The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-06-23

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impulse and dived back of the fire,
dragging at his gun.
jeff ired-missed. A bullet tipped
past his ear. He shot again, knock
ing the revolver from the hands Of
the bandit into the creek. Norris
made a rush to GOV the weapon,
his arm fishing the water for it. AS
he pulled the Colts out of the
current, Gray was upon him. The
barrel of Jeff's revolver crashed
down On his head and knocked him
over. He lay m%otionless, his forty
. four again in the brook.
The red-headed man made sure
the outlaw did not have another gu9
on his person. To Ruth he gave
crisp commands.
Get the gun Jul of the creek, girl.
And pick up that rifle over there.
Then step behind me out of the
way"
Ruth did as she was told. Her
face was chalk-white, but she moved
lightly on her teet.
Norris groaned and sat up, hands
pressing against his bleeding head.
"You amin to kill me?" he snarled
defantly.
I'm going to drag you back with
a rope round yore neck" Gray an
swered. Lee Chiswick will hang
Vol to a cottonWood."
The eyes in the swarthy face of
the trapped man slid away from
! Gray, to take in the tethered horses
and the brush that came close to
the camp. What he was think
ing could be easily guessed.
Ruth moved close to the man who
had rescued her.
Let him CO." she begged in a
low. broken voice. IL can't stand
any more"
! jeff did not look at her. His gaze
held fast to the prisoner. mo
chance" he said. Hes going back
with us to yore father. Go bring me
a rope from that saddle"
I'm afraid of him." the girl
pleaded. "He's-horrible. You don't
know"
Il can guess. Don't worry about
him." jeff added. grimly. Hell be
rubbed out plenty SOON"
The slitted eyes of Norris had
come back to them. He watched
the man and the woman warily.
without a gun and without a
horse he couldn't do us any HARM"
Ruth urged.
"You don't turn r~attlesnakes loose
because you're afraid of them,"
Gray told her coldly. You stomp
them out"
Yes, but"
Norris dived for the brush, his
1.-THE body moving fast as a streak
Of light. The gun in Gray's hand
roared. and the bullet plowed into
the ground. For Ruth had struck
down his forearm and was clinging
to it with both hands. He tried to
free himself-fung the girl rough
ly away. The escaping man was in
the willows. jeff could see and hear
the violent agitation of the young
sprouts. He fired at the place
twice, then plunged into the thicket
after the bandit.
For a hundred yards he followed
the fugitive. Abruptly he gave up
the chase. He could no longer hear
the rustling of foliage. Better get
back to the camp. The fellow might
hide, wait till he had passed. and
slip back to the horses.
Anger grew in jeff Gray as he
swished back to the camp through
the willows. BY golden luck he had
found this villains camp and saved
Ruth from disaster. For some fool
woman's reason she had interfered
to help him escape. With Sorley he
had ridden fifty miles to save her.
and for reward she made a fool of
him out Of sheer caprice.
Pat Sorley burst out of the brush
just as jeff reached the camp.
II heard Shots" the line-rider
cried, then caught sight of Ruth
and stopped abruptly, staring at
her. GLORY be. he found you"
Yes" Ruth answered., and bit
her lip to keep down a sob.
Gray strobe up to her. What do
you mean by knocking down my
arm and hanging on to me?" he de-
manded, a cold, contained rage in
his voice.
She swallowed a lump in her
throat. "I-couldn't help it," she
said meekly.
Couldn't help it. Don't be a
fool"
Il couldn't have you kill him, aft
er-what I saw him do this after
noon" She shuddered, seeing for a
moment the slack body Of Kansas
crumpling down to the ground.
Il don't get this" Sorley said,
looking from one to the other. you
never in the world kept Gray from
KILN this divil when he had a
chance?"
That's Just what she did
grabbed my arm and hung on while
(To be Continuedl