White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-05-03
The
Settling
Of the Sage
BY
HAL 6. EVARTS
Copyright by Hal G. Evarts
WNU Service
Copyright by Hal G. Evarts
WNU Service
CHAPTER XI-Continued

Three Bar Harris dlSmOunted on q
ridge and sha joined him, listening
with entire Indifference to his op-
ti.aistic plans.
"We're only scratched" he said. ut
won't matter In the end"
"This is the end" she dissented.
'The Three Bar is DONE"
tits just the start" he returned.
"1t's the end for theml Don't you
see? They staked everything on one
big raid that would smash the IT. ree
Bar and discourage the rest from
duplicating our move. That would
give Slade new lease of life-delay
the inevitable for few more years
They made one final attempt and lost
They're through" he asserted posi-
lively. "That's their last shot. We're
only delayed-that's all. The home
stead cabins are only charred. The
old buildings at the ranch are gone.
I'll put a crew In the hills getting
out new logs and there'n be enough
out-of-job peelers riding grub-line to
rebuild tn, whole place. We've got
our land. The hay is tramped fiat
right now but the roots aren't hurt.
Next spring will show the whole fat
coming up with heavy stand of hay"
you're good partner, CAL" she
said. "You've done your best But
the whole thing would only happen
over again. SHADES too strong for US.
SHADES through" he asserted
''He's locked up and when he gets
out his hands will be tied Inside OF
month the law will be in the saddle
for the first time in years. Once Al
den gets grip on things, with folks
behind him, he'll never lose 1t again."
He painted the future of the Three
Bar as the foremost outfit within q
hundred miles, but her mind was
busy with a future so entirely differ
ent from the one he portrayed that
she scarcely grasped his words AL.
ways she had heard her parents
speak of the day when they should
go back home; and she had always
felt that the day would come when
she, too, would live in the place from
which they had come-with frequent
trips back to the range. The love for
the ranch had delayed her departure
from year to year. But now the old
familiar buildings were gone and
there were no ties to hold her here,
or even to call her back once she was
gone.
Harris rose and pointed, rousing
her from her abstraction. Down in
the valley below them filed long
line of dusty horsemen.
There is the law" he said
"Thats what brought you here to
see. It's what we've been waiting
for. That little procession stands for
organized law!"
She turned and looked behind her
as her ear caught the thud of hoofs
and jangle of equipment. The Three
Bar men were just topping the ridge
Harris knew that action, not mac
ton was the best outlet for her ener.
gies, temporarily smothered by the
shock of the raid.
Il thought maybe you'd like to CO."
he said. "The jaunt will do you good
She showed the first sign of inter.
est she had evidenced.
"And we're going to the Breaks"
she stated.
That's where" he said. well or.
der them to give up and stand trial
They won't. Then we'll clean them
out Hunt them down like ratsl'
The little band in the valley was
drawing near. She recognized Carp
Bentley and another Slade man rid
ing with the sheriff at their head.
whats Bentley doing there?" she
asked.
zone of Carp's men," Harris said
"If any of them get away from US
Carp will hound them down. He
wears the q. s. badge and won't be
stopped by any feeling about cross
ing the Utah or Idaho lines. Rustling
is of no interest to him. That's the
sheriff's job. But Carp will round
them up for obstructing the home
stead laws"
The Three Bar men came up and
halted. Harris and the girl changed
mounts and led their men down to
join the file of riders below.
1t was we'll after shutdown when
they halted In a sheltered valley
Waddles cooked meal over an open
fire. Bed rolls we're spread and the
men were instantly asleep. Three
hours before sunup the cook was once
more busy round fire.
The meal was bolted and each man
dashed generous lunch on his saddle
before riding off.
Daylight found them twenty miles
from camp and the horses were
breathing hard They turned into a
coulee threaded by well-worn
trail. Three miles along this Bentley
turned to the right up a branching
gulch with eight men. Another mile
and Carp led a similar detachment
off to the left. Billie rode With the
sheriff and Harris at the head OF the
rest, holding to the beaten trail.
Harris motioned to Billie.
''You fall back" he said. The men
had drawn their rifles from the scab
bards. "They never did post a guard.
But there's just chance. So for q
little piece you'd better bring up the
rear"
Harris turned up side pocket AMI
the men waited while he and the
sheriff climbed ridge on foot to In
vestigate. Harris motioned to the
girl.
"Come along up where you can
see," he said and she followed them
,-n M vfAnn