Evening star., 1940-04-25
CHAPTER. III.

"Mr. Silcott must leave" Annt
repeated. "He can get work some.
where else. It's big country"
Red has ranch here, He won''
leave it," Rufe Jelks said.
But he'll have to leave it," sh'
cried. HE can't stay here and be
killed"
st don't reckon you understand
felix's in this part of the country
Miss Eliot" the range raider ex-
planned. "A straight man can't lei
himself be driven out-not if he
has any nerve. He has to stick
around and go through"
That's silly, when ruf1ans are
waiting around in ambush to Kill
him." she protested. Its just a
foolish pride"
Maybe so. But I'm betting you
can't get Red to agree with you-not
to the extent of making a getaway
why not?" she demanded. won't
he see reason?"
eff you knew him you'd under
stand. Red isn't just country
editor, like they have in Indiana
and Ohio. He's a cattleman, brought
up on this Western frontier. He
owns ranch up on Tincup Greek
and didn't start running the Sentinel
until they got Rogers, when he
figured it was kinda up to him."
why was it up to him?"
Wasn't Expecting Attack.
"He was a friend of Carl Rogers"
Jelks said simply.
'Is it up to him to get murdered
because he was a friend of my
uncle?" she asked sharply. HE
very nearly did tonight"
Eyes, but he wasn't expecting that
attack. He is now" Young Jelks
went on, trying to make it clear.
"Red is tough hombre, Miss Eliot.
He was a grown man when he was
II. That is, he could look after
himself in difficulty. He'd as soon
fight as eat. This is hard country
with quite few bad men and out
laws in it. This man Prentiss is a
killer, but he couldn't make Red
back up a inch. We're the same
age %, and already he has wide
reputation"
GAS a brawler?" she asked scorn-
fully.
mo, Miss Eliot. AS man doing
his best to make a decent country
for folks to live in. He's going to
be big man some day."
Anne did not argue that. She
gave up and started walking.
Rufe liked the way she walked,
as though the life in her sang a
song in her veins. She was a fine
healthy young animal, and he
guessed that her spirit would fulfill
the promise of the slim, strong
body. There was an unstudied
charm about her. Yet she could
not help being aware of how much
her loveliness must stir the thoughts
of men.
Office Near Town Edge.
The Sentinel Office was near
the edge of the town. The blinds
of the office were drawn, but through
chink Jelks thought he saw a
SAAiiA1AiSI VA A&Slit AL VllC UdCh IOUlli.
He gave, not too loudly, the hoot
of an owl. After a few seconds he
repeated it.
Presently the door opened few
inches. tits Rufe, with a young
lady to see you," the cowboy said
They were let in, and the door
locked and bolted behind them.
Through the darkness they followed
the man to small room in the rear
lighted by coal oil lamp.
A redheaded young man looked
at Anne in astonishment, waiting
for an explanation. There was a
revolver in his hand. He had not
yet thought to lay it down.
When Jim Silcott had disappeared
from the doorway Of the adobe house
he found himself in the house of a
hot tamale vendor known as Fatty.
His wife Maria stopped her laundry
work to stare at the intruder with a
smoking revolver in his hand with
big soft startled eyes.
Pardon, senora," he explained.