Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-12-19

ne IeIU nalnpLOn securely DOunQ
and under Tommy Burkitts watchful
eyes in the old cabin, and rode
straight back to the ranch-hOuse
Marcia was not yet in bed and he
made his first call upon her Marcia
was delighted, then vaguely perturbed
as he made known his errand without
giving any reason. He wanted to see
the note from Judith Marcia brought
it, wondering. He carried 1t with
him to Judith's office and compared
1t carefully with scraps of her hand
writing which he found there. The
result Of his study was what he had
expected: the writing Of the note TO
Marcia was sufficiently like Judith's
to pass muster to an uncritical eye,
looking, in fact, what it purported to
be, very hasty scrawl. But Lee de-
cided that Judith had not written 1t.
He slipped it into his pocket.
Tripp was waiting for him, impa-
tient and worried. when he came back
from the Upper End. From Tripp
ne learned TndC one On Tue men,
fellow the boys called Yellow Jacket, +
had Unexpectedly asked for his time
Saturday afternoon and had left the
ranch, saying that he was sick.
Hes the chap who brought the
fake note from you," said Lee. ITS
! open and shut, Doc Another one Of
Trevor's men that we ought to have
/ fired long ago. The one thing | can't
I ;c -hx, ha jHV1If Hn n
of it and hang around until Miss San
! ford left, then get away with the
note. 1t would have left no evidence
| behind him."
"She must have locked her door
and windows when she went out"
was Trips solution. "And probably
he didn't hang around wasting time
and taking chances"
Trips boylsh face had lost its
youthful look. His eyes, meeting
Lees steadily, had in them an express
sion like Lees.
"If it's Quinnion-" Tripp began.
Then he stopped abruptly.
Lee and Trip were together in the
office not above fifteen minutes. Then
Tripp left to return to the Lower End.
to get the rest Of the men out, to help
in the big drive Of cattle and horses
which must be returned to the shut-in
valleys of the Upper End.
Lee went to the bunk-house, slipped
revolver and cartridges into his pock-
cts, took a rife and rode again to
the old cabin.
Its Trevors' big, last playT' he
told himself gravely, over and over.
He'll be backing it up strong, play
ing his hand for all that there's In 1t,
and he'll have taken time and care
to fill in his hand so that we're buck
ing a royal flush. And there's only
one way to beat royal flush, and
that's with a gun. But l can't quite
see the whole play, Trevors; l can't
quite see It,"
There were enough men to do the
nights work without him and Tommy
Burkitt, and Lee gave no thought now
to Carson swearing in the darkness
of some shadow-filled gorge. He did
not know what the mOrrOw's work
would be for him, but he made his
preparations none the less, eager for
the coming dawn. He fried many
slices of bacon while Hampton glared
at him and Tommy watched him in
terestedly; he made a light, compact
lunch, such as best "sticks to mans
ribs" wrapped 1t in heavy paper and
slipped the package into the bosom
of his shirt. He completed his equip
ment with a fresh bag Of tobacco and
many matches. He loaded his rifle,
added a plentiful supply of ammuni-
ton to his outfit from the box on the
shelf. Then he went outside to be
alone, to frown at the black wall Of
the night to think, to await the dawn.
'Tm coming to you, Judith girl" he
whispered over and over to himself.
Somehow"
/ Dawn trembled over the mountain
tops, grew pale rose and warm pink
and glorious red in the eastern sky,
and Bud Lee, throwing down his
coiled rope which had been put into
service a dozen times during the
night, said shortly.