The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-09-08

udu SOle over on the nlBNt Oh MS
adventure with Frank Chiswick. He
passed the blackened site of the sta.
BILE that had been burned. crossed
the creek. and moved down along
its bank.
Another burst OF gunfire filled
the night. jeff could not understand
this, unless the victors were setting
off fireworks in celebration of their
victory. The officers jaw set grim.
ly. They had better wait until they
had finished the job. He intended
to make them pay for what they
had done to Hank Ransom. if they
did not get him before he could slip
out of town.
There were too many people
afoot. AS he made a circle around
the Prespall clearinghouse, three
men carrying rifles walked toward
him. He did the only thing posi-
BILE, lodged into the same door he
had entered some hours earlier
when he had been looking for Curly.
The men stopped to talk for a
moment at the door. One Of them
was coming into the house. Jeff
gathered from what he said. Gray
went gingerly up the stairway. He
heard a crisp See you later" and
knew that the man was coming up
stairs too.
jeff had no time to pick and
choose. He whipped open the first
door he saw. walked into a room.
and closed the door behind him. On
the table there was a lighted lamp.
At the window a woman stood.
clean-limbed and slender. She
turned toward him a haggard face.
eyes Swallowed and fear-flled. For
an instant she looked at him incred-
ulously. Her amazement was no
greater than his own. The woman
was Ruth Chiswick.
A dressing . gown. open at the
throat. was wrapped tightly around
her 1.-the long body. Beneath the
edge of it here bare feet peeped
out. jeff was aware. without CIV
ing the matter any weight. that
Nelly lay asleep in the bed.
"You!" she cried. Il thought
was afraid"
Her tremulous voice broke, quiv.
ering with emotion.
What are you doing here?" he
asked.
Il made Father bring me. He
came to help you-after Lou How
ard got away"
Got away?"
Morgan Norris killed Buck Con-
rad and freed him."
How many men has your ia
ther?"
-Four besides himself. Others
will be here after a while"
He flung another question at her.
his voice harsh and swift. Nothing
in manner or speech betrayed the
swift awarenes of her. passionate
and fierce. that sent a heat running
through his strong body.
"How many more?"
Il don't know. Six or seven. And
the word is being passed to other
cattlemen. They will send men too"
She broke down. with a sob. After
so many hours of desperate fear it
was too much to find him not dead
but alive and full of the energy
that seemed in him SO much more
vital than in others.
Ruth cried. in explanation, 1--WE
heard firing as we came into town."
jeff flung out a hand. to push the
memory from him. "They
killed Hank Ransom, my friend,
who vas hiding me-"
"How did you escape?" she muir.
INJURED.
II wasn't there. l left him
alone after he was wounded"
mol" she denied. 1T isn't true"
Il thought I had to go. to save
us. Before I got back they had
him."
She moved closer, filled with pity
AL lIlIll. Lac "Oulu ullutTSldIlu-
if he were alive" she said gently.
The faint. tender smile on her
lips, the wistful eagerness to com.
fort him. were too much for her
self-restraint.
He caught her to him-held her
warm. breathing body close and
looked down into the face that held
for him the lovely youth OF the
world i%ncarnate.
Again guns sounded.
1--WE got to CO." he said.
Go where?"
Ruth asked the question, though
she knew the answer.
Il must join your father. There
is still fighting"
How a you get to him?" If
you're seen on the street."
'I'n get to him."
Her brown arms. soft and warm,
yer about his neck, fingers inter-
laced. jeff broke the hold, gen.
tly. but with irresistible strength.
Without a word. with no good-by,
abruptly he turned and walked out
~ thu ~NN