Evening star., 1940-05-21
CHAPTER xxx.

A4iAc VO1u blIc SUOTy Oh ueI IlQS
into the hills with Mosely briefly
swiftly. Just back from the hospi.
tai, 1t. Window told Just as com.
pactly the tale Of his own past few
hours.
"Mosely must have had a busy
night" he said. Jim advised me
to guard the postofice. With the
colonels consent I did that. II
was attacked. We drove of the out.
laws and wounded one, q Mexican
He was taken to the hospital ane
the wound dressed. While we were
trying to get from the man the
names Of his accomplices. he was
killed before our eyes, shot by q
rifle through the window. The
assassin had horse stationed In
the brush about a hundred yards
from the hospital. Before he reached
his horse he was killed, not by one
OF our men. Who shot him we don't
know, though we heard horses gal
Looping away. The mount Of the
dead killer carried the Hat 7
brand"
"One Of Mosely's men," Anne said.
Sent to kill the wounded man be-
fore he confessed"
Eyes. It must be that way. But
who killed the killer? Could it have
been Jim Silcott by any chance?
If so, why would he run away after
ward?" Window snapped out an
other question, which covered the
reason for his telling his story. Does
any of this tie up with what you've
been through, Anne?"
II don't know" she said. But we
can't wait to knot up loose ends,
Raleigh-not If we're going to save
jim. I think I can take you to the
deserted ranch. Can you get some
men to help us at once?"
Window looked at his watch.
'Ill move fast, Anne. You be ready
here. I'll pick you up"
Pacing the floor nervously, Mosely
sowed more anxiety than Jim Sill
colt. Waiting was a nerve-racking
business. Anything could 60 wrong
so easily. Why had Jud Prentiss
not returned? What was holding
up the men he had sent with Sill
colts note to Caldwell? A man Of
no loyalty himself. he put little de-
pendence on the faithfulness of
his employees. They would betray
him if they were hard pressed or
If there was enough money in 1t.
Even if all the breaks were re-
solved in his favor-the Gandara
letters destroyed, Juan rubbed out
before he had a chance to talk,
Silcott buried in gulch with a
pile OF stones over his unmarked
grave-even then he would have
to work fast and smoothly to dis
sipate the cloud of suspicion that
must hang over him. There was
Jesse Lamprey too, a weakling he
dared not leave at large as a wit
ness against him, and there was
unrest among his own men. Well,
he could fix all difficulties confront
ing him.
Yeager said sourly. Looks like
SNAAo AAA6AAo WAL Aoot 4O1 1cVCI.
Yeager is Dissatisfied.
The fat little man did not like
the outlook. This was not his kind
Of villainy. He was q killer. and on
occasion had picked of men from
ambush. But that was out in the
open stuff. He did not hold with
torture, with the cold-blooded mur-
DER OF game man trapped and
hogtied. Moreover, suspicious kept
sitting through his mind. # it came
to showdown. given a chance,
Mosely would try to shift the blame
OF Silcott's death to the shoulders
OF his subordinates. There would
be no sidestepping, Yeager resolved.
The sight of Red, sick and physi-
cally broken but spirit still un-
daunted, got through his hide and
pricked whatever touch of self
respect he had left. Sucott was
doomed. He knew that. Mosely
dared not leave him alive now. But
ne made up his mind to have no
part in the final tragedy. Russ
could get Jud or Roam to finish the
JoD Tor him.
Silcott lay in cornor, his eyes
closed. He could hear the watch in
his pocket ticking away the seconds
OF a life that could not have many
more minutes to run. It had been
long time since Judson and Lam
prey rode with his note to Cald-
WE'LL. Soon they must be back,
Abruptly Mosely pulled up in
his stride, head lifted to catch the
faint drum of hoof. What he heard
was the clop-clop of a horse gall
Looping toward him. That would
be Prentiss, he guessed, with news
Of one danger wiped out. His gaze
slowed around to Yeager, stopping
on the way an instant to pick ur