The Holly chieftain., 1923-08-23
CHAPTER XIX
The Hidsout.


The row that had eliminated at
ne Waterline ranch. ending in the
trouble between Plimsoll and Wyatt
had brewed steadily. There had col.
tected, besides Plimsolps riders. Butch
Parsons. Hahn and others Of Plim-
soils following who had been forced
from their livelihood as gamblers.
They still hung together. waiting for
Piimsoll to make cleanup Of his
horses and move to places where they
were less discredited.
Piimsoll had lost caste as leader.
His moods were morose or Dragging.
His ascendancy was gone. The crowd
chung to him like SO many leeches
waiting for split Of the proceeds OF
the sale Of horses that no one ap-
peared eager to buy In quantity.
Ready cash was short. There were
frequent quarrels; through 1t all there
worked the leaven of Wyatt's jeal-
ousy, fernenting steadily.
When the split came. after an all
night session with cards and liquor,
following the refusal Of q dealer to
buy the herd, 1t was not merely a
matter between Wyatt and Plimsoll.
Sides were taken and the weaker
driven from the ranch. Preparations
were made for departure.
.It's a rotten mess" Butch Parsons
told Plimsoll. Wyatt or one Of the
sthers1l tell all they know. Well 90
South. That's my plan. You can find
q buyer In Tucson. Put the horses In
the Hideopt. There's grub there and
q 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 q 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 an the Hideout. little noun
tain park with water and good feed
where PlImsoll placed the horses that
his men drove OF from far-away
ranches, or Plimsoll bought from 9TH
er 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 narrow
gut almost blocked by q 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 desolate region, over rock
tnat left no sign and wound by twists
and turns that none but the Initiated
codid follow. The place, accidentally
Uncovered. was perfect for Its pur-
pose. There was feed enough for the
entire herd for month. There was
Q 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 go With Plimsoll and
the outfit-cook. while the rest took the
long way round to the other way In.
The four fingered to give the rest a
start.
II hate leaving the country without
evening up some way with the Bourke
outfit," said Plimsoll. On him and
the rest Of them, they broke the luck
for us As for the girl, II .r'
sOh. quit throwing the bull con
about that. Jim." said Parsons blunt
". Sandy Bourke's d--n good man
for you to leave alone an you know
b. Talk amt goin' to hurt him."
I'm coming back some Time" said
Plimsoll with q string Of oaths.
"Then you'll see 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 fne pair
Of binoculars and, as they rode leis-
urely on and reached vantage point.
he swept the tumbled horizon for
signs Of any strange riders 1t was
the caution OF habit AZ much n ac-
tual fear of raid
At times Plimsoll rode aside from
the trail to a ridge crest for wider
vision. At last, coming up the pass
OF Willow creek. he sighted Molly and
Donald with Grit trotting beside them
It was the dog that confirmed his
first surmise. He had heard that
Molly had returned. but he had not
dared a visit to the Three Star. Who
the rider with her was he did not
care. That 1t was tenderfoot was
plain by his clothes and by his seat.
As he adjusted the powerful glasses
to better focus Plimsoll's face twist
ed to an ugly smile