The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-04-28

gown and she held it caught close to
her slender. gracious body Above
the slippers into which her feet had
been thrust there was a glimpse Of
white ankle.
I'm not asking for a Yankee an.
swer. SIR" Lee said impatiently.
I'm not giving you one," Gray
told him CURLY. i've been in the
saddle all night to bring you the tip
off. Take it or leave it,"
There's a story in Tail Holt tina,
you are Clint Doke. the fellow who
robbed the Texas and Southern"
persisted Lee.
Not much time for gossip right
now if we aim to head off those
scalawags." Gray said.
Ruth broke into the talk. Il don't
believe it. I don't think Mr.. Gray
is a train robber or a rustler. Fa-
Their. And I know he isn't one Of
Sherman Howard's men. Look what
he did for Frank"
Her father turned in his chair.
might have known you'd be butting
in," he scolded, seeing it's none Of
your business"
Il heard voices" she explained,
land l came down to see who it
was"
Nov you know, you can go back
to bed" Lee told her crustily.
mot just yet. please" Gray
smiled blandly. I'm gaunt as a
pieded steer after a long drive.
Since you're so sure I'm innocent,
Miss Chiswick, how about a cup of
coffee and some ham and eggs? I'll
have just time for them before we
start if you o lively"
start Where?" she asked.
The red . headed man waved a
hand debonairly at his host. ASK
Mr.. Chiswick. I wouldn't know
where"
Lee said: go ahead, girl. Fix
him up some food" He added to
his son: "Rout Frank and Dan
Brand and Buck Conrad out of their
beds. See they get horses saddled."
Before she left to make breakfast,
Ruth flung a question at Gray.
"You are innocent. aren't you?'
II blocked a brand or a
one over I never bought or sold a
wet horse"
did you heal me tell you to
rustic some grub. Ruth?" her ia
Their asked harshly. Better fix
breakfast for all of US. No telling
when we'll eat again."
Ruth vanished. Presently they
could hear the rafting of stove-lids
and the cracking of wood.
Il don't know how to take YOU
Lee complained You certainly
came through for Frank when he
needed a friend. You claim you're
not n of Towards thieves. but
you we're with them when they ran
that bunch of L c stuff up Box can
yon. Pat Sorley checked up on your
horses hoofs."
He didn't check up we'll enough.
I went up the gulch after the
thieves, not with them. They passed
close to the line-camp in the night.
I heard them and went out to see
who they were. Pat hadn't been
feeling well the night before. so I
didn't wake him, but followed the
rustlers alone"
You're a detective for the Cat.
tlemen's association. That what you
mean?"
you can do yore own guessing.
Right now I'm giving no informa
tion."
Chiswick threw out a hand in a
gesture of defeat. "All right. Have
It your own way. I'll take a chance
on you. If you're right about it and
this bunch you followed are headed
for Live Oak canyon, it is a cinch
they are not figuring or running off
any of my stock. My guess is the
same as yours. They have heard
word of some silver smugglers on
their way to Tough Nut. At least,
that would look reasonable to me.
Probably they will lie in wait for
them at the rock slide. A thousand
big toulders crashed down a mil
lion years ago, and filled up the
trail so a traveller has to wind
around among them. It's a fine
spot for an ambush. Question is,
can we get to the smugglers before
they reach the canyon?"
If not. they will probably be
wiped out. You know that killer
Morg Norris. He'll figure dead men
tell no tales"
Eyes. Three smugglers were dry.
gulched and killed last year. In
Skeleton canyon, not in Live Oak.
Norris was in that, they say"
UNLESS the Mexicans fool them
and come up some other way
Gray said. thinking aloud.
Through Live Oak would be the
nearest for them"
Howard must have a spy in Mex
leo who is in with the smugglers."
Looks like" Chiswick agreed.
Presently Frank Chiswick came
s-x A. - IT, ko1l III, fafhoP