The Coolidge examiner., 1931-02-20

men, matted the boards of the two
Browns, and depended from the
names of the horses. A dozen times
the riders had been forced to dis
mount in order to get circulation
into their legs by walking along
side the animals.
Wed be nice easy marks If Bob
an his crowd happen to have come
back to spend the night" grumbled
Amen as they drew up outside the
house.
The sheriff slipped from the sad
die and knocked on the door.
The rancher called who's there?"
then after a moment opened with
out waiting for an answer
He invited the half-frozen men
into the house, and they thawed out
in front of the fireplace while Fer
riI and his son stabbed the horses
and fed them.
Mrs Ferril was bouncing,
round-breasted young woman with
swapping black eyes. She was
twenty years younger than her hus-
band and was the stepmother of
the lad. At once she set about
making supper for the self-invited
guests. While she worked she
flashed smiles al them and talked
The sheriff asked questions
enough TO direct her conversation
Ii appeared that Phil, her stepson.
had ridden out of an arroyo in time
to see the rustlers round up the
horses. They had caught sight of
him and one of the men had fired
at him before he realized that this
was a raid Phil was almost sure
that the man who had fired at him
was Deever. He had not been near
enough TO recognize any of the
others.
(which way did they go after
leaving The ranch?" Owen asked.
Toward the Mai Pals" she said
Hank followed them for several
miles. He couldn't miss their trail
in the snow. They have hangout
there in a cave. The story is that
they have bunch of cattle round
ed up in valley two-three miles
from there"
The men of the posse slept on
the floor in their own blankets,
which they first dried out before
the fire.
In q few minutes they were all
dead TO the world. Ii had been
an exhausting day and the stur-
diest of them was tired. None of
them awakened until Phil renewed
the fire which had been banked for
the night
Roll out an roll up, boys"
O'Hara shouted, and he fitted ac-
tion TO word by doing so himself.
They stamped out to the wash
pan, made themselves clean, and
combed their hair. By the time
they had fed the horses. breakfast
was almost ready.
1t had been agreed that Hank
Ferril was TO ride with them. He
did not want to go, but he could
moi very well object. The stolen
horses were his, and he knew the
Nal Pals country better than any
of the Others.
They're a tough layout an |
hate TO get them sore at me-" he
said while he was saddling.
why, of course, if you're raisin
stock of Bob Quantrell's benefit,
Hank" said Owen with obvious sar-
caSm.
Not a chance in the world OF
gettin' my stock back, Amen. Like
huntin' d needle in haystack. If
Bob wants us TO find him we will !;
if not. we won't see hide or hair of
him. An you can bet that if we
do it'll be because he's got the dead
wood on us"
FerriPs prediction was true
one. Forty-eight hours later the
posse, group OF weary and saddle
worn men, dismounted at his ranch
and bow-legged stiffly to the house
from the corral. For a day and a
night il had been showing steadily.
mo luck?" asked Mrs. Ferril of
the sheriff.
mo luck" replied O'Hara. Bob
wasn't at home when we reached
the cave, but he left note for US.
Thoughtful of him."
He handed a torn fragment of
newspaper to her. On it was
scrawled:
Make yourself comfortable. Sher-
iff. Flour under the ledge. Quar-
ter of beef hanging from the cot
tonwood by the spring. Cards on
the shelf Sorry can't stay and say
hOwdy, but I've got ben on at
the Circle s 0 ranch. Meet up
with you and chew over old times
later. Adios"
The penciled note was signed
Bob Quantrell."
Mrs. Ferril showed strong white
teeth in gay laughter. Hes sure
enough a case, that boy. Never
saw the beat of him for impu
dence."
Hes certainly got the laugh on
US this time," the sheriff admitted.
Bob must have mad scout out,
for he hadn't been gone half an hour
when we reached the cave. The
fire hadn't died down at all"
What will you do now?"
Get back to the Circle S o fast
as horse will carry me. Then
I'll probably be too late"
"You may be lucky if you get
there too late" she warned.
He agreed that there was some
thing to that.
1t was late when O'Hara
dropped wearily from the saddle at