The Coolidge examiner., 1931-02-13

They talked casually of one topic
and another: the number of beeves
the gather would total, the need
of rain, the best route along which
to send the San Jacinto drive in
order to get good grass. AS In
gram talked, his keen eyes searched
the wooded hill slopes and the ar
royos filled with scrub oak. He
might appear to take Quantrells
threats lightly, but he had no in
tention of offering himself as an
easy mark.
They were dropping down a hill
to the road which swung around a
bluff to the ranch. The horses
picked their way slowly through the
rubble ready to start sliding at the
least pressure. Knowing how sure
footed their mounts were, both rid
ers leaned back and gave them
their heads.
They reached the red road rib
bon, then turned TO follow ii as it
circled the base of the butte. Pres
emily they could see the huddled
buildings of the ranch and the
windmill shining in the setting sun.
Three twisted cedars hugged the
shale cliff close TO the road. A man
and a horse were in the cedars.
The man had dismOunted.
Roche pulled to a sudden halt.
The heart in him died under his
ribs. The man in the cedars was
Bob Quantrell and be held in his
hands a Shotgun. 1t was a double
barreled one. That the cartridges
were loaded with buckshot the cow
boy did not need to be told. The
outlaw paid no attention TO Roche
He looked at the man who had
flogged him, and it seemed to the
vaquero that a red-hOt devil of rage
gIared out of his eyes. But when
he spoke his voice was low and al
most casual, yet somehow malig-
nantly sinister.
Like | promised you, Dave, me
an you alone"
Ingram must have known that he
was dead man. AT this distance
QuantreII could not miss. The
young ruffian who stood there
taunting him would pull the trigger
long before he could drag the rifle
from its scabbard. before even he
could fash a siX-shOOter into the
light. Ingram's decision was in
stant. and il was characteristic of
the man. He took the one forlorn
fighting chance that offered
Flinging his body from the sad
die head first, the cattle mans
clutching fingers plucked out a re-
volver as he dived for the ground.
A gun rOared and dozen buck
shot tore through Ingram's side
while he was still in the air. His
moments were TO be counted on the
fingers of two hands, and he knew
it, But his indomitable will was
for one instant stronger than death.
He steadied himself on his left
forearm, raised the weapon jerkily,
and fired. simultaneously, or per
haps fraction of a second later,
came the roar of the shotgun.
Before the sound of it had died
away the COW man was dead.
Quantrell reached for his re-
volver. Roche was flying in panic
down the road toward the Diamond
Tail. The killers tusks showed in
a grin, one not pleasant to see. He
shuffled his bow-!egged way for
ward, and in a sudden fury of rage
flung three bullets into the dead
body.
Maybe you'll not be so handy
with a quirt from now on" he spat
out venOmously.
The outlaw could not stay to en-
joy his triumph. There was need
of hurried departure. Roche would
cry the news at the ranch and sad
dies would be slapped on COW
ponies in hurry for the pursuit.
But QuantrelI took his time. 1t
would be long before he would have
another hour so full of relish as
this one.
He walked back to his horse,
pulled the slip knot by which il;
was tied, and swung TO the saddle.
Beside the body he stopped once
more to grin evilly down at it.
From this point the road dropped
slightly, in the direction of the
ranch, for several hundred yards.
then plunged down out of sight for
some distance. Two horses were
gallOping toward him. He was Gu
riOus to know who these two might
be. Certainly they were losing no
time. Delay was dangerous, hut
the taste OF peril in his nostris
stimulated him. He waited till tie
riders topped the rise, turned to 90,
but looked back with his hand oD
the cantle.
by cripes. one of 'em is a wom-
an" he said TO himself, and no
swept his hat off in a rakish bow.
He plunged into a draw of scrub
oaks, crashed through it, and pres
emily was among thickets of chap
arral. For an hour he rode fast.
but when dusk began to fall he
knew he was safe and slackened
pace.
HLAnrEP VI