The Coolidge examiner., 1931-01-23
CHAPTER Vlil-Continued

CHAPTER Vlil-Continued
10
Some one misunderstood. He was
either too anxious or he was nerv
Gus. a shot rang out from the blum
and the three men below scrambled
into instant motion The one at the
creek scuttled for the house The
other two ran around the barn to
find safety there
Instantly Quantrell's rifle cracked.
Other weapons bonmed out. The
man running from the brook STUN
bled. almost fell. recovered himself.
and disappeared limping into the
house. The other two vanished into
the stable.
Quantrel was diSgusted. You
spilled the beans proper. Mac. We
had three of 'em salted an we
didn't get a one. oh. well. no use
beetin about IL now Come on,
boys. before they get time To get
set"
He slid down into a bruShy draw.
ran through it. and emerged into
he ran. the others al his heels.
From the ranch house guns spat
bullets al the running men Quan
trell reached rhe stable. Texas Jim
and Whitley and Mac were AT his
heels. The deputy sheriff came
painting in twenty yards back of
them.
QuantreIl SAT down on a feed
box and cursed bitterly and flu
emily The object of his maIedir
tionS was the party of Ingran's s
gunmen M The ranch house. The
adventure he had planned ana led
had gone wrong. lie found his
party heSieged in the stable. two
ont of the six wounded. a seventh
separated from them by stretch
of -four hundred yards that might
as well have been miles. and the
horses quite out of reach Ouan.
trell did not need anyone to point
out to him how badly he had blum.
dered in charging down the hill
He had acted under impulse like a
fool boy
All firing had ceased. Those al
the ranch house made no immedi-
ate attempt 10 modest the invaders,
Presently Whitley made an an
nOuncemenf.
Fellow just got on hose the
other side the house an ro6e Off"
Gone To let Ingram know" Tex.
as Jim guessed
An after "A while Dave will be
back here with whole passle of
warriors" Sommers added.
"ltll he 'ound-up of Hashknife
waddies. LOOKS like" Mac said
"Yon never can tell till you've
ridden circle en- brought the long.
horns in" puanfrell contributed
blithely. But none of you fellows
have got to stay when you're ready
10 20 Me I'm stayin'."
Texas Jim nodded Same here" :"
&c said hri"1g
The deputy sheriff said nothing
in his opinion this enterprise had
some 10 wreck on Quantrell'S folly
II good opportunity came 10 get
ftut with whole skin he intended
10 do so
During the next hour or two
there WAS deSutory firing on both
sides. though il was plain that the
men in the ranch house were wait
ing for reinforcements before they
forced the fighting.
"Coupla fellows on horses com.
IN through the Willows" an
nnunced the white headed cowboy
abruptly.
Quanirell picked up his rifle and
went tn the door What he saw
was certainty unexpected. Two
men were riding along the edge of
the creek among the willows. They
had with them led horse. The
riders SplaShed through the creek
and made n dash for the stable.
Dad gum my skin if it ain't the
helted earl an his friend the good
bad man" exclaimed Texas Jim ex-
"itedly. What in Mexico are they
doin' here?"
The young desperate laughed. his
voice when he spoke filled with gay
and careless mirth Where else
would they he? Don't they always
head straight for trouble. those
ladS?"
\ moment. and O'Hara and his
partner were in the stable.
The Circle ) O partners consult
ed win each other.
Nothing 10 do but ride over TO
the Hughes ranch and call off the
Hashknife hoys. If they've got In