Evening star., 1930-05-23
THIRTIETH INSTALLMENT.
~ OBERTA came to in Don james
arms beside the water hole.
well, Jimmy" she murmured

~ OBERTA came to In Don Jaime s
- arms beside the water hole.
We'll, Jimmy" she murmured
were back in the sheep
business again." he assured her SOL
A silence. Then: "Any casualties,
Jimmy"
"Yes. Three dead horses and two
wounded. Hobarts pinked. but nothing
worse than what he's been used to-.
Adolfo de Haro, one Of my riders, Is
dead, and Lambert, O'Grady and Mar
tineZ Trujillo are badly hurt, but I do
has lost little finger. Dingle and nine
Of his men are dead to date and the
final returns from the river should
make the affair unanimous Fraser,
Juan Espinosa and Julio Ortiz are fol-
lowing them. They took our mounts.
And now I'll have to get busy. load our
wounded on Dingles chuck wagon and
60 home"
was that his chuck wagon in the
corral?"
"Well, it used to be your Uncle
Toms, so presume it's yours now.
Dingle got here first, ran his chuck
outfit into the old branding corral to
camp for the night and turned his
mules loose there. Then he waited to
see what might turn up before dark.
I turned up-unexpectedly- wide
around the herders, approached the
corral from the rear and had opened
the gate and entered before either side
discovered was trapped. They couldn't
see me clearly, but through the chinks
in the corral boarding they could see
something moving against the light. At
that. they couldn't be sure that some
thing was me, my horse or their mules,
and they didn't want to hit the mules,
20 they were careful.
'It was close work, and after I'd To-
Gated all the chinks in the boards
made them keep their heads down.
Then when the firing started out on
the fiat and they saw Ken's men, led
by you, making a pistol charge on the
men with the sheep, Dingls got cold
feet. You rode through quite bar
rage, sweetheart, but once you'd topped
the corral they figured had reinforce
ments, 30 they ran for their horses and
rode south-that Is, some Of them did.
climbed upon the wagon seat and
famed their rear AS they fed down
the south side of the valley they bump
ed into Ken and Julio, who emptied
two saddles each. Do you know, dar-
ling. that you have a pistol bullet
through the muscles of your back,
rather well on the right side? Nothing
fatal, but you'll sleep on your left side
for MONTH"
I'm a fool" Roberta murmured
weakly.
Eyes, but gallant little fool"
care you hurt. Jimmy?"
mot a scratch"
She raised her left arm and curled
until his cheek touched hers. you're
such a terrible man." she whispered.
"Oh, such a terrible mani
But you love me. just the Same?"
eyes, but I wouldn't have told yell
I'd have died first. It's all due to Ken
Hobart He told me-"
Hush, sweetheart. He's confessed.
He told you few of the most Won
derful lies on record. and when he
baby. Swore that If you died he'd
commit suicide-provided didn't kill
him first" He lifted her to a sitting
There's old Cupid Hobart sitting
over yonder. Look at him. He's still
blubbering."
"Ken!" Roberta called weakly.
The ex-ranger got up and limped
painfully over to her. knelt and took
her hand You're grand liar" she
murmured. "and a grand fighter. and
q grand friend-and now I'm going to
decorate you, Ken Hobart-on the field
of battle"
kiss her, fool" Don Jaime roared.
"And you can kiss her again the day
we're married. That's the privilege Of
the best man, but after that. believe
you me, partner, she's not going to
give away any more samples to hard
boiled old waddies like you"
So the embarrassed wretch obeyed
orders, and Roberta tainted again. Ho-
bart almost moaned.