The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-07-11

! button hole bushes" he told her, "all
blooming In the snow. And 1t looks
as If it might not rain, | hope. Did
your father get back?"
NO. Hes still in Waterman. So
is Harry Wilson. Doc Harper came
out. They've brought Billy up here
already"
THE DEVIL Where is hep
"Here, | said" Her voice took on a
faint edge. DO you want to see hlm?'
where's Lee Bishop?"
"Ee rode out again."
/ He enped down the remainder of
his coffee in silence. And when he
had finished she led him through the
house to the room where Billy Petersen
| lay.
lie was nropped up In four-poster
bed that must have been hauled into
the rimrock long ago, In the early days
of the brand.
1t could have belonged to no one
but Jeans mother; and the room 1t
occupied was obviously the most ia
foi'1 t'thi III lii1 ifouSI. u1 W diiS
we're hung with pictures, and a gayety
of hooked rugs and cretonne curtains
was augmented In warmth and color
by the cracking blaze In the fireplace.
The cowboy looked out of place as
II he not only had been put here
against his, will. but felt pretty sure
that he would be kicked out as soon MS
the old boss got back. A book. face
down in chair BY the bed told Ken
lucky that Jean had probably been
reading to Billy. Undoubtedly. the
youngster was mystitied by all this
attention. Kentucky. however, was nor
mystitied; the whole thing suggested
that Jean had been moved to try to
make up to Billy Peterson what could
never be made up to Jim Humphreys,
who was dead.
What are you doing up hereT'
Kentucky demanded. doc Hopper
should have left you down on the
Bake PAM
1t wasn't Doc Hopper" Billy told
him. About four o'clock this morn
Ing | made Lee saddle up and bring
me. About half way | wished I'd stayed
where | was. 1t sure didn't do me no
good"
There was d moments pause while
Kentucky Jones waited for the In
evitabe question about how he had
come out with Joe st. Marie. Yet the
question did not come; and Kentucky
abruptly recognized that Billy Petersen
had not been told anything about
where Kentucky had gone.
DO you know where Lee wentf'
he asked Billy.
Hes gone cunning after Bill Mc-
Cord"
Cunning after" Kentucky turned
on Jean. why didn't you tell me this
as soon as | came In?p
Il didn't know it," she said, the
fiat indifference Of her voice I'M
changed.
Billy Petersen said, lee told me not
10 say anything about 1t until he was
long gone. wouldn't say anything
now: except | sure don't like this bust
ness kentuck-I thought maybe you'd
want to go and side him, or something"
Dear Cdr Kentucky exploded.
fright into their handsl How long
has he been gomez"
about two hours
WAS he going straight to the S97"
No. don't guess he was going to
the IS at all. He figured he'd 80 over
IN the West Cuts. He figures Bill Nc
Cord has been over working IN there.
Naturally, he was hoping for chance
to get McCord alone
and I'm supposed to be able to 60
over and pick him up In the West
Cuts Kentucky raved.
We'll he didn't ask no one to pick
him up"
Next thing Wen be tying him on
a pack mule Kentucky growed. and
went out like long,horn bull on the
prod.
Going through the Kitchen Kentucky
Jones caught up his sheep-lined coat
with one hand. and a handful of cold
french fried potatoes In the other
for he was wolf,hungry yet, and didn't
know when he would ret d chance to
eat again. Out ut the corral he picked
out blocky zebra dun horse, dropped
his rope on II. and swung his saddle
aboard. Two minutes later he was
riding westward at a light trot.
In that country Of canyon-slashed
rimrock no part of Wolf Bench could
be called unbroken; but to the stranger
the branching and forking canyons Of
the West Cuts presented dscourag-
Ing maze. The abrupt walls of the
canyons, dropping sheer hundreds Of
feet from the levels of the bench, Of
fered a series of appalling BARRIERS
repeatedly demanding detours OF I'M
known length. Riders long In the rim
rock learned a thousand ways to get
into those canyons and our Of them
again; but to the rider who did not
know them 1t toe often appeared that
there were no ways at all.
Kentucky Jones was anything bur
familiar with the lntrleacles Of the
West Cuts. But he knew the general
lay Of the land and the typical tricks
of canyons; and he knew what men
were likely to do who were working