The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-12-05

through the air. Struggling desper-
ately, the boy was flung to the ground
and his hands were pinned down by
one of Ingram's. The six-shooters of
the gunman were wrenched from their
scabbards and tossed aside.
The cattle man caught his shirt at
the throat and dragged him to his
feet. They stood for an1nstant glar-
ing at each other, the youngster held
at arms length by the powerful grip
of the Diamond Tail owner.
"I'll kill you for this" Quantrell
cried with furious oath, his voice
breaking into a boyish falsetto.
Ingram did not answer. He was not
through. His eyes had fallen on a
quirt hanging from a nail driven into
the wall Of the house. Toward this he
propelled his victim, forcing him up
the steps to the porch. The boy tried
savagely to fight himself free.
AS Ingram reached for the whip
Quantrell realized what he meant to
do and shrieked protest.
Don't you dass touch me! Don't
you! Don't your
The cattle man paid no attention.
His muscular forearm held the boy
off while the lash Kissed through the
air and coiled itself around the slen-
der body protected only by flannel
shirt. Six-nine-twelve times the
quirt rose and fell. Quantrell fought
to escape the torture, snarling and
biting like an animal.
Those watching the scene stood
silent, startled at what they saw.
There were no sounds except the swish
of the lash, the Scuff1e of the shifting
feet, and he whine of wild-beast fury
issuing from the throat of the with
ing man.
Ingram stopped, flung away the
whip.
Gather those guns" he ordered
Roche.
When the cowboy had done this the
cattle man threw the young outlaw
down the steps.
"Get out of here" he ordered. "Out
of this country or I'll hunt you down
like I promised"
Quantrell rose to his feet. He was
sobbing with the fury of uncontrol-
able humiliation and pain. His voice
was so broken that he could hardly
make coherent the dreadful threats he
poured out.
Grimly, Ingram looked down at him.
He did not answer the mans rawlings.
Standing there, straight and stern. he
was picture of masterful strength.
The young killer limped to his horse.
dragged himself tc the saddle, and
rode away.
Harvey was the first to speak. "Ill
say you're thorough. Dave"
'I'll run him outa the country" In
gram turned to the others. Boys, our
party is off for today. The Jefferson
county war is about over. looks like.
Yves Steelman an are gonna patch
up our troubles. Don't any of you
get on the prod with any of the
Hashknife warriors for day or two
till we see what's what. Come on
into the house, Tom. I want to talk
it over with YOU"
Barbara did not ride straight home
after her talk with Ingram but turned
aside to the Circle S o ranch. She
wanted to talk with Garrett O'Hara
before she saw her father. AS she
travelled the hills and the gulches be-
tween the creeks on which the ranches
lay her heart was lifted as it had not
been for many days. Yet back of the
excitement and the joy that thrilled
her was premonition of disaster 1t
was not in the cards, SO some deep
instinct told her. that she and her
lover should be happy together.
Though rising tide Of emotion had
swept this away for the time, she
knew that his ways were not her ways.
They were temperamentally at war,
in spite of the fact that he fasci-
mated and allured her. Just now she
was willing to hope, passionately
eager to believe, that love would fuse
their spirits to harmony. 1t must be
so, she told herself. His cry for her
had been wholly genuine. Surely. be-
meath the hard surface, she had found
at last the real man.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)