The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-04-06

other peoples business was shat
tered now. Riding along the sky
line Roberta could very readily be
mistaken for a man-and such mis-
takes, in the impending circum-
stances. might reasonably be fatal |!
1t was incumbent upon him, there
fore, to catch up with her, to guard
her approach to that old branding
corral in the valley, to make her
take every advantage of 5 the
ground, to scout the territory for
her. r. ----.
Also, new and disturbing
thought had occurred to him. What
If Dingle had decided to make sure
of the water for the sheep by TAX
ing possession of the water-hole
before Don Jaime could get there?
Verify, Ken Hobart could take no
chances. = ~.
There was Don Jaime, to begin
with, hurrying to get to the water
hole and consolidate his position.
He knew the county, well and was
a hard. fast rider. After him came,
on hot hoof, his achievements
the devoted Julio. Duty was duty
to Julio-and, as Don Jaime had
stated, that youthful retainer had
q personal interest In the forthcom-
ing activities. Hurrying to catch
Julio, that he might lead her to the
water-hole. Roberta was pounding
along on her fleet hunter; and after
Roberta came Ken Hobart.
Hobart sighted the girl three
quarters of mile ahead of him as
he topped the ridge, but though he
spurred his horse to its utmost
speed he could not gain on her.
Presently, two miles ahead of the
girl, he caught a flash of white-a
recurring flash, as something moved
among the brush and pinon trees.
That, he knew, was Julio's pinto
mount.
"If anything happens to that
girl" he told himself, "I'll just keep
right on in the general southerly
direction and never come back"
The low range swung to the east
and suddenly, in cup-shaped
valley far below. Ken Hobart saw
the sheep-saw that they were be-
ing driven, not grazed. They were
within a mile of the water-hole, and
Julio was not in sight. At the foot
of the range Roberta. stationary.
sat her horse and took stock of the
situation.
She had lost Julio!
Hobart looked back. In the dis
lance he could see his FIVE men
following him. He waved his hat
and one Of them waved In return !;
so without further ado he rode
down to join Roberta.
The girl held up her hand. en-
joining silence, as Hobart refined
In beside her. Listen !" she COM
manded.
He bent his head. Family to
him came the report of rifles.
There were twenty herders with
the band an hour ago." the girl re-
ported. "Don Jaime counted them.
There doesn't appear to be that
many now"
Hobart swept the scene with his
binoculars. "Ten! Half the gang
went ahead to preempt the water.
and Don Jaime has walked into
them. He's alive and kicking.
though. If he were not, there
wouldn't be any shooting. And
Julio hasn't got there yet. Well.
he'll be careful. wish knew
whether Jaime is in the old corral
or at the water-hole. Smokeless
powder. you see. One cannot tell.
But the sheep move forward! That
indicates confidence. Yes. Dingle
has the water"
"Then Don james fighting ten
of them"
"LOOks that way. He must be In
the old corral. because he wouldn't
last q minute in the open. The
corral Is boarded close and the light
is failing. II he keeps moving he
will not be too easy to hit"
Julio rode out into the open a
quarter of mile south of them.
Instantly Hobart pulled his rifle.
sighted carefully and threw up the
dirt in front of the boy to attract
his attention. When Julio pulled
I'D and looked around to see where
the attack came from. Hobart
waved his hat at him and moved
out from the sheltering fringe of
bushes onto the grassy floor of the
valley. Roberta by his side. In
stantly Julio recognized them.
.YOu stay where you are. girl.
Ken Hobart commanded. My 9th
er five men will be riding down the
hill pretty soon. You tell them my
orders are to charge the men with
the sheep Immediately"
"What are you going to do. Mr..
Hobart?"
"I'm going to join Julio and
the two of us will advance along