Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-02-04

holding a slight rider that could no
be Al Preston. Who could it be? No
the youngest Preston lad. Perhaps /
was some boy AL had brought or sent
For Al was not in sight. Anothe.
pack-horse cleft the dark green gal
where the trail emerged. And aftel
II Al on his big bay. The foremos'
rider waved to the boys in camp. How
they Yelled Rock watched with eye:
starting and expanding. What wa.
there strangely familiar about tina
rider? Yet he knew he had never seer
him before. Rock never forgot 6
mounted rider. Suddenly he leaped vi
madly. Thirty!
Chapter As
"You ASK ME TO BE A TEgIEF?'
Rock ran. He leaped the brook. He
made the camp in bounds. sThiryl
OF all peoplet. Aw, I'm so-glad to
see you" he painted.
"Howdy, Truemanl" Her smile was
strained and she scarcely met his
gaze. He a never seen her
I'm riders garb. Could that make such
u~ifference? She Wore a tan blouse,
with blue scarf, fringed gauntlets,
o%veralls, and high boots. She looked
like a boy until she dismounted. Rock
had a wild desire to snatch her in
mis- arms.
Boys, throw my pack and unroll
EE+f EAN RtNAA AIN VAiiG TIT
boys obeyed with unified alacrity she
led the stunned Rock away from
camp. under he golden aspens, into
the forest.
Glad to see me?" she asked.
Glad he echoed, as if words We're
inadequate.
You don't show it,
Thirty I'm loco"
She still held his hand. that she
had taken openly before her brothers.
Rock could not shake off his trance.
still, it did not seem the Thirty he
knew.
Kiss me-" this unknown Thirty
said. not shyly, nor yet bodily. but
nomehow unnaturally for her. When
Rock obeyed. restraining himself, In
his bewilderment, she put her arms
around him and her face against his
neck.
bad news, Trueman DEAR" she
said, as if forced.
Sure / could have guessed it. But
it's welcome, since 1t fetched you"
Ash made a killing of Half Moon
steers n shipped the beef from
ing by rote.
Rocks frame jerked with the hot
Kush of blood thru his veins, but he
did not voice his anger and dismay. /
Dad wants you to come in with
us-share our fortunes. our troubles |
$3.50 oAat1 > : NAf aS it6hl kAtCGG Ell
envy outfits. If We
heat.
yes, we. Ash and Dad and land
my three brothers, and you"
SpiIlin' blood for thieves? All, that
is Preston's game. He wants me to
klii-to spread terror among those
Myomin' outfits. And my reward
will be"
Me she said, without emotion.
with Ash Preston's c~onsent?" de-
nranded Rock, angered to probe to
the depths Of this proposition.
Dad claims when you become one
Of us-Ash win have to consent
Thirty Preston'-You ask me to
do this thing?"
YES" she droned. But Ne could
feel a changing in the stiff form
against him.
"You ask me to be a THETA kill
er-to save your rotten brother, your
weak and crooked fatheT?" he flung
at her, in a stern and terrible voice.
"T-ask-you,"
In violence, almost with brutal
force, Rock shook her. as If to awak-
an her out Of a torpor.
mol No. you poor driven girl"
ne cried. II would die for you, but
III never let you ruin your soul by
such dishonor. They have blinded
bh-plSytQ bn your iOfe. IDuT
brother is mad. Your father des-
perate. They would sacrifice you.
Ash would agree to this, meanin' to
shoot me in the back. No, Thirty"
'You-will not?" she sobbed.
Never! Not even to have your
weeping creature in his arms, whose
cries were incoherent. whose beat
ing hands and shaking body wrought
havoc TO the iron of his mood. "Oh,
thank God-you won't!" she wept,
lifting streaming eyes and working
Dad you'd never, never do 1t. L
you have me.-But they made me-
they drove me-all night they nagged
me-until ! gave in. Trueman darl-
ing, say 0 forgive. l was weak. /
him so-and I'm almost broken
love you more-a thousand
shines. Let come what will. / can face
II now.
Don't go back to the Pass" Thirty
pleaded.
II must. I'll go alone
but I'm afraid. If you meet him
Oh-you will. .Trueman, / could
mt hate you. Once / thought / might.
On, don't go!"
She wound her arms around his
neck and chung to him with all her
might:
'-rake me away-far away across
the mountains she begged, her lips
parting from his to implore mercy.
and then seeking them again. TITS
the only way. / am yours body and
soul l ask nothing more Of the life
but that o spare him-and take me
The boys will let us have a pack. We
can cross the mountains. 1t is not
Vet winter. Then somewhere we
two win live for zach other. I will
forget him and all this horror. And
never-kill another man."
"Thiry girl, hush; you are break
In me" he cried. II shall 20 alone
make one last stand to save your
father"
Rock rode the zigzag trail down
the Pass in four hours.
Thee did not appear to be any UNI ]
condition. at the ranch that '
obviously affected the women-fo2k.
Preston had ridden off early that
morning to a general roundup out
On the range, at a place called Clay
Hill. '
Reckon IN ride wei to Clay Hin," (
Rock. h
Soon afterward he was riding down c
he Pass to take the trail up on the
-ange. I
Clay Hill was a famous old round h
zp ground. o
Rocks keen eye snapped at the Y
I'D time cen Dust and color and q
Herds OF cattle, fields OF II
sorsesi Not until he rounded the n
corner of Clay Hin, whers h
ne tran ran, and came abruptly up "