The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-07-26
CHAPTER XIX
The Hidsout.

The HIdsout.
The row that had eliminated N
the Wateriine ranch. ending In the
trouble between Plimsoll and Wyatt
had brewed steadily. There had col
lected. besides Plimsoil's riders, Butch
Parsons, Hahn and others Of Piim.
soils following who had been forced
from their livelihood as gamblers
They still hung together. waiting for
Plimsoll to make a cleanup of hia
horses and move to places where they
were less discredited.
Plimsoll had lost caste AZ a leader
His moods were morose or Dragging
His ascendancy was gone. The crowd
chung to him like 20 many leeches.
waiting for a split Of the proceeds OF
the sale Of horses that no one an
peared eager to buy In quantity,
Ready cash was short There were
frequent Quarrels; through It all there
worked the leaven q WAITS zeal.
ousy, fermenting steadily.
When the split came, after an all.
night session with cards and LIQUOR.
following the refusal Of a dealer to
buy the herd. II was not merely a
matter between Wyatt and PlImsoll.
Sides were taken and the weaker
driven from the ranch. Preparations
were mede for departure.
Its rotten mesa" Butch Parsons
told Plimsoll Wyatt or one of the
others'll tell all they know. Wen 70
South. That's my plan. You can find
a buyer In Tucson. Put the horses in
the Hideout There's grub there and
a safe place to lay low II anything
goes wrong. They'll have fine time
proving up the horses are stolen.
We've got to take a chance. There's
q good chance Of sale in Tucson"
Within an hour the herd, already
corraled for the chance Of a quick
sale. was being driven to the glen
known as the Hideout. a little noun
tain park with water and good feed
where Plimsoll placed the horses thar
10 men drove on from far.avay
ranches, or Plimsoll bought from 9TH
or horse dealers Of his own sort, keep
ing them there until their brands were
doctored and possible pursuit died
down. There were two entrances to
the Hideout, one through a narrow
gut almost blocked by a fallen
bowlder, with only passage wide
enough to let through horse and rider
single file. q way that could be easily
barricaded or masked SO that none
would suspect any opening in the cliff.
The second led by a winding way
through a desolate region, over rock
that left no sign and wound by twists
and turns that meme but the initiated
could follow. The place. accidentally
discovered. was perfect for Its pur-
pose. There was feed enough for the
entire herd for a month. There was
a cabin In a side gully Of the park,
near the blocked entrance, the whole
place was honeycombed with caves.
in the towering sidewalks and under.
ground.
Five Of the nine left Of the Water.
line outfit drove the herd. Hahn and
Parsons could both ride. but they
were not experts at handling horses.
They chose to 60 with Plimsoll and
the outft-cook. while the rest took the
long way round to the other way In.
The four fingered to give the rest Z
start.
II hate leaving the country without
evening up some way with the Bourks
outflt." said Plimsoll. 'D-n him and
the rest Of them. they broke the luck
for ua Al for the girl. II ~
"Oh, quit throwing the bull con
about that. Jim." said Parsons blunt
ly. SANDY Bourkss a d-n good man
for you to leave alone an you know
It. Talk amt goin' to hurt him."
I'm coming back some time" said
Plimsoll with a string Of oaths,
"Then you'll zee something besides
talk"
Parsons jeered at him. Plimsoll
was NO longer the leader and he knew
It. But he hung on to the semblance
Of authority that an open quarrel
with Butch might shatter. Butch was
q bully, but Plimsoll respected his
shooting. And Hahn sided with him.
The cook did not count.
Plimsoll carried with him a fine pair
Of binoculars and, as they rode leis-
ursly on and reached a vantage point.
he swept the tumbled horizon for
signs Of any strange riders. 1t was
the caution Of habit a. much ~ &C.
tual fear Of q raid.
At times Plimsoll rode aside from
the trail to a ridge crest for wider
vision. At last, coming up the pass
e 11leX ~ n slnAllh xallx ~