The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-08-05

sound than by Shock-the faint dis
tant tremor of the ground.
"What is it?" the girl asked.
"Don't you hear? A horse is COM
ing up"
"I don't" She started to say
that she didn't hear anything; but
Just then the un Sc en- rider cut
through the shadows with a sud-
den sharp sound of thrown water
and the ring of hoofs on stone.
"Who is it,"
"Quien sabe? Turn and ride back
the way we've come" he told her
without emphasis. ''I'll be along in
a minute"
Without word Marian turned her
horse; she was at the two hundred
yards as a hard-run horse surged
up over the lip of the cut. The rider
was Kid Bender.
The Kid half wheeled his pony,
drove close to Billy Wheeler's
horse; his lean figure swayed back
wards as he brought his pony to a
sliding stop, very close. Across the
back of his right hand showed the
heavy purple welt that Wheeler's
quirt had laid there;and his face
was the joyous anger of man
who takes payment for a past hu-
miliatioin.
what you doing here?"
Wheeler ignored the question.
''You're a little off your range,
Kid" he said. 'This range comes
under the head of the 81. Maybe
I'll be ordering you off it pretty
quick. I haven't decided yet"
NO." said Kid Bender. II don't
think you will. You're dealing with
peace officer-patroling the scene
of crime"
"Peace officer?"
Kid Bender Tipped over the tail
end of his neckerchief to reveal a
nickel-plated shield. 1t was cheap
and it was new; but as it flashed in
the sun Wheeler felt his scalp stir
oddly, as if he had glimpsed fire be-
hind smoke. Horse Dunn's view of
the situation was shaping up faster
than Horse himself had imagined.
Yesterday" said the Kid, 'you
knocked a gun out of my hand"
Billy Wheeler said distinctly, with
a quirt. I whipped it out of your
hand with quirt."
Kid Bender's face darkened for
an instant but the hard CLEAN of
joyous anticipation Immediately re-
turned to his eye. II have ORDERS"
he said, Ito see that the hired men
of the "a don't trample over the
scene of this crime any more. I'm
starting with you; I'll give you fell
lers something to remember orders
by I'm taking your horse and your
gun. Maybe your girl there will
give you a lift after you're afoot.
Or maybe I'll send her on home-I
haven't decided that yet"
NO." said Wheeler, you're not
taking either horse or gun"
you're against an officer of the
law. You know what that means?"
I know" Billy Wheeler said,
what I hope it means"
For moment Kid Bender hest
tated; they sat watching each other,
two men in situation from which
neither could withdraw. One of
them had sought this meeting-the
other welcomed it. Both knew that
something peculiarly personal had
to be settled here, now, between the
two of them alone.
II see your girl has stopped a
little way up here" the Kid said;
'seems like she sets watching from
the hill"
Wheeler suppressed in time an
impulse to glance over his shoulder.
Instead his eyes never left Kid
Bender as he jerked his chin sharp
ly toward his shoulder as if he
glanced away.
Kid Bender's quirt-marked hand
flashed to his gun. For the second
time in two days Wheeler forgot his
own unaccustomed weapon. The
horses were neck to neck, facing
each other; and now Wheeler, Slam
ming the rowels into his own pony,
grabbed at the spade bit of Kid
Bender's horse.
Kid Bender's gun exploded sky
ward as the Kids horse reared
straight up, driven over backwards
by the plunge of Wheeler's pony
against the cruel bit. For an instant
Bender's pony fought for it's balance
on its hind legs. Then together horse
and man went down.
Wheeler whirled his pony aside;
and now he drew at last, and turn
ed the muzzle of his cooked gun up
ward, ready.
Bender's horse struggled up and
bolted, bucking against the loosened