White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-08-15
THE WOLFER
FREDERICK NIVEN
Author Of Hands Up!" "The Lost Cabin Mine" etc.
Copyright 1923
DODD MEAD AND COMPANY

Nancy anu laughed.
20 you Calamity janet" calculated
her father and looked at her with d
gaze clearly Of pride. Then turning
to the Wolfer, he said:
Its none of my business, Walt
what you are doing up here-none al
all. But it is my business in human
way-and friendly way, II l car
say 1t without seeming to slop over to
you, man who objects to stopping
over. I've come along after you to
yarn you that If it's picnic you think
you're out on you've got another think
coming. It's liable, to my mind, If
l am Judge, to be funeral"
"Gee-whiz! Up against it again.
murmured Walt. "And we wanting to
ide along thinking Of Thoreau AMI
Walden Pond, and old John Muir!
Well, Tom, you're friend all right.
Say on. What's the worst of it,"
do you know man named Carl
Scott?"
II sure do. He came out on the
stage from Jaffery with u.s." Dewar
explained.
."He did. And he's come back from
Eagle Bend, and he's not arranging
for running struggled hootch this
time. He's after you"
20 the clever guy! After mel?
and the Wolfer smiled
Eyes, with five other men too. A
tough-looking bunch. That's six to
wo-too much odds for any man to
look on at.
Walter gave rueful glance.
II wouldn't meet them If could get
past without 1t If were you," he
ldvised. "You skidoo, Tom. You
skidoo. Got drug to take you back7
You're travelling light, I see-only
Mackinaw coat and a blanket on your
antle."
20 we'll fish mess of these little
ut-throat trout in any pool along Mac
ntyre Creek going back, and have
hem with a flap-jack."
"Then skidoo, Tom, skidoo. Sorry
to speed the parting guest like this,
but I'd hate to get you tangled in my
troubles. If you don't skidoo at once
we'll just have to come back with
you for they'll have got their horses
and you'll be sure to meet them"
They shook hands. 1t was a very
olemn hand-shake and Nancy's hand
felt very small to John Fiske as he
took it and pressed it as If afraid
he might break it.
"So-long and good luck" she said
heerily, looking more like a boy than
ever as she and her father wheeled
heir horses.
They rode off on the track at a
gentle walk, while Walt and John
passed into the next deep slope of
trees that decked the long declivity OF
the hillside there.
The Wolfer was wrapped in silence.
Fiske glanced at him and saw
solemn fixed gaze in his eyes as of
one in deep thought
Suddenly, riding last, and looking
round for final view of the depart
ing father and daughter entering the
woods, Jack gave an exclamation aud
'eined in his horse.
What is it," asked Walt.
Look back!"
They refined in and sat there In
their saddles just at the timber edge
and saw two riders who had left then
at halt on the slope Of grass and
berry-bush; and approaching Tom
James and Nancy, in a semi-circle,
were six riders who had come out
Of the last timber belt.
1--WE can't leave him in the lurch,"
said the Wolfer. "That's a nasty
ooking contretemps over there.
hey've stopped them"
Eyes, they have"
"See them riding round them?"
EYES,"
What do you think? Should we
leave it to Tom to bluff them and
not show hand until something hap
pens, or should we show ourselves to
| ct them know that Tom is not alone?
This is question of strategy. I'm
no strategy-ologist. If l was alone
I'd ride right out with my holster
lap buttoned back. Lord, how a
woman complexities life!"
"Well, don't let me make you act
differently" said John. III we don't
show ourselves we can watch. If
they let Mr.. James go past-good
Surely they will, especially seeing he
has his daughter with him."
That's what I'm trying to figure
out. You and would, because Of a
girl being around. But will they? If
they don't let them pass easily we're
an awful long way from them-too
far off to get into the mix-up. They
got their horses quick, those fellows.
took 1t for granted that ranch James
mentioned was long way from his
place. Didn't know why!! Just git
that bunch. Say! see that? One Of
them is riding his horse right up to
Tom. / know those intimidating ges.
lures. Say, you can ride after Blunt
and warn him, and get him to ride
back in case he's wanted-and slam
down his gun. I'm going to lope into
this pow-wow. There's no man going
to haze a woman when I'm around .
He raised his line-hand as he spoke
and tapped the rein on his horse q
neck, gave twist Of thigh to turn
it. Next moment 1t was back out Of
the timber, Looping along the hillside
Hes acted too quick, too quick,
thought John, carl SCOTS gang
Il