Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-02-14
CHAPTER VII-Continued


all. Do you want the w0rld7"
Il want you'll" he said, throw In
with ME, girl. I'm going TO fight these
nesters off-the Three Bar among the
rest Ii you don't quit. I'll smash the
Three Bur Into mineemeat unless you
run this id Harris Off and quilt this
game"
Ii was the first time Slade had
ever threatened Her spirits had
soAred over the prospects of the Three
Bar and she was suddenly afraid for
her brund II Slade, who had whitfield
down dozen outfits at once, should
suddenly turn his whole attention to
the Three Bar.
i've got Ii to do" Sade stated.
"Since you've started this deul there's
been nesters died papers on every
good site In my runge, waiting TO rush
In us soon as lose my grip. DO you
think III lei them crowd tue OUT Not
in thousand years TN telling you
Ill break the Three Bar II you keep
II up
@Ali right" she said And what
about. the homestead laws?"
I'm tile law out nere,. he asserted.
1t came to her that Slade was fight
Ing on the defensive, that he feared
to lei the Three Bar succeed and set
up precedent In defiance OF the
signs that dotted the range
Then It's war; she said. And
you'll 80 under yourself. from your
own size. II you haven't the Judgment
to hedge yourself now like the rest
The Three Bur Is going ahead-and
we're going to win.'
She turned her horse but Slade
caught her arm and whiried her
around He jerked thumb at the
two men down the ridge.
what cum Deane, haIf-baked boy.
give your" he demanded "You want
an outfit of your own I'll give you
hhat-the biggest In the state"
She shook her head without an
swerlng.
Then LII break you" he predicted
q second time. He drew folded slip
OF puper from his pocket and held 1t
oui TO her. That's the exchange Slip
he sald. 1T calls for three hundred
odd head of mixed stuff. You can
send yours over any time" He turned
his horse and followed after the
ranger while the girl joined Harris
aud Deane.
Harris had slipped the strap OF his
glasses and handed them to Deane
who had dIsmounted and wus peering
OFF ut the spot Harris mud pointed out
few scattered shacks, showing as
toy houses from the distance, stood
In the center Of broad open basin
sheltered on all sides by the chuppy
mass OF the Breaks A solid corral.
almost stockade, stood near the
buildings
THAT'S Arnolds stockade," Harris
explained to Deune. "Arnold wus an
old.time rustler that finished at the
end OF a rope fifteen years ago Now
all the driftera In the country stop
over here II they want place to hole
up"
Cant the sheriff clean them out OF
there?" Deane asked
HE could" Harris said. But no
mum will make complaint They
Gun rustic every steer in the countr,
and the losers are afraid to nuke
report Every outfit Is supposed TO
protect Its own. Ii Alden should ride
up to almost any ranch within hun.
dred miles and ask them II they'd
missed any stock in the last three
years they'd shake their heads and
swear that they hadn't lost nouf.
But the Three Bar nus clean page,
we're not afraid hell get line on us
while we're having him round %
some one else The first time we gel
scrap OF real evidence on any man
we'll call Alden In"
you told me the Three Bar herds
have been cut In haiti Deune said
.How much evidence do you nped7"
ITS like this: Harris explained
"Rustling Is about the hardest thing
In the world 10 prove There's d duzen
ways they can work It. | could catch
some of them driving bunch OF
Three Bar cows toward the Idaho line
They'd look up and see me and cain
iy ride on past the cows They could
say the bunch was just drifting ahead
of their horses-thai they weren't
driving them al all Who can't prove
= case OF rustling even II you see II.
unless you actually catch one alter
Ing the brand The only way 10 con
vlci rusfler right now Is 10 kill him
and swear that you run up ON him
changing a brand. expect that's
what we'll have 10 do"
Deane looked al the girl to deter
mine how she met this suggestion. u (
sfend OF the shiyef of distasfe which
be rather expected her lips were
pressed tight
"A little OF that would help Slane
too" she said lie told me tust now
that bed smash the Three Bar"
The man reflected thnf this sort 81
life could mol help but wear off some
Of her natural tineness and harden
her.