice was vibrant.
 Nothin'. n1a'am. That is. every thing. I aint got time to talk"
 He wrenched himself free and raj toward the corral. the saddle on hi shoulder. He heard Calls voice clos to him saying:
 You're not running from me are you-because of what I said ?''
 "rd never do that, ma'am.'' Short flung back at her
 In a fury of haste he caught u his horse. threw a saddle on it, cinch it with one vicious pull. mounte with the animal in a dead run an fled out on the plains toward Laredo