Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-23
ROBBERS RoosT
~ ZANE GREY

II was dark as pitch toward the
grove Of cottonwoods which were
Swallowed by the bluff, here very close.
The rlistling of the leaves and the
tinkle of water guided Jim.
At length Jim located gray objects
against the black grass. He stole
closer.
where are you, Miss Herrick?" he
called in q tense whisper. ITS Jim
Wall"
He heard a sound made by boots
scraping on canvas. Peering sharply,
he finally located her sitting up on
half-unrolled bed, and he dropped on
one knee. Her eyes appeared I'M
naturally large and black in her white
face.
"Oh. you must be careful He said
he'd shoot any man VINO came near
me-" she whispered.
He would-if he could. But he'll
never kill me, Miss Herrick," Jim whis-
pered back. IT want to tell you I'll
get you out Of this some way or other.
Keep up your courage. Fight him
II felt you'd-save me-" she inter-
rupted, her soft voice breaking. oh
II I had only listened to you'll But
wasn't afraid. I left both my door
and windows open. That's how they
got in. / ordered them out. But he
made that Sparrow man point gun
at me. He jerked me out Of bed
throwing me on the floor. I was half
stunned. Then he ordered me to dress
to ride"
Keep your nerve" interposed Jim,
with backward glance toward the
campfire But I'll not deceive you.
Hank Hays is capable Of anything.
His men are loyal. Except me. I'm
with them, though I don't belong to
the outfit 1 could kill him any time
but I'd have to fight the rest. The
odds are too great. I'd never save
you that way. You must help me play
for time-till opportunity offers"
IT trust youth do as you say {.
Oh, thank you
you said he robbed you?" went on
Jim, with another look back at camp.
Hays was standing erect.
"Yes. / had $4,000 in American cur
rency. The Sparrowhawk man found
it-also my jewelry. Another
thing which worries me now-he made
me pack a bundle Of clothes, my toilet
articles"
"Ahuh But where was Herrick all
this while2"
They said they had tied him up In
"How much money did Herrick have
on hand?"
IT don't know, but considerable"
ut is q good bet he robbed your
brother. too. That'd make this ransom
deal look hshy, even If there were
"ThereI He is coming. Coco!
You are my only hope"
Without look Jim rose to glide
away along the grove. He made no
sound. The darkness cloaked him.
Hays deep voice floated to him from
the other direction. Circling to the
left, he go on higher ground, from
which he saw the campfire again. Tnen
he sought his bed and crawled into It,
Jim realized that when Hank Hays
stole this girl from her home he had
broken the law of his band, he had
betrayed them, he had doomed himself.
No matter what loyalty they felt Tor
HAYS, the woman would change 1t. Her
presence alone meant disruption and
death.
Morning disclosed as remarkable q
place as Jim had ever seen. Mocking-
birds, blackbirds and meadowlarks were
mingling their melodies.
Below him the little gray tent Hays
had raised for his captive had been
pitched against the grove OF cotton
woods, which occupied a terrace. One
half of the trees stood considerably
higher than the other, which fact mdi-
Gated rather steep bank running
luxuriant jungle Of vines, ferns, flowers,
moss and grass on that bank was elo-
Quent of water.
This grove was on point that was
separated from the wall on each side by
a deep gully. But these gullies ended
abruptly where the point spread into the
oval floor of the hole. Also both gullies
opened into canyon below.
Jim saw some of the men at the
camp fire, among them Hays. Beyond
them rose a wall of white, gray and
reddish stone. Jim was reminded Of
what Hays had said about outlets to
their burrow, There was also, on the
other side, the steep entrance down
which Hays had come to get into this
place.
The inclosed oval contained perhaps
IS acres Of level sward, as grassy as any
pasture. Aside from the features that
made this retreat ideal for robbers, 1t
was amazing in its fertility in its pro-
tected isolation, and in the brilliance Of
its many colors.
Jim STROBE over to the camp hre to
wash.
"How's Sparrowhawk? asked jim.
stopped blsedin'." 1t was Hays who
answered this time But / gotta dig
out tibet bullet an I'm plumb feared
can't"
LET it be while. Hows our pris-
oner?"
SAY, all you fellers askin' me tibet.
Fact is, don't know. She was dead to
the world last night"
Let her sleep. That was an awful
ride"
AFTER grub we'll climb I'D an look our
rooSt over" announced Hays presently.
1T certainly Is q great robbers roost,"
agreed Jim, wiping his face. IF we get
surprised Wen simply 60 out on the
other side"
wal. we Jest can't be surprised" said
Hays, complacently. "One lookout with
q glass can watch all the approaches"
If was Heeseman and had seen you,
as he sure saw us, I'd ind you in three
days. returned Jim, deliberately.
We'll, I'll bet you two to one tibet you
can't even git out Of here" declared
Hays.
why, man, you just told us all how
to get OUT
Down the gully, yes. But you've
never seen it an you'd shore be stuck
light" ' - :"
"Fellers," Hays said at the end of the
meal. IT forgot to tell you tibet we took
a little money from Herrick. I'll make
q divvy on thet today"
This news was received with manifest
satisfaction.
How much, about, Hank7" asked
Bridges. eagerly.
Not much. didn't count. Reckon
couple thousand each"
Whey! Thet added to what I've got