Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-02-04
Chapter ~
ROCK USES STRATEGY

Thirty, If you believe I could be-
tray You or them-shoot!' he replied
swiftly.
you will not tell?" she flashed.
"Never. You sure got me wrong
She gave vent to a ~shuddering
sound. The gun fell from her hands.
She swayed. He could see her eyes
were tight shut. Then she sank for
ward, her face on his knees. and,
clinging to him, she broke into low
sobs. every one OF which was like a
knife-thrust to Rock.
She soo rose from her knees.
Can you forgive me?" she whis-
pered.
times" =
but might have shot you"
Sure | thought you were goin' to-"
II was out of my head. l should
have known you would never betray
us. My wits were gone. Every
thing went but a hot terrible fury.
Oh, Trueman, ! am a Preston"
Wen, | reckon l don't want you
anybody else"
Can anything be done 60 save
u.s." she queried, appealingly.
1T must be done Thirty. Sure |
don't know what. We've got time
I'll find some way"
"Oh. Trueman, you are my one
hope. To think i've tried to drive you
away! That | nearly shot youl i.
How little l know myself. But / do
know this-if you stop this selling
fore they're arrested Tll--In love
you with all my heart and SOUL
Darling. | will do it somehow"
promised Rock.
"Ill go now" she said. rising and
swaying unsteadily.
Tn glad now you came to Sunset
Pass she whispered. But you've
added to my fears. It's now you, too.
who might fall under the Preston
shadow
BE brave, Thirty. Don't give up.
Never lose faith in me. Good
night" he concluded, and, loosing
her hand, he kissed 1t and fled sill
entity into the darkness.
Forty-eight hours later Rock rode
into Wagontongue.
Gage Preston had been more than
glad to give him leave Of absence.
sensing no doubt in Rock something
not inimical to his precarious for
tunes. In a note to Thirty, Rock ex-
planned the reason for his going, i'm
portuning her to wait patiently and
not be a victim to imagined evils
that somehow he would find a SOL
ution.
When Rock dropped in to see Win
ter 1t was not with any definite pur-
pose, but that night he and his old
friend locked themselves in a room
at the hotel. There were range chan
nels open to Winter to which Rock
had no access. The Preston situation
was graver-actual accusations had
been made. 1t seemed. But by whom
was not manifest.
SOL, old timer, I'm in deep" said
Rock at the conclusion of Winters
confidence, and he opened his palms
expressively. Thirty loves mel"
DO you know anythin' tibet makes
Preston's guilt shore?"
Yes, but I promised Thirty not to
tell Rock answered.
But you can go to Preston an
tell him 0 know. Scare him to sem
se.'
"Sol, Gage Preston can't call his
soul his own. | reckon Ash led him
into this and now has got him buff
faloed. Nothing on earth or in heaven
a stop Ash Preston"
"Nothin'?' echoed Winter. but the
%incredulity of the West, ans in his
sarcasm.
"Nothin' but leadln
"Ahuh! Wal, / never yet seen
tibet kind of a hombre miss meetin'
IL. Now, Rock, I've an idee. II
Dabb an Lincoln know what | know
an IL y u SoOu ptt tney. KNOW more
they viii tell you. Tibet sure OBJ
viates any broken promise on your
part. Dabb is human. Lincoln is the
whitest man in these parts. They're
both rich, an they rule the Cattle
Association. Hesbitt is only president.
What Dabb an Lincoln say is. law.
Now you go to them"
But, Sol, good Heavens! What
for?"
IF you car get Dabb an Lincoln