Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-11-22
"wal, I'll git the outfit together M

money you stole from -Herrick."
"Ill wiring tibet white cats neck
Missed the robber.
you're wrong boss. She didn't tell
me. She doesn't know you robbed her
brother. Sparrow confessed before he
died"
Hays swore a mighty oath. AN he
squealedT'
Eyes. To Smoky an me. We kept 1t
secret until we had to tell. They knew
somethin' was wrong
"All the time you fknowed!n There
was something pathetic In the fallen
chieftain's shame and amaze. By this
time he seemed to realize his crime.
"You see. Hank. how your outfit has
stood by you, wen In your guilt
"Ahuhl If 1t amt too late-Tll
make amends" he rejoined hoarsely.
and stalked away In the darkness.
Jim lay back on his blankets with a
weight Of oppression removed. He had
saved himself for the hour, but what
would the outcome be?
He had breakfast before the other
men were up. With rifle In hand he
headed toward the western exit.
The sun was still beneath the rim of
the escarpments, In the east, but It's
golden approach was heralded by 4
magnificent glory of red and gold.
Loneliness was paramount. There
was no sound-only an immense
silence. No life at all Not q winged
creature lowering over that CHASTITY
regionl But over this scene OF DESC
lation slowly spread the solemn blight
or heating, blazing sun, soon to man
tie all In Elusive copper haze.
Before that hour arrived, Jim Wall
0 up the field glass. Below In the
camp the men were lazily stirring to
a late breakfast. The door of the cabin
was open. A CLINT of gold crossed the
dark aperture. Then the tall form of
Hays stalked out. He yawned. He
stretched wide his long arms. His
rudy face cleaned In the glass to
that sight. Wallis whole being leaped.
by heaven |" his voice rang out.
Hays, that's your last mornings
stretch. Before this days done
you'll stretch %foreverl"
Let his men have their hour, thought
Jim darkly, but Ii they did not mete
out Justice to their chief the end was
nevertheless fixed and unalterable.
Jim settled back and raised his
~heldglass more from habit than any
semblance Of the old watchfulness.
There was nothing to see but the stark
~denudation OF the brakes.
Suddenly Into Jim's magnlfed circle
OF vision crept dark objects-a long
line of them.
He was so startled that the glass
wavered out OF line. He moved 1t to
and fro, searching. What could that
have been? An error of sight, a line
OF cedars. a conception of idle mindl
"ThereI' he breathed. He had
caught 1t again, Not cedars-not brush,
but moving objects by heaven r.
he muttered. Am / dotty?'
Horsesl A line of dark horsesl His
straining yes blurred. He lowered
the glass with shaking hands. so
help met looks like riders I"
A third time Jim caught the objects.
He froze the glass on them. Horses
and riders-horses with packsl A
bursting gush OF hot blood ran ali
through him. Ii looked like ~Heese-
mans outfit, at least three miles away,
approaching slowly by a route far to
the south Of that over which Hays had
come.
About three miles," muttered Jim.
Coming slow. They're lost.
But that wash they're In heads into !
the Hays trail. Ii they strike
that they'll come fast. Not enough
rain yet to wash out our tracks. We've
not time to pack and ride out.
By thunder, they've cornered us
Now, Hank Hays"
Jim o n more straining look.
hope It was a big outfit and not
travelling SO slowly, either. The leader
bestrode a black horse. Jim remem-
bered that horse. Snatching up his
rifle he slung the 1~eld-glass over his
shoulder and ran down Off the bluff to
the camp.
To his profound amaze he espied
Hays bound hand and foot, with a
behind him and through his ell
bows. The robber sat In an uncom-
Portable posture against the woodpile.
In a second Jim saw that Hays had
been gagged and his face was so con-
Lorted by rage that 1t appeared scarce
human.
whats upi" cried Jim, breaking
out OF his bewilderment.
Hays gave ent to an Inarticulate
sound, but 1t was expressive. Jim
wheeled to stalk under the shack, his
hand or his gun, as II he half ex-
oected Heeseman to have arrived be
fore him. To his further amaze Miss
.errick was sitting at the rude table,
breakfast A big gun, that Jim
recognized as Hays property, lay con-
,p~icuously In front OF her. Happy
lack. whistling as usual. was serving
ler.
What does this mean?" demanded
Tim.
A I'LL - A 50