The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-04-28
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want MIN TO go!' the young man
asked.
II reckon SO. How many rifles all
told?"
-Four. counting the buffalo gun"
The other men trooped into the
house for breakfast. They ate by
the light of lamps. Ruth and Nelly
waiting on them. Plate after plate
Of biscuits vanished before them.
Platters of fried eggs appeared and
disappeared. Nelly poured great
quantities of coffee. The men ate
with the lusty. hearty appetites Of
hard riders who did not know when
they would see food again. During
the meal there was little CONVEX
sation.
After breakfast Gray drew Lee
Chiswick aside.
maybe we're figuring this thing
out wrong" he said. Maybe when
Kansas let slip Live Oak canyon,
that was just bait for me. Don't
you reckon you had better leave
a guard at the ranch to look after
the women?"
Lee considered this. mo. Men
in this country don't make war on
women. not ever a fox like Sherm
Howard"
Gray rode with Lee Chiswick at
tie head of the little c~avalcade.
They came into rough country, a
wild tumble of hills and draws
which made for slow and hard go.
ing. In the darkness the horses felt
their own way. From the summit
of n of the hills Chiswick pointed
down to a cash in the rock wall fac
ing them.
Canyon Diablo." he said. THAT
was the Spanish name. We call it
Live Oak now"
Gray took the nearness of the
canyon on faith. Not even the rock
wall could be seen.
Chiswick left the rest of his party
in a mesquite draw while he and
Gray rode forward to reconnoi-
ter. The younger man carried Dan
Brands rifle. since he had not one
of his own. They rode cautiously,
searching the darkness in front Of
them with their eyes as they moved
forward. Of the two Chiswick was
the more uneasy. He could not be
sure that his companion was not
leading him into a trap from which
he would never come out alive.
Neither Of them saw any sign Of
another party. Back of a small
elevation so yards from the mouth
of Live Oak canyon they tied their
mounts. Very carefully they cov-
cred the remaining distance. With.
in rifle range were a hundred boul-
ders behind which enemies could
find cover.
Safely they reached the trail.
They're ahead Of u.s." Gray
pointed to fresh tracks.
They examined the footprints,
striking matches as they stopped to
make out the impressions. One
horse had a broken front hoof. An
other wore very large shoes and
stepped a long way.
1--WE seer both of those tracks be-
FORE" Chiswick said.
THE horses that made them be-
long to Morg Norris and Mile High"
Gray replied. where do we go
from here? My idea is to follow
them into the canyon Or along the
RIM"
CHS wick called to the rest of his
posse and the others Joined them.
Brand recovered his rifle from the
red-headed man.
morris and his crowd are in the
canyon, boys" Lee said. 1--WE are
going in after them. But get this
right. We have no evidence as to
why they r here. So we can't
cut loose at them promiscuous. May.
be they'll show their hand before
we reach them. Anyhow. till I give
the word there isn't to be any gun
play. We're law-abiding citizens"
How many of them are there?"
asked Buck Conrad, chewing tobac-
CO stolidly. He was a short. thick.
b~owlegged man with an imperturb-
able face.
Five of them, far as we know"
Lee answered. We're kind of in a
hole. boys. If we jump up this
bunch of wolves before the SNUG.
glers arrive. they can give us the
horse-laugh and say they just rode
out for a picnic. If we don't show
up till after the Mexicans, the SNUG.
glers are liable to be rubbed out.
Well have to just jog along and
hope for the best"
Gray dawn vas beginning to sift
into the darkness and bleach it with
light. Lee held the lead, jeff Gray
at his heels.
Day poured down into the can
yon. In an incredibly short space
of time nothing was left of the black
less of night but a sWirling mist.
The men could see one another, not
as shifting shadows but as indi.
viduals. All Of them were conscious
Of a definite relief.