The Holly chieftain., 1923-06-14
headin', pnilr' he asked. Il. there a

cut or a pass through the mesaT'
"Dam'flnO. One things sure an GER
tain. Them fellers from the Three
Star usually know where they are
headin'. Trails plain"
"Sure Is" But Jordan scratched
his head trifle doubtfully. II Sandy
Bourke and his chums had been tipped
of, this trail was q little too plain to
be true.
They're on about us gettin' the pa
pers," said Plimsoll. He had not said
much on the trip 80 far. TOO much
talk nowadays. Bourke sabes that
getting the girl out Of the county
won't do any good; he aims to get her
out Of the state and any Arizona court
or sheriff Jurisdiction. He's the brains
Of the outfit. We've got to get her,
Jordan"
"You ain't tellin' me thing I don't
know, Jim. But there's one thing you
can tell me. Is that tip you got about
Dynamite sure oneT'
Plimsoll. sitting beside Jordan,
flashed him look of contempt.
do you think I'm chasing this girl
because I'm stuck on her? One of
the party with this eastern crowd
dropped into my place and talked.
Here is where l get back the money
put up to grubstake Casey"
Jordan gave him grin Of derision.
you an yore grubstake." he jeered.
PliInsoll said nothing more.
"No shootin' In this DEAL" Jordan
warned. "Come to showdown,
Bourke won't buck the law soon's we
show papers. So longs he amt been
notified the court LIS maxim a ward
of the girl they ain't done nothin'
wrong. Buff he resists, that's DIFF
ferent."
y ain't goin' to be awful anxious
to start shootin'," said Jim. SANDY
Bourke's twohanded lead finger
an Soda-Water Sans no slouch. Mel
TIERS Mormon. Me, I'll be peaeeable
less it's forced on me otherwise"
They entered the split In the mesa
The floor was fairly smooth. swept
clean by occasional cloudbursts, save
for the skeleton Of tree and another
Of too-far wandering steer. both
blanched white as the aikali-crusted
powders. 1t was nearly level going
and the car pounded along, all the oc.
cupants looking for trail sign.
Keep an eye peeled for rain," said
Jordan. ard sure hate to get caught
in here with a cloudburst."
Ahead was an abrupt turn. Jordan
slowed. Making the curve, fence
stretched across the gorge. reaching
from wall to wall, four-strand bar
rier Of barbed-wire. strung on patent
steel posts. Jordan braked with emer-
gency. The sight of such q fence in
such a place was as unexpected as
the sun-dried carcass Of steer would
be on Broadway. Plimsoll and Jordan
cursed, the former in pure anger, the
latter with some appreciation of the
stratagem for delay.
ave can tear 1t down quicker'n they
fixed it." he said "I've got a pair Of
nippers in the tool kit. They can't
have driven In those posts deep.
Come on"
A voice floated down to them.
"You leave that fence alone, gents,
II you please. I went to a heap of
trouble putin up that fence. It's my
fence"
They looked up, to see Mormon
seated on the top Of q great bowlder
that had land-slipped from the cliff
Into the gorge From thirty feet above
them he looked down, amiably enough,
though there was CLINT Of blued
metal In his right hand.
Jordan advanced to the foot Of the
rock, producing his papers.
II have a bench warrant here to
bring into court for the appointment
of proper guardian, the child Molly
Casey, she being a minor and without
natural or legal protectors. I've got
yore name on these papers, Mormon
Peters, as one Of the three parties
with whom the girl Is now domiciled.
I warn you that you are obstructing
the process Of the law by yore actions.
You put up that gun an come down
here an help to pull down this fence.
illegally erected on property not yore
own. Otherwise you're subject to
arrest"
"That is sure an awful long speech
TO- a hot day." said Mormon equally.
"But don't sabe that talk at all.
Molly Casey amt here, to begin with.
Nor she amt been here. An I don't
sabe no obstruction Of the law by
settin' up fence In a mesa canyon
to round up broom-tails"
One Of the deputies snickered.
"Broom-tailsT cried Jordan. 'That's
too thin. There's no mustangs hangin'
round mesa like this, 'thout feed or
water" He flushed angrily.
you never kin tell about wild
hawses, or even branded ones" said
Mormon pleasantly. ASK Plimsoll.
He picks 'em up in all sorts of places"
Plimsoll cursed. Mormon still held
his gun conspicuously, and he re-