White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-02-12
Continued from last week.
CHAPTER "a
Hard KnurkIAa

Hard knuckles
Buck and his men, back at theil
camp early next morning, were count
ing the cattle they had stolen, and
commiserating about the debacle Of
their raid.
IF some traitor hadn't let those
ranch birds loose from the bunk
house we'd a had the whole herd,
growled Buck.
He looked over the men, then
snarled.
where's that road agent-Idaho
Bill?"
They counted heads and discovered
the new man was missing. At this
moment Topaz Taggart rode into
camp, and calling Buck said:
Stella Montrose is coming to meet
me. Leave some Of the boys here
for another little job. Send the rest
of them over the border with those
cows, pronto."
Buck told him about the disap
pearance of Idaho Bill. Taggart's
eyes glared.
I'VE must find the double-cross
err" he snapped, before he can
expose us. l have way of dealing
with skunks."
Back of the brush at the edge OF
the camp lay Terence, watching and
listening intently. With him was
Komi, whom he had met on his way
Terrence rasti1y scrubbed note, and
handed 1t to the Indian.
"Take this to Mary Marshall; Their
wait for her at your hut on Sierra
Diablo," he said. "I'll come later
The Indian mounted his horse anG
sped off, Terence leaped to his sad
die and rode into the camp.
"Look-there he is," shouted one
of the men as Terence appeared.
Two of the men jumped him only
to meet his bare knuckles and be
knocked cold. AS Buck came up
shouting, We'll give him ropes
end" and the other men crowded
round, Terence drew gun.
Idaho Bill amt in the habit o
takin' rough jokes In the dark Ter
ence said, calmly but menacingly
maybe you kin shed some light"
we've been missing" Buck snarl
ed accusingly. "Why?"
"I've been savin' your necks b!
THROWN them ranch punchers of
your trail, that's what been dom,
Terence answered derisively.
Eye mean we double-crossed Ill
on the job" Buck Kissed, IAN"
Terence leaped from his horse ant
grabbing Buck by the throat, cried,
"You lie! got good eyes-an
they're lookin' at the guilty snak
now"
Buck answered with staggerin
blow to Terence's jaw. Terence re
taliated in flash, and the two me
closed in fierce combat. Two c
the men made to interfere, but Tag
CART stopped them.
| Let 'em fight it GU themselves,
he said.
They did. For half an hour. Tel
ence held the offensive almos
throughout. They sloughed an
punched each other mercilessl,
Each hit the ground time after time
Buck more often than Terence. Blu
both were game fighters, gluttons &c
punishment, always coming back fc
more. Until finally in one Of hi
rushes, Terence, plunged at Buck, hi
ting like battering ram, registerin
iron blow after iron blow, till Buc
fell crumpled UP on the ground, Gu
bleeding, battered and completed
done in.
He lay still, and Terence, facin
about to the others, well battered u
himself, but grimly game for more
shouted:
ANY Of you other hombres 90
funny ideas about mel"
None responded.
Then from now on Idaho Bill
running this gang" Terence yelled
They exchanged looks of approva
at this announcement and Taggar
stepped forward and looked hin
over with calculating half Suspicion
eyes. After a moment Taggart said
Guess the right man won-you'l
do for the job" and offered his hand
CHAPTER OK