Evening star., 1940-04-23
CHAPTEE ONE.


ling, piles of chips and silver dollars
In orderly array within reach. Soon
he would be busy, but just now he
was at leisure and enjoying cigar.
He nodded at Jim, giving the wheel
an idle whirl. A professional gam
bier, he had lived in tolerable peace
because he minded his own business
strictly. For a moment now he
stepped out of character.
"Some of the Hat T boys in town
today" he said casually. Drinking
some. Jud Prentiss one of them"
Jim understood that underneath
Kroelling's Indifferent manner lay
a warning. Probably there had been
threats.
His eyes narrowed slightly. "I'll
make note of it in the paper" he
drawled. They've been working
right hard at the roundup and are
entitled to a holiday. I reckon" !"
Sure are, Red" Kroelling brushed
the ash from his cigar. The cold
eyes of the man were blank. He
had said all he meant to say and
did not intend to violate neutrality
further.
Silcott Unworried.
Silcott pointed to corner of the
room back of the poker table and
said. Down, Pixie!" the collie looked
at him appealingly, then moved re-
luctantly to the place indicated and
lay down. Jim dealt cards for soli-
taire. In half hour at most the
boys would gather for a draw. 'Hav-
ing put the Powder Horn Seminal"
to bed for the week, Jim expected
to sit in for long session. He did
not worry much about Prentiss and
his riders. When Russel Mosely
moved it was usually under cover
Only one of the aces showed in
the first game. Jim riffled the cards
and started to deal again. On the
sidwalk outside the Trails End he
heard the tramp of many boots
They turned in through the swing
doors. Five men were Hat T riders
The sixth was Jesse Lamprey.
Jud Prentiss had his thick hairy
arm hooked under that of Lamprey.
Jesse's feet moved reluctantly, drag
ging the floor. He was not here to
get drink but because he could not
help himself. Any other company
would have suited him better. His
eyes shifted nervously around the
room, looking for help he did not
expect to find. They came to rest
on Sllcott. Jim read in the tortured
face stark fear. The mans day of
judgement had caught up with him.
The irruption of men bellied UP
to the bar. Prentiss said, "On me.
Set EN- up, Walt"
Lamprey Plainly Nervous.
The man in the white apron put
six whiskey glasses and a bottle on
top of the bar. Prentiss pushed the
bottle toward Lamprey. Help your
self, Jess"
Unsteadily the victim reached for
a glass and poured a drink. Some of
the liquor spilled.
A long lank man with heavy-lid-
ded eyes laughed. You shaking
for the drinks, JESS" he jeered.
Il didn't sleep last night, Sneve,"
Lamprey answered, his voice thick.
Fact is, I'm not well. I reckon
maybe better not drink"
Never heard you refuse one be-
FORE" Prentiss commented Maybe
you'd rather not drink with U.s."
Nothing to that, Jud. Nothing
a-tall." Hastily Lamprey picked up
his glass again. Long life, bows"
When good friends meet unex-
pected they ought to celebrate.
oughtn't they, JESSE" Prentiss asked,
sly mirth in his ugly flat-featured
face.
Again Sneve laughed cruelty.
That's right, Jess. A fellow never
can tell what drink will be his last,
so he oughtn't to lose out on one."
Silcott Understands.
The startled eyes of the unwilling
guest slid to the slate-gray ones of
the long man. He tried to laugh,
and the sound OF it broke in his
throat.
1--WE can't all live to be Methu-
se-ahs," Prentiss said, and his glance
took in the man playing solitaire
at the poker table. "If we did it
would clutter up the world a heap.
We got to think of the other fell
lows pleasure and comfort, Jess"
Silcott understood that the quar-
rel they were fastening on Lamprey
was cut-and-dried rehearsed one.
1t was meant not only to punish
him but to intimidate the editor.
With Jesse disposed of, Jim would be
next in line. If he started to leave
he would be stopped. He was to sit
there while Lamprey took his medi-
cine, so getting foretaste of what
was In store for himself.
For Lamprey he cared nothing.
The man boasted too much. He was
handsome shallow bluff. Jim
sized him up as certainly fool and
probably knave. BY the grapevine
route word had reached Silcott that
the fellow had tried to play both
ends against the middle in the land
grants feud. 1t would be like him
to do something of that kind, for
his conceit would lead him to be-
lieve he could outwit those he was
double crossing.
Silcott accepted the code of the
West that every man must fight
his own battles. An outsider kept
clear and minded his own business.
1t was like a private game of poker,
In which the stranger did not take
chips. But this difficulty moving to
a head now did not quite come under
that category. 1t was being staged
at the Trails End because the Hat
T hands had found out Jim was
there.
Waits For Developments.
What he would do, Jim did not
know. 1t would depend on how the
play came up and how far it was to
60. Probably Prentiss and his men
were obeying orders from Russell
Mosely. And probably he had told
his forman not to go too far. II
the old fox wanted him and Lamprey
destroyed he would not arrange
public killing that had no appear
ance of duel. But men like these