Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-01-28
CONTINUED from last week.
Chapter 20
6URLAP SACKS

H. 0HNN0
The impression of the heel was
well defined, but the toe part was
dim. IL pointed off the road. Rock
found another, like it, tho not so
plain. For his trained eyes the trail
might as well have been made in
snow. 1t led into the coarse white
grass, to the edge of h culvert,
where 1t vanished.
There was no aoubt in Rocks mind
that this imprint was identical with
the one near Slagle's well. he mao
the little sticks with which he had
measured that track. His instinct
prompted him TO take a look at the
culvert. He walked on, stepping on
stones.
The culvert was not the handiwork
Of masons. The aperture was large,
to take care of a considerable now OF
water during the wet season. Cruds
walls of heavy stone had been lalu
about ten feet high and the same DIS
tance apart. Logs and brush mao
been placed across the top. About
this a heavy layer of earth formed
the road.
When Rock stepped into the mouth
of the culvert he saw a lumpy hoor,
which at first glance he thought con-
sisted of rocks lying on the dried mud
A foot track, the one he was trali-
ing. brought a low exclamation from
his lips. Bending quickly, with his
little sticks he tried them: They MT
led perfectly. Moreover, this one had
been made recently.
When Rock rose from that track he
knew what he was going to find. the
tunnel appeared about a hundred feet
long, with light shining. in at both
ends, arsi the middle dark. The num-
erous stones on the floor were of uni
form size and shape, and he noted
that the first of these lay back sew
eral yards from the opening OF the
culvert.
Rock kicked one. 1t vas soft.
Bending to feel 1t and to o at it
more closely, he as~certained that IL
was a burlap sack tied round m
thing. He laughed sardonically.
"Cowhide," he said, and went on,
kicking to right and left. These stone
like objects We're all hides tied UP IN
burlap sacks. They were old. Some
of them were rotting. Then toward
the middle of the culvert. where the
bags were thickest, he found that
those in sight were lying in a bed OF
bags, flat, d~eeomposed. Altogether,
hundreds, perhaps thousands of hides
had been destroyed there. He de-
tected a dry, musty ordor, but 1t was
If fresh cowhides had lately been
deposited in this hiding place where
were they2 Back from h opening
it was difficult to see well.
Naturally then he reached up, to
feel where he could lot see. He had
TO put his toes in crevices between
the stones 20 climb up n reach over
the top of the wall.
When Rocks cropping hand came in
contact with a sack he felt no sur
prise. 1t appeared to hold heat. Grasp
ing il. firmly. Rock dropped to the
ground and hurried with 1t to the
light. He ripped it open. Quick
lime, hot and moistl A fresh cow
- x.fALZ l1f- snHtdnf
With hands that actually shook
thing was this proof Of somebody's
~guilt-about to be disclosed! The
brand was clear-a half moon. Rock
had never heard of it.
He rolled up the hide, stuffed it in
the sack, and put it back where he
abe dim light he saw rows of burlap
sacks, neatly slowed away.
Rock sneaked out of that culvert
and up to his horse as If indeed he
We're the guilty n himself. To fer
aet out rustler tricks and discover evil
dence of thieving practices on the
range, had been part of Rocks ex-
perience. How vastly another thing
here! That boot track had been made
by Ash Preston. Rock knew it. Gage
Preston was growing rich by butch
ering other ranchers' cattlet The
very least implication Rock accorded
20 Thirty Preston was hat she shared
the secret, and therefore indirectly
the guilt. And Rock loved her-loved
her terribly now, in view of her ex-
tremity.
1t was long past dark when Rock
arrived at Wagontongue. He went
TO the hotel and to bed. Rested and
fresh again, and with the bright gold
sunrise shining in his window Rock
dared to pit himself against Ash
4a.apfar In nnxrfhfhn IlpnCf Af all did
he consider Ash particularly danger
Gus to face in fair g%un-play. He was
several years younger than Rock, and
had been only five on the range CAL
culating on that, and his own long
experience, his instinct for divining
an opponents intent, and his swift
hand, Rock felt a certainty of his
power to beat Ash Preston to a gun
and kill him.
After breakfast, which Rock par
took Of rather late, he went round to
"Dog-gone. I'm glad to see your
Same here. old-timer," replied
Rock. Il want to find out somethin' !"
WHAT" asked Winter, as Rock
led him back into the store.
Preston, drove in here q couple Of
days ago." went on Rock, lowering
his voice. 'In the outfit were three
wagons i know of. One was full of
hides, which I helped pack. The other
two were loaded with meat. Beeves.
Now / want to find out how many
beeves there were and where they
WENT
"Wal, I'll be darned if that amt
funny" calculated Winter, his eyes
narrowing to mere Sits. Il shore
can tell you right now what you're
Aso damn keen about KNOWN" !.
Good Lord" exclaimed Rock, and
he sat down heavily.
Heard it quite by accident" went
on Winter; Jackson. who runs ms
seen a lot of fresh meat hangin' up.
All | said was: See you're stocked
up plenty an fresh
(" Preston is KILN now altogether
instead of sellin' any more on the
hoof,' Jackson told me. He's gettin'
thirty dollars more by KILN, on each
head Of stock. He'll sell to anybody.
Yep. An ! counted ten beeves
Driscoll told me. Shipped them tc
Winter paused to see what effect
this news might have upon Rock.
'Thirty-sixl" muttered Rock, witt
u~nreadable face and voice.
yep. An l counted ten beeves
hangin' up in Jackson's hooks. al
fresh. SO that makes forty-six. What
you want to know all this for?"
Gee, Sol, you're a gabby old LADY,
returned Rock. Who runs the Hall
Moon brand?"
New -cattleman named Hesbitt,
"Ciink Peoples. BY guml that
sounds familiar. I'VE heard his name
anyway. 2 What does he look like