The Washington times., 1938-01-27

driven into shooting his way to a
goal? But underneath all this
self justification, POGO sensed a
grain of truth in what she said.
He was cold now, and he strolled
back to his shack and entered it.
Cardowan had his boots off, ready
to go to bed.
That's a good looking gal" he
said slyly. do yourself any
good?"
Something bright and hot
famed up in POGO and he strode
across the room and grabbed Car
dowan by the shirt and half pulled
him off the bed.
"You cheap killer slob!" he said
thickly. Talk of her again and
I'll kill you now and the gold
be damned"
Cardowan shrunk away. In all
his dealings with POGO st. Vrain,
he had always beheld a cool, In
solent, nerveless piece of machiI1-
cry who seemed not to have a tenn
per. Now he was looking at a
wild man.
He said, "Take it easy, POGO.
He'll, I didn't say anything"
Don't" POGO said, and released
him. CardoWan fell back on the
bed.
POGO blew the light. In bed, he
lay with open eyes thinking about
tomorrow. He was trapped, sure
as day followed night. He tried to
think of way out, but he found
the image of Kate Shayne, her
sereba face bathed in the pale
moonItghS, crowding out all other
Thoughts. Why had he lost his
temper with Cardowan over a re-
mark that usually he would have
grinned at? Was he getting soft?
He didn't know, lying there with
his hands over his head. He went
to sleep that way, with Cardo-
vans uneasy breathing a little
louder than the pushing wind at
the cabin corners.
CHAPTER TX
OVER THE CLIFF
POGO and Cardowan watched
each other dress the next morn
ing. POGO searched Cardowan for
hideouts and then Cardowan
searched him. They were both
sobered by the thought that their
truce had only an hour or so to
rum, and when they left this camp
it would be the old dog eat dog
game.
Breakfast was noisy. That day,
after POGO and Cardowan left,
the men would start to break
camp. 1t was an event for them.
Every one except Kate and POGO
seemed in high spirits. She ate
her breakfast almost in silence,
and did not look at POGO once.
After breakfast preparations
got under way. Two mules were
brought out. The two big apare-
jos were filled with the sacks
roped onto the mules, while Poco'S
and Cardowan's horses we're being
saddled. The sun did not seem
too warm this height, and the
same steady cold breeze whipped
through the camp.
When everything was ready,
Shayne said, Who'll lead off"
Jake will" Cardowan drawled
quickly. Hes in a hurry to get
down" Shayne shook hands with
them and bade them luck. Kate,
standing by her father, said good.
by to Cardowan, and then turned
to POGO. He raised his hat.
"Good-by. Miss"
TAKING THE TRAIL
"Good-by. Good luck" she said
quietly, and POGO noticed some
thing in her eyes that was cold,
almost hostile.
He turned now and took the
trail, the two pack mules behind
his sorrel, Cardowan's roam behind
them, Cardowan bringing up the
rear.
The descent was slow and eau
tiouS. When they had passed the
places on the trail that had
washed out POGO felt a great re-
lief flood over him.
It was on the north face, over
looking a deep gorge, that the trail
widened. POGO halted. Let's
have a smoke" he called back.
Cardowan nodded. iii stay
here, Poco," he said, smiling mean
ingly.
They both built smokes, and
POGO squatted on his heels in front
of his Sorrel. Present Cardowan
called. Throw me a match"
POGO threw one, but it vas
yanked out over the cliff by the
wind. He tried another. The
same thing happened. He
shrugged.
Cursing, Cardowan flattened
himself against the mountain side
and edged past his roam, past both
the mules until he was behind
POGO sorrel. POGO, standing now,
watched him stop there.
You got another match?" Car
doWan said.
Ito Be COntinued) !