The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-03-03
chapter 8
ASH GIVES WARNING

ASH GIVES WARNING
 gwhat?' ej-aculated Dunne. hoarsely, his face turning yellow,
 Cant you hear2 Any man who thinks me 2 rustler has got to back it with his gun"
 sRock. l. I = weThrowin' guns wasn't in my ordersp
 eDunne. you don't fit on this range replied Rock, in bitter scorn. Keep out of my way here after" Then he turned to the other riders. Reckon you're not willin' parties to this raw deal Dunne gave me. Any self-respectin' cowboy, if he calls another a rustler, knows it's true and is ready to fight :. Tell ffesbitt exactly what happened here. If you don't I'll hold it up against you. Tell him rotten gossip on the range isn't proof of an out fits guilt"
 TAI right, Rock. wen sure give Hesbitt the straight of this" re- piled the rider.
 The four mounted men rode away. and Dunne made haste to get astride and follow. Rock called after him:
 ''Dunne, reckon all the Pres tous-Ash in particular-will take vour insult to me home to them selves
 n The three young Prestols with Rock certainly took it 50. Through the whole affair they had been pale, set-faced, silent.
 pIooks bad to me, boys" said Harry, gloolnily. Clears up some queer remarks a heard in town"
 aLets rustic home"
 Rock agreed, whereupon they bent united efforts to breaking up the camp.
 On the third day following, early in the afternoon, Rock and his cowboys led the herd of steers in the meadowland below Slagel's ranch, and rode home.
 The labor of the past few weeks had been so strenuous that Rock scarcely realized the lapse of time. What had happened at Sunset Pass during the interim2
 By the time he had shaved and changed his clothes. there came rapid footballs, followed by hard thump on his cabin door.
 sWho is it"' he called, for he had taken the precaution to lock the door
 Preston. Open up" came the perernptory reply.
 Rock slid back the bar, where upon Preston stamped in, with Ash close behind him.
 ''IIowdy, bossl1 said Rock, cheer fully and nodded to Ash.
 Al busted in with a wild story broke out Preston, waving a greet ing, Rock, he was just loco, or is he exaggeratin' a little run-ifl you had with one of Hesbitt's outfits"
 Boss, Al told the truth. and put it mild at that replied Rock, and turned to tie his scarf before the mirror. In the glass he saw Pres tons eyes roll and fix with terrible accusation upon his son. "iSit down both of you went on Rock, and presently faced them again. Ash was cooly rolling cigarette, his face a mask. Preston had beer drinking of late, but appeared so. Der, and now. though grim anc angry, met Rocks glance steadily Wal thet's short an sweet, he said, with a gruff laugh. "St you come in only little short O five hundred head"
 Your eighty. if we counted cor rect
 wonderful job!' exclaimed Preston
 ''Rock, suppose you tell us every thin thet come off"
 Thus adjured, Rock began a mi mute narrative of the situation iron the day Al caught the two rider spying upon him from the slope.
 80 you invited Dunne to draw? Preston queried, rising with hi eyes like lights behind transparen wells.
 tBoss, I did. Reckon was goos and sore" admitted Rock. "Bu what could you expect of me? H made me out a rustler. though h crawfished yellow on it. Besides