Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-08

and more'n one real rustIer outfit Wal,
I this Englishman-his name - Herrfck-
got the tdee Of hirin' all the hands
neutrality-suspicious.. range riders,
gun toters an plain out-an' out bad
men-and to throw this select outfit
think of tibet idee?"
Original to say the least. but not
practical. unless he can reform bad
men," replied Wall. much Interested.
wal, exactly. But I'm not concerned
with the practicabiity Of it. Herrick
took q shine to me, made me what he
calls his superintendent an sent me OF
all over lookin' for hard-shoottu', hard
ridin' men. An thet'S how you hap
pened to run into me. can It good
luck for both O. U.s."
You've taken me for one Of the
hard-shooting, hard-ridins kind, eh?"
wal, I want you In my OUTFIT" re-
suned Hays. Brad didn't cotton to
you, seen first on, but he's . gun
thrower himself. All the same, he's in
my OUTFIT an I reckon you might get
along. It's Heeseman who sticks in my
craw."
HeeSeman? Who's he?''
"Heeseman Is the rustler Of Dragon
Canyon. None Of the ranchers even
round here know tlhet. but know It,
He's got small outf1t. but shore enough
bad. An in some way he got wind OF
Herrtek's scheme. Darned II he didn't
pack over to Henry'S with his outfit an
start ridin' for him"
'Heeseman saw the same opportunity
as you?" queried Wan quietly.
Wal, yes. I'm comm to thet," re-
suned Hays grufiy. Il got the upper
hand, though, an IN Be the boss.
Thetn lead to friction. There'l be two
factions sooner or later, an the sooner
tibet fight comes on the better
II see. Less OF q division Of spoIls."
Wall, I'm no ruStler." snapped Hays.
Excuse me. If 1t isn't imperttnent,
may 1 ask just what you are?"
Ever hear Of Henry Plummer7"
Cant remember If did"
wal, Plunmer hourished some 10
an more years ago, first in Montana an
later in Idaho. He was the greatest
robber the West ever developed. Edu-
Gated man, Of good family, born in the
East. But the gold fever called an he
was not the kind Of q man to dig. He
operated on the placer mines. Was an
officer of the Law while he was head
of the biggest robber gang the frontier
ever knew. From Bannock to Lewiston
he kept the miners. the stages, the
Wells Fargo in terror for years.
Wal, seen Plummer hanged. / was
one Of his gang, a young man then, in
years"
Thanks for the confidence, Hays"
returned Wall. In surprise. you must
have strong interest in me to tell that"
Shore have. But don't care 10
be clasSed as a rustler."
Too low down. eh?"
1T certainly amt any two-bit cattle
stealin'. However, thets not the
point between you an me. What want
to know is, Will you take Job in my
OUTFIT"
THAT depends, Hays" returned Wall.
ANY scruples about 1t? Remember.
come clean with you"
mo. I broke Jail IN Cheyenne.
What was you in for?"
Shot . man. They were goin' to
hang me-"
"Ahuh. Was tibet square?"
Il didn't think so. Had to kin
the jailer to get out"
when was all this, WALTZ"
Some years ago"
Been shooting my way out Of one
Jam after another"
Much obliged replied Hays, feel
ingly. Wall, you're q hunted man.
You're broke. It's about where you cross
the divide"
zone more question. What bout this
Herrick's family?"
wal, he amt got any" rejoined
Hays. I'VE heard somethin' about a
sister comm out. but she never turned
up"
SISTER TIA be q he'll Of a note If
she did,
oval, this shore amt no country for
women"
It seemed to Jim Wall that this sally
completed q definite conscious feeling
In his mind toward the self-confessed
49, Tell la ~
disgust before. it certainly fixed ct that
now. Wall sensed gathering interest
in the situation he had Mapped upon.
(To Be Continued)