The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-08-09

What Ii he haSV Lee demanded.
"What you don't know is, he's been
gathering up stuff against you-trac-
ing guns, and the like Of that. In a
pinch he'll turn on you, Campo will !!
But believe in that girl. She believes
in you; and she'll stand by you"
1.-THE pinch will come quick, now"
Kentucky said. "But she'll not be with
me, Lee"
Lee Bishop said in a curious hoarse
whisper, Shed jerk the heart out of
her, if you needed 1t. She's got faith
in you that you don't have for her."
"Faith?" Kentucky repeated savage
ly. eff she'd trusted me only half way,
only quarter way, you and 1 wouldn't
be sitting here tonight" !
Lee Bishop looked at Kentucky a
long time, and his mind seemed to be
turning vague. "You amt licked, Ken
lucky" he said at last in a weak voice.
"You can beat this game yet"
"Sure I'll beat it." Kentucky as
sured him. Lee, I'll beat it in spite of
herI
Lee Bishop said in queer voice,
"You-you couldn't go against that
girl, Kentucky"
"Pd sooner cut of my right hand,
Lee; but I've got to go square against
her now"
For another long moment Lee Bishop
fixed staring, vacant eyes upon Ken
tucky's face. You love her, huh?"
Kentucky Jones shivered; he felt as
If the grip of the night cold was get
ting the better of him, so that his
body had a core of ice. He covered
his face with his hands. Il think" he
said, II hate her as I've never hated
any living thing in my life"
Leo Bishops words jerked out of
him incoherently, but unexpectedly
sharp and strong. God help you, Ken
tucky-don't say that!"
"All right, Lee"
Jean Ragland made the round trip
and loaded mule at the other end
in little over four hours, which was
wonderful time on those night trails.
But she might as well have saved her
animals; for an hour before she
reached Trap canyon Lee Bishop was
dead.
When Kentucky had packed the body
to the Bake Pan camp of the Bar
Hook, where he placed it with that
of Jim Humphreys, he faced his horse
into the steep switch-back trail up the
rim. and started for the main ranch.
Kentucky had agreed with Jean Rag
land that to take Lee Bishop to the
Bake Pan camp was shorter and
more convenient pack; and Kentucky
had seized upon the opportunity to re-
lease Jean from the mournful process
sion and send her home.
He now put his horse up the trail
stiffly, climbing fast. He felt no weari-
ness, but only black temper. Now
that he knew for the first time what
set of ugly circumstances he was up
against, he knew what he had to do;
it was not easy, and he wanted to get
it behind him.
The voices of the guns and the cir
cumstances Of Lee Bishops death had
brought him an odd new alertness, an
almost painful consciousness of every
thing that moved within the limits of
the rimrock horizon. 1t was as If he
had found himself returned to the days
of his forefathers, when an awareness
of far-off details had a lot to do with
keeping on mans scalp.
And long before Jean Ragland came
in sight, he knew that two horses
were coming toward him along the
trail, that they had but one rider, and
that the second horse was not driven,
but led.
For a moment after Jean came in
sight he was absorbed by the sight of
her. She rode a little dark pony, and
her short white storm coat was in key
with the snow. Hardly anybody ever
saw Jean Ragland ride without follow
ing her with his eyes, as a man looks
after bird that is bright living dec
grafton against the snow. And now the
girl and the pony she rode looked
better because the led horse was raw
boned and mud colored, with only a
sharp, well-tracked leg action to sug-
gest that 1t might be more horse than
at first it seemed.
AS they met in the trail he saw that
her face was quiet with the resigna-
ton which had characterized 1t for the
last two days; but her eyes were alive.
There was a touch of feverish light in
them which told him that she was still
fighting, though what she was fighting,
or how, he was no longer sure that he
knew.
"I've brought you fresh horse" she
said Immediately. maybe it doesn't
look like much horse, but 1t is a whole
lot of horse. Pretty near any Bar Hook
horse would give down under you be-
fore this plug would"
~ suppose l Kind of ought to appre-
ciate that" Kentucky said; "but, Jean,
how come you think am going to need
such a long-traveling horse?"
Kentucky" she said. Kentucky"