The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-10-08

tNAAHNAA H"aANtfA fHfAh fN"h VIZ
eagle eyes Tho coincidence OF time
stayed with ihr sheriff doggedlS,
even tho the Cathrew cattle, honest
~ branded. went boldly thru Cordoya
and down the STRIP. az tho narrow
valley beside NHmcless was called
and thence out 20 the railroad. three
long days drive away
I And the smaller thcfu old man
/ Conlon's bunch. and those Of Jer
myn-all ilftcd llght rs "a feather
These had left not even a hoof
mark u was smooth stuff-and u
CALLED the sheriff was secret
source Of humiliation ne had heard
q good many remarks about hls own
I inaction, Tho nearly all Of the ranch.
cm in the country wero his friends
But deep inside himself ho laid "a
F., spiritual finger on tho handsome.
/ frowning woman nt Sky Line
and held Il there
Sooner or later, hr told himself.
na no had told McKAne. tho steady
rays Of his searching glass would o.,
veal 10 her the thing no know waa
| there
This was not logic. Il was instinct
"a poor thing for "a sheriff 10 base
his actions on. apparently bu, Price
7 SSlwuod based his thereon 10 un.
waycrluk confidence
And n no could have looked into
tho living rom al SKY iIne that day
no would have Dotted IN his mental
notebook 40 correct. one premise
Tor tho mistress sat again az her dark
wood drak and read a letter. aud her
face was well worth watching
Tho letter bore a New York post.
mark. and IS terms were sharp and
decisive. almost legal. leaving no
doubt Of their meaning.
Thus they carried 70 her conscious
ness clear prcscntment OF salts
faction concerning tho last shipment
Of cattle. and Just a. clear an nyowal
% affection.
Kate Cathrcw'E sharp face was
suffusrd with n light not meant for
any eyes az Sky Line az she read ana
rerchd the sheets In her hands.
At their concluding words-'and
20 think I shall DO with you at the
usual tims"-hsr iipa parted over her
teeth IN slow Hmlio which war the
visible embodiment OF passion. while
her dark eyes became for a moment
alumhrou1 with tho same urKing
force.
There was n man this woman
loved u ever a face spoke tho truth.
and he was the writer Of tho letter.
Tho tho scattered donizcns OF tho
outside world Of NamoleFs knew
nothing of this. Il was coyertly
known AZ Sky Line.
Every ono OF tho hard.cysd band
81 riders knew n. with varying feel.
inEs. Minnie Pine knew II and old
Joscfa, BiE Bnsfofd knew Il and
his rod.rimmed eyes glowcd with the
Hight OF murder when hu watched
Kate sit on tho ycraada with Law.
renee Arnold In tho long summer
days while tho light drowscd down
from the high blue vault and Rniu.
bow Cliff sent down It's priauafic
color aiming afar over tbs slopes
OF Mystery. There was a look in the
SFoman's dussy eyes that was plain
as print-tho hot. unsmiling. milan.
mable look OF uutcmpcred passion.
Now she folded the letter. slipped
u back in It's envelope and put /,
away in n drawer Of tho desk which
she locked securely with n key on n
ring that she took from pocket
IN her neat outing skirt. The nc,
was Indicative OF Kate Cnthrcv'a
mode Of life in her high domain. An
things were ordered. filed and lock-.
ed. so 10 speak. and sho alone was
the master.
a little later she went ont on the
broad veranda and sat down in tho
deep willow chair which rocked there.
stirred Enthusiastically by the stir
breeze which swept in across the
great blue gulf OF space between tho
peaks. Her eyes dropped down and
down the wooded slopes OF Mystery
slanting beneath her 10 the long
green flats OF NamelcHs the equally
long brown spaces OF Nance AM.
sons TILED field. Sight of that field
was n barb in her consciousness. !,
never failed TO stir her TO slow and
resurgcnt anger. 1t was an affront
TO her arrogant autocrncy. a chaI. |
lenge and taunt.
She who hcwed 10 her mark with
such brilliant finesse. who had not
80 far failed to get what she wanted
from life, had failed to ret those |
flats-'the best feeding ground for
cattle In n hundred miles OF range.
e, Cattle Kate Cathrow frowned as
she regarded tho tiny brown scnr ON
the green bowl so far below and
tapped her slim muscular fingeru ON
the peeled arm OF the handmade
rocker.
For half an hour she sat So her
chin on her hand. thinking.
Then at last she Strengthened and
called Mime Pine from tho inner re-.
gons.
Send me CALDWELL she said
briefly. ''''
When presently the foreman cnmo
from the cofrals and stood before
her his hat in iiis hand, his attitude
one OF strict attention. she smoke
swiftly with certain satisfaction.
When she had finished. no saia
Sure It's n pretty long trick. but
It can be done"
Then do II" said Kate Cathrew
when | give tho word. Wen wait
little. howovor-until the corn
shows green from here. Tho better
y looks one day the greater VIII bo
inc contrast next. That's all" |.
Tho devils aro working in Tho
BOSS head again" said Minnie Pine.
VINO had listened behind Tho ,yindn,,
! L In. ~ L