The Coolidge examiner., 1931-02-27


young outlaw to town.
He was disturbed at the loss of
the horses. His partner had i'm
ported them from Kentucky with a
view to raising fine stock or at least
improving the native breed. Lyulph
would not be pleased, when he re-
turned from England with his bride,
to learn that Quantrell had appro-
priated them. though he would take
the loss with Characteristic good
craftsmanship.
The ride to Concho was a long.
cold one and O'Hara was drOoping
with fatigue. His hands clung to the
horn of the saddle. His head
nodded. More than once the Jolt
ing of the horses motion awakened
him with start. 1t was nearly
four o'clock when he slipped into
town by way of the pasture back Of
COnchO house. Here he diSmounted
and hObbled the horse. hiding the
saddle in a clump of scrub-oak.
The pasture was a large one and
the odds were that the animal
would not be noticed. AS il chanced
the brand on 1t was r ID Bar.
Smith-BeresfOrd had bought ii from
Buck creek hester and the Circle
s o riders had not yet rebranded il.
Even if anyone observed the horse
he would not associate it with the
sheriff. This was important, be
cause O'Hara did not want adver-
tiSed the fact that he was in town.
That was why he had not gone di-
rect to the Longhorn corral.
OHara left the pasture. crossed
the road. climbed an adobe fence.
and passed down a slope to the
creek. He followed this for two
hundred yards, then moved up
through the brush to a little log
cabin set well back from the street.
He tapped on the only window
and called in low voice. "Grogan
you there?"
AT first there was no answer, but
after he had spoken the name again
he heard a stir inside. followed by
a husky demand, who's wantin'
me?"
you alone?"
A momentary pause followed, then
a curt reply. Yep. Now you tell
me what | asked?"
Garrett O'Hara. Let me in"
The man in the house could be
heard moving about the room. He
did not light lamp, but presently
he came to the door and opened It,
The sheriff stepped inside and Gro
gan at once closed and bolted the
door.
kinda early. or late. one or the
other, to be drappin' in on a fellow,
amt it, O'HaraT" the owner of the
cabin suggested. yawning.
DO you know whether Bob Guam
trell is in town." the sheriff asked.
Grogan dropped his arms, still
stretched in the yawn. He was q
man of medium height. bow-legged
and muscular. His hair was yel-
lOwish red, and his face and
wrinkled neck were sprinkled with
freckles. At the mention of Guam
trell's name his lax figure starched
to rigidity.
"Why, no. What makes you
think so?"
I've been sleeping on his trail
for four days. He's either here, or
he's heading this way"
"YOu sureW
mot sure. Buck But he told me
he'd be here"
Told you?" Grogan's forehead
knotted in a frown. You an Bob
gettin' to be side-kicks these days?"
Listen. Buck I've got to have
some sleep. In forty-eight hours
I've hardly had a wink-been in
the saddle blowing through drifts
most of the time. I don't want it
known Pm in town. While I sleep
find out for me if Quantrell is here.
Last night he stole the two Ken
tucky horses of my partner. If the
horses are in town it ought not to
be hard to locate them. Bob may
be staying at the house of Manuel
Gomez. They say he's in love with
Dolores. Not likely he'll stay at the
Gomez house, though. He's too willy
for that. Find out what you can.
but be careful nobody suspects
what you're after When you get
back wake me up if I'm asleep"
Buck Grogan was a brother of
the Texas Kid. who with Shep San
derson had been killed on the main
street of Concho a little more than
a year before this time. In his
heart he cherished a bitter hatred
of the outlaw.
"All right, Sheriff." he said. "You
sleep. I'll find out what l can.
Hadn't l better let you lay till ten
or eleven o'clOck?"
No. If he's here he may hit the
trail at daybreak. Soon as you get
back wake me up"
OHara took off his boots, his |
coat, and his vest, and settled him
self on the bunk. In five minutes
he was sound asleep.
When he opened his eyes ii was
broad daylight. Grogan was stand
ing over him.
Hes here"
"Have you seen him." asked |
OHara. "Who told you he was?" I
You did. I've seen the horses
ne an some other guy rode in on.
stabbed in the barn back of |
Delgad0'S house"
DO you know where Bob is?"
NO don't. Down in the Mexi- |
can quarter, I'd say. | met Gomez |
on the street an edged round the |