The Coolidge examiner., 1932-10-28
CHAPTER XII
On a Hot Trail.

DETER McCANN stood before the
L open fireplace in his living room
frowning at Joe Walter, one of his
cowpunchers. He looked like a
grim gray judge Of the old school
| finished in brown leather.
"I won't have 1t, joe" he said
harshly. while you're workin' for
me you'll obey orders. Any time
that don't suit you, why, you can
ride down the road. I'll not have
you pull yore picket pin. I'm boss
on this ranch"
Walters looked down resentfully
at his dusty hat. He was on the
carpet, and his defense had been
| brushed aside. He felt this was not
| Just, for II was a perfectly good
| one. But the old man was so bull
| headed there was no use talking
to him. Yet it had not been very
long since Walter had been shot
and wounded by some of the Circle
Cross outfit and McCann had
offered a thousand-dollar reward to
| find out who had done 1t. Now Wal
ters was having the riot act read
to him because he had knocked
down one of the Stark vaqueros.
Sure enough times had changed.
II wasn't lookin' for trouble" he
explained again. Not none. That
bird was full of forty rod an ran
on me aplenty. What's fellow to
do?"
weren't hogtied, were you?
Nothing kept you from walking out
of the Gilt Edge when he started,
was there?
"Want me to stick my tail be
tween my laigs an run away every
time some guy gets biggity with
met"
"You got my orders, Joe. II he
belongs to the Circle Cross, duck
trouble. I'm putting an end to this
feud an that is the only way TO do
IL. I'd take the same medicine my
self | ask you TO swallow. II II
don't suit you, get yore time. That's
short an sweet"
Walters grumbled but surren-
dered. He knew when he had a
good Job and he had no intention
of giving it up.
Peter McCann wrote a note to
Phil Stark and in 1t asked him to
meet him at Garcia's water hole,
halfway point between the ranches.
The answer came in a feminine
hand. 1t was signed by Julia. She
said that Phil was away on bust
ness connected with the Caftlemens
association but she would keep the
appointment in his place.
When the cattleman reached the
water hole Julia was waiting for
him. Peter. looking at her, spoke
abruptly. You're very like yore
] mother"
I 1--WE been told So" She added.
gently. You knew her well?"
AT one time, yes" He offered
no further explanation. His eyes
were on the dry stark desert that
had minute before been vignette
snatched from fairyland. Perhaps
he was thinking that there had been
an hour in his arid life, to, when
the glow and color of dream had
irradiated it.
Julia. through clairvoyant eyes.
did not see a hard and fierce enc
my stamped with the brand Of the
desert in every line of the lean and
! leathery face; she saw youth. a
lover and friend, good man and
true. in that dim past when the
pages of his future had not been
dedicated to an enduring hate that
had poisoned many lives.
About some trouble yesterday at
the Gilt Edge" he began, with no
preface. Il want you to understand
my men have strict orders not TO
get into any mixup with yore rid
ers. Far as we're concerned this
feud is off. You ended it when you
saved my boys life"
I'm glad. If only it had never
started!'
He knew by the droop of her
head that she was thinking of her
father. THAT would have been
better" he admitted. Then, bluntly
he asked: do you think Wills shot
yOre father?"
mo. Down in the bottom OF my
heart ! never did think so-except