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

getically. II wanted to speak to Mr..
Ingram about that. but there's some-
thing else on my mind, Barbara.
Quantrell was In Concho yesterday for
little while visiting the Gomez girl.
He headed this way when he left town.
It was after dark, but Steve Worrall
saw him for moment. l don't want
to worry you. He's got friends on
Buck creek. an maybe that's where
he was making for. But I think Mr..
Ingram ought to keep careful look
out. Quantrell is dangerous"
Dave knows that as well as we do.
But he's so sure of himself, and any
way. he Is sort Of a fatalist. He
says he'll not die till his time comes.
wish you'd stay an talk to him.
Maybe he'll listen to you more than
he will to me-" .U.
"I'll stay If you like. want to dis
cuss my deputy with him. It's i'm
portant to get good one"
There drifted to them sound, q
faint pop that might have been the
explosion of a far firecracker.
whats that% she cried, lifting a
hand so that he would listen.
The breeze brought two more shots,
and presently after an interval of
seven or eight seconds three more.
The blood washed from Barbara's
cheeks. She caught at her friends
arm to get strength from personal
contact.
"Some one shooting at deer, or
more likely bear" O'Hara said. But
her fear had infected him. He felt no
conviction that his guess was true.
Barbara ran to the hitch rack and
mounted saddle horse. 1t was not
side saddle but she did not wait to
have a change made.
"Come on" she cried to O'Hara as
she wheeled the horse and put 1t to
n gallop.
Already he was hard on her heels.
They dashed down the road in the d.
rection from which the shots had come.
On the day that O'Hara rode to the
Diamond Tail to warn him Ingram
had gone to gather of beeves with
Roche. He was rounding up trail
herd to drive to San Jacinto. The
two riders cut across the country.
They could hear the bawling of cattle
In motion, and after little, from a
summit, three or four punches Of cows
converging toward common point.
Behind each bunch rode one or two
men. A faint "Hi-yi" drifted on the
breeze to them.
shorty combin' Horse Prong"
Roche said.
A trickle Of cows emerged from
draw just below them. These merged
with those already on the roundup
ground. a pocket in the hills where
they could be held easily while being
worked. The beef herd. cut out from
the herds gathered during the past
week, were held apart from the stock
now drifting in.
Ingram superintendent branding and
cutting, gave directions to his men,
and personally kept the tally. He left
the beef herd with his segundo in
charge. AS he headed toward home
Jack Phillips Joined him. For a mile
or two their way was the same.
Roche cantered after them and Joined
the two. r..... ......a..-
Better look out, Dave" Phillips
said. Its come to me three-four
times that Bob Quantreu is layin' for
you. He made his brags what he was
gonna do to you in the Square Deal
saloon at Aqua Caliente Saturday.
One Of our boys was there an heard
him."
mo news to me that he's sore,"
Ingram replied, with thin grim smile.
Hes got license to be. accordin' to
his way of 1t. If this new sheriff is
any good he'll put Quantrell outa bust
ness. No use arrestln' him. O'Hara
has sand in his craw. but he's a ten
derfoot. I've a notion to throw in
with him an clean out the gang.
Trouble is I'm so pushed for time"
Phillips ruminated aloud IF any
one was to ask me what was the most
important business Dave Ingram could
attend to right now I'd say it was
runnin' down Quantrell. If he ever
gets the deadwood on you, Dave"
"Why then I reckon I'll be number
seventeen for him." Ingram finished
carelessly.
Phillips drew up to defect for the
Circle s O. "Well. they claim threat
ened folks live long. Maybe so.
Adios."
The other two struck a road gait
across the mesa.
They talked casually of one topic
and another: the number of beeves
the gather would total. the need of
rain, the best route along which to
send the San JacintO drive in order to
get good grass. As Ingram talked, his
keen eyes searched the wooded hill
slopes and the arroys filled with scrub
oak. He might appear to take Guam
trell's threats lightly. but he had no
intention of offering himself as an
easy mark.
They were dropping down a hill to