The Coolidge examiner., 1932-11-18
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

frightened. From the edge of the
curtain Wilson could see two-thirds
of the room. To sweep with his
gaze the rest of it he had to move
TO the other. side of the window.
Brown stood just inside the door
way telling a story.
"An' when he wouldn't stop let
him have IT." He made his narra-
tive dramatic by an instructive
crouched gesture Of throwing a gun
on someone. "He blazed at me as
he went by. Before he turned the
bend in the trail fred again."
"Hit him?" demanded Gltner with
an oath.
Don't know. He sure kept trav-
elm. | followed a iii ways, then
lit up here to tell you boys"
"Know him?" asked Dunwig.
Brown pointed to Stark. His kid
brother"
Jasper's high voice betrayed his
fear. They've got us trapped" he
whined. 81 told you | didn't want
to throw In with you in this rotten
game. Carl. BY Cd, we've got
rope round our necks right now"
The Texan looked at him scorn-
fully. His legs wide apart. cruel
eyes narrowed. You're one HI of
a pardner, Jas. No CUTS"
Dunwig spoke. his light blue eyes
taking in Jasper with swift furtive
appraisal. He was convinced that
Stark would betray them to save
his own hide If the chance came.
Don't look TO me like we're
trapped. Not by a jugful. What's
yOre brother breakin' his neck TO
get away for If they've got us? I'd
say it's the other way round. Likely
two or three of 'em butted in here
lookin' for us. This McCann want
ed to make sure about whose cattle
were here. lie must of left the
others an the horses up In the
pines. When yore brother heard the
CtAOpAAh hC bEAt Nb AAaE ShhiC "0o bR
an lit out pronto. I'll bet he was
alone up there. Anyhow, I'm goin'
up TO find out. Wen know then
where we're at With Manuel post
ed at the Narrows this McCann
can't get out down the gulch. My
notion is we've got this guy where
we want him."
Gitner shook a huge fist savage
Iy. Il speak for him. Lemme have
him an I'll sure riddle him aplenty."
he cried with n fierce oath.
Again the terror that was riding
Jasper Stark cried out. Tell you
we're trapped. II ever get outa
here alive"
He did not finish the sentence
But as II stood the meaning was
clear enough. a threat to abandon
those with whom he was allied per
haps TO betray them. The eyes of
Gltner and Dunwig met. and a mes
sage passed between them. In that
long look nc was condemned For
they knew their lives were at the
mercy of this weakling who would
turn evidence against them when
ever pressure was brought to bear.
First off. well all go up to the
pines an see II anyone is still
carnped there" Dunwig proposed
THAI suit you. Carl? II we bump
into This McCann an his friends
Wen fog IL out with him."
Gitner straddled TO the wall and
took a rifle down from the deer's
horns on which ii rested. "Suits me
fine" he hoasted Il always did
want another crack at that wills
McCann. most sent him to King
dom Come oncet."
"Tm sick, boys Reckon I'll stay
here" Jasper said.
Reckon you won't" Gitner told
him with a brutal laugh. How
about it, Mark?"
For a fraction of second Dun
wigs siding eyes met those of the
Texan. why no. low he'd bet
ter go along. Carl"
The man crouched outside the
window knew that 1t was time for
him TO be gone He retreated care
fully a few steps. then broke into
run. After he reached his horse
and had reclaimed his rifle lying
near he hesitated.
where do we go from here, Jim
Dandy?" he drawled aloud. Blamed
if | know. The gulch Is closed. 1t
would be suicide if we tried 70
make a break down rhataway. It's
back to the big rocks for me, ex-
pect."
Already the outlaws were pouring
our of the house. Fr1m where hp
stood he could have shot them down
in comparative safety, but he could
not harden his heart 70 do that
though he knew they would murder
him without scrupIe If they got the
chance Hurriedly he mounted and
rode back into the pines.