The Coolidge examiner., 1931-02-13
CHAPTER X-Continued

HE won't" she said decisively.
HE wouldn't have taken it if he
hadn't meant to do his best"
Hope his best is good enough.
I'll sure not do any mournin' If
he gets that young killer" Ingram
replied.
O'Hara rode across to the Dia-
mOnd Tail that afternoon.
Barbara came out to the porch
to meet him. At sight of her a
wave of emotion crashed through
him. After the usual banalities of
greeting he told her that he had
come to see her husband.
Dave is not here. | don't know
just where he is. | hear you are our
new sheriff."
For want of better" he said
apolOgetically. 81 wanted TO speak
TO Mr.. Ingram about that, but
there's something else on my mind,
Barbara. Quantrell was in Concho
yesterday for little while visit
Ing the Gomez girl. He headed this
way when he left town. 1t was
after dark. but Steve Worrall saw
him for moment. | don't want
to worry you. He's got friends on
Buck creek, an maybe that's where
he was making for. But think Mr..
Ingram ough to keep careful
lookout. Quantrell is dangerous"
Dave knows that as well as we
do. But he's so sure of himself,
and anyway. he is a sort of a ia
talist. He says he'll not die till his
time comes. | wish you'd stay and
talk to him. Maybe he'll listen to
you more than he will to me-"
III stay if you like. | want TO
discuss my deputy with him. It's
important to get a good one"
There drifted to them a sound, a
faint pop that might have been the
expOsion of far firecracker.
What's that?n she cried, lifting
a hand SO that he would listen.
The breeze brought two more
shots, and presently after an inter.
val of seven or eight seconds three
more.
The blood washed from Bar
bara'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. Ii was not
a 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 il
to gallop.
Already he was hard on her heels.
They dashed down the road in the
direction from which the shots had
come.
On the day that O'Hara rode to
the Diamond tail To warn him In
gram had gone to gather of beeves
with Roche. He was rounding up
a trail nerd 10 drive to San Jacinto.
The two riders cut across the coun-
try. They could hear the bawling
of cattle in motion, and after a lit.
tie, from a summit, three or four
punches of cows convergine 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
a draw just below them. These
merged with those already on the
roundup ground. 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 drift
ing in.
ingram superintended 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 mile or two their way
was the same Roche cantered
after them and Joined the two.
Better look out, Dave" Phillips
said. "lt's come to me three-four
times that Bob Quantrell is layin for
you. He made his brags what he was
gonna do to you in the Square Deal
saloon at Agu. 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 a license to be.
accordin to his way of it. If this
new sheriff is any good he'll put
QuantreIl Outa business. No use
arrestin' him. O'Hara has sand in
his craw. hut he's tenderfoot. 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
anyone was to ask me what was
the most important business Dave
Ingram could attend to right now
Id say it was runnin' down Guam
trell. If he ever gets the deadwood
on you. Dave"