The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-06-16

Iney clrcleQ DacK OF the NOUN.
tain. dropped into a gulch, and
clambered up its stony bed. Near
the top Of the canyon Sorley stopped
his horse.
"The cabin is in a little park just
w the ridge" he said. What do
we do? Bust right down on them?
Or wait till it's dark?"
Better have a look first from
the ridge" Gray suggested.
They left their horses just below
the lip of the park, climbed up to
the ledge. and looked down. No
smoke rose from the house. There
were no horses in the corral, but one
saddled bronco was grazing near
the spring.
"They sure have been here" Sor-
ley said. But they have done gone,
and in some hurry. looks like. Didn't
even take time to unsaddle. Why
/ for did they leave one Of the horses
here?"
Gray was looking down at some
thing sprawled out in front of the
cabin. They didn't need but two
horses" he said, his voice harsh
and cold. "One of them stayed
here" He pointed at the still body.
A pulse of excitement hammered
in the scrawny throat of the line
rider. "Begorry, you're right. There
has been a fight, and one of them
got killed"
The younger man differed. mot
a fight, but a murder. For some
reason Norris made up his mind to
get rid of Kansas. He did so, and
then lit out. I'm going down."
Look out for a trap" the old
timer advised.
Don't think it's that. Two of
the horses have gone"
But Gray did not take any I'M
necessary chances. His rifle was
across the saddle as he rode down
into the park. He made sure no.
body was in the house before he
i took a close look at the dead mar.
kansas, like you said" Sorley
looked at his companion and then
looked away. Both Of them were
thinking of what this meant to Ruth.
'They can't be far ahead Of US, if
we knew which way they had gone"
It would be possible to find in
what direction they had started, but
both the men knew there was little
chance Of running down Norris in
hundreds Of miles of rough noun
tain terrain.
Sorley began to quarter over the
park looking for sign.
He shot Kansas in the back of
the head, from off to one side,"
Gray mentioned.
THE horses headed up toward
that patch of little pines near the
ridge" Sorley called to him. 1.-TWO
of them. Morg was in a sweat to
get away"
YES" Gray's voice raised in sud-
den excitement. Come here, Pat
Someone left a message for u.s."
Sorley ran to him. He pointed to
some writing scratched in the sand.
The old man read it aloud slowly.
wild Horse BASIN"
"It's meant for u.s." Gray said.
Either the girl wrote it-or Norris
did. It's signed with her initial, but
that doesn't mean a thing. The
scoundrel may have left it to fool
US. The letters are done kinda
shaky. as if she had made them in
a hurry, on the sly" His eyes were
back again on the writing.
That's right" agreed the line
rider. IF Norris had done it, he
would have fixed the letters deeper,
so we wouldn't miss seeing them.
I'd say Miss Ruth wrote it,"
Where is Wild Horse basin?"
Sorley pointed to the north. up
in the high hills, back thataway.
Say, how would the girl know where
he was heading for?"
"She might have heard him say
or Kansas may have told her be.
fore he was killed. Likely Kansas
made some move to help her. Morg
wouldn't have shot him if he hadn't
igured the other fellow was turning
against him. Let's get going"
For Wild Horse basin?"
Eyes. I have a bunch the girl
did that writing. Morg never would
have thought of it,"
Sorley looked down at the dead
man. II hate not to bury him be-
fore we 60. even if he was a scala
wag. But we've got to Jump. 1t
will be night soon."
They carried the body into the
cabin and covered it with two gun
nysacks.
The riders followed the trail left
~ Norris and his prisoner. Once
out of the park, Sorley waited only
to make sure of the direction taken
by those in front of them. He struck
into the hills. dipping r gulches
and winding round the shoulders
Of elephant humps. the country
grew wilder and more rugged.