The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-04-01

matte from his belt. He had no doub
that Pierre and Shorty were planning
mischief; most probably they mean
to attack him as a preliminary to over
powering the girl.
= And he lay watching them ant
grimly waiting for their stealthy onset
:, He felt more than a match for the pail
: of them.
Minutes went by. however. The pail
seemed an unconscionable time max
Ing their arrangements. and all the
while the discussion. which WAS Just
, audible without being Ineligible. went
, on. Lee wondered how long he hac
been lying there. 1t was too dark to
see his watch. He wondered why they
had not waited till morning, when
there would be a better chance Of
taking him unawares.
At last the black shadows separated.
One Of them was coming toward him
with stealthy footsteps. Lee guessed
Gus of the two.
The figure came slowly on Lee
aimed the automatic, his finger stead
led on the trigger. He would fire as
soon as 1t made the first hostile move
ment. as soon as 1t raised its weapon
to cover him.
And then, In amazement, he let the
muzzle of his automatic drop. For the
figure was not coming toward him, 1t
was going toward the girls tent.
And it was the girl herselfl
Had she then some secret under
standing with the two ruffians, and
had the episode of the evening at the
hotel been performance staged for
some particular purpose2
That might almost have appeared
credible, but for the conversation that
Lee had overheard beside the stove
In the light Of that, Lee had to dis
miss the credibility of his surinise.
The only possible explanation at
which he could arrive was that tho
girl had gone to the confederates with
his own story, had taxed them, and,
of course had been persuaded that his
tale was false. Probably they had
convinced her that they were friends,
and that he had designs upon her.
Mystified and Inundated, Lee went |
to sleep at last with his ears attuned |
for any unexpected sound or move
ment and the automatic within his
immediate grasp. Long practice with
prisoners whom he had brought
single-handed out of the wilds had
given him the faculty Of sleeping in
as complete watchfulness as 4 wild
animal; no enemy could surprise him
while he dozed.
But there was no need for these
for nothing disturbed him,
and it was the sun. blinking on the
edge Of the horizon, that awakened
him the next morning.
The girl was already cooking her
breakfast outside her tent when he
and she returned his saluta-
ion with a stiff little bow, keeping
Ter face averted.
Lee attended to his horse and then
his breakfast. He had fin
shed before Pierre and Shorty came
IN the scene. They looked as II they
lad been drinking heavily the night
oward either him or the girl until the
lorses were loaded and ready to start, =:
he girl briefly declining Lees assist
nee and handling her own gear LIZA
n expert.
Then Shorty carle up to Lee.
"See here, pardner, what's the great
dea?" he asked, In a tone that was
leant to be conciliatory. "My part
er and me was wonderin' II we
ouldn't fix up this little misunder-
tandin'. 1 guess you're barkin' up
ne wrong tree, amt your
"Meantng?"
Meaning as how my pardner and
lie don't mean no harm to this young
ldy. We're on prospectin' trip, and
acheraily we don't want no outsiders
lttin' In on our property" i
How about this ladyr' {
Now, pardner, you got things sized q
. wrong, l tell you. Eff she's goin'
IT way, why, nacherally, we amt :
'ing to purtend not to see each other. 7
ow I dunno where you're bound for, o
i'd l don't care, but I give you the :
st tip you ever had, eff you don't
Re trouble, which 1 understand you :
say you don't. There amt no gold
Stony range, and the best thing you 7
n do Is to beat 1t back to Little
Ills. That's all about It." !
IF there's no gold In Stony range, u
~ are you prospecting here?" -
Say" shouted Shorty. 81 guess my m
rdner and me knows our business
thout no outsider buttin in. I've 4
t the cards face up on the table. T
w hnpu ahnrf II ~