The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-25

how They had seen the faint
smoke of n a. they rode away. the
filmy smoke Of a young fire not yet
under much Roadway. Was Il rra.
sonable to suppose that some one
else had been camping close 10 themy
This was possible. but not likely.
For they would probably have seen
signs of the other evening campfire
Eliminating this possibility. there
remained-Dug Dobie. Had Dug
fired the brush while his companion
was saddiinK for tho start The
more shorty considered this ponsi.
biii,y. the greater force u acquired
in his mind. Dag's hatred ~ Craw
ford Hart. and especially Sanders
would b~ naiiatcd IN part az least
u he could wipe their oil bonanza
from the map.
shorty was an outlaw and a bad
man. He had killed. and might NJ
any time XIII again. To save the
Jackpot from destruction he would
not have made turn of his hand
Hut shorty was a caftleman. lie
had been brought up In the saddle
and had known tha whine OF the
iartat and the dust OF the drag
drive all his days. Every man has
his code. Three things stood out IN
that OF shorty. lie was loyal 20 the
hand that paid him. hn stood by his
pays. and he believed In and after
his own fashion loved cattle and The
life OF which thcy wsr. the central
fact. To destroy tho range feed
wantoniy was a crime 40 notorious
that he could not believe pobic guilty
OF IL. And yet
lie could not let the matter lie in
doubt. He left the tcndeJon and rode
TO steciman'H house. The door was
opened By Brad steeiman.
The door % the inner room opened
Dug Doblc's big frame filled the en-.
trance. The eyes Of the two gun,
men searched each other. Those OF
Doble asked a question Had Il
come 10 showdown
"Lookin' for me. Shortly" he
asked.
You fired Bear Canon" charged
the cowpuncher.
"Sor''
When went 10 saddle"
Dobic's eyes narrowed. you aim
In 10 run my business. Shortly"
Neither man lifted his gaze from
the other Each knew that the test
had come once more. They were
both men who had gone bad" IN
the current phrase Of the community
Both had killed. Both searched now
for an advantage In that steady duel
Of the eyes. Neither had any fear.
Tho emotions that dominated were
cold rage and caution. Every sense
and nerve In each localized 20 one
Durposc--to KIN without being killed.
when yore's Is mine. Dug"
'fs this yore'sY"
"sure n. I've stood for n heap
from you. I've let yorc ugly temper
ride me. when you killed Tim Harri.
gan you got me In bad. Not the
first time either. But I'm damned II
) III ride with n coyote iow-down
enough 10 burn the range"
MOI"
s~o."
From the desk came the sharp
angry bark OF n revolver. Shorty
felt his hat lift as bullet tore thru
: the rim. His eyes swept 20 steel.
> man. who had been negligible
factor In his calculations The man
fired again and blew out the light.
In the darkness Shorty swept out
both guns and fired. His first two
shots were directed toward the man
behind the desk. the next two at the
spot where Doble had been standing
Another gun was booming In the
room. perhaps two. Yellow fire
flashes ripped the blackneas.
Shorty whipped open the door al
his back. slid thru Il. and kicked II
shut with his foot as he leaped from
tho porch. ~ the same moment hc
thought no card n groan.
Swiftly he ran to the cottonwood
where he had left his horse tied. lie
jcrked loose the knot. swung TO the
saddle. and galloped out OF town.