The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-02-01
H6NES LOUISE PROVOST

dish.
He moved few steps out and
stood again, quiet and contempla-
tive.
Joey looked up suddenly.
There was a curious stiffness
about Lee. It was a waiting still
ness, with a hint of tensing mus
cles and senses sharply alert.
"Put 'em up {"
Lee shot forward like a re-
leased spring. There was
scrambling crash in the darkness
back of the cabin, thud and a
smothered curse, the sound OF
grunts and writing bodies.
ooh no, l wouldn't, Lawler!"
A knife described a darkly
cleaning arc through the air.
Joey lodged it as he hurried anx-
iously back to see Lee kneeling
on something dark and strug-
Cling.
whats the matter, Lee? Did
he knife We? I'll"
"No, Joey, just tried to . I'll
take that gun, Lawler, I know
you'd hate to lose your head. Now
be nice, or I'll shut off your wind
again Listenp
From some distance away there
came another scrambling sound,
as if a stealthily moving body had
missed its footing and slid for
several feet.
$50 Slanty got away and left
you to face the music?" Lee in
quired pleasantly. "That sounds
like him." He paused for a remi-
niscent grin. There's a lot of
manzanita on that SLOPE" he add
ed thoughtfully. ''Pretty thorny
/ scrub, Lawler. I shouldn't Won
der if he'll have some nice long
scratches to identify him tomor-
row-only we don't need to
Get up, you polecat.
Lawler swayed groggily to his
feet. Il wasn't dom nothing" he
muttered sullenly.
give watched your double
game, Lawler, taking your wages
from a woman and using your
job in twenty different ways to
make her so discouraged: with
the place that she will be glad
to sell. But you're through
You're leaving tonight
"Say, We think yo're the big
boss around here, don't ye?'
LAWYER clustered, stung to
fresh rage. "You amt nobody
around here at all, and every
body knows it but you"
"Counting on that, Lawler?"
The voice was dangerously gen.
tie. MAYBE I haven't technical
right to fire you, but I can run
you off this place like a scared
| Jack rabbit, and I'm doing it now
Novel,
LAWYER gulped and glowered,
His knife was gone, his gun was
gone. Sullenly, he withdrew.
Hoofbeats were approaching, a
cheerful voice hailed.
"Hey, Joey, everything all
right?"
Joey answered the hail, and g
moment later Curley clattered ur
to them.
"Just saw Slanty Gano ridin
away in an alfred hurry he
volunteered, land l wondered il
! he'd been up to any devilment
here. Didn't I see somebody
breakin for Govern"
''LaWler." Lee answered fo1
Joey, who confirmed it with 6
vigorous nod. Joey was still
glowing with the joy of Lees
fight. ''The two of them were
hanging around in the dark with
their ears open. Slanty didn't
stay to be sociable. Lawler did
BY the way, Curly, he's leaving
the Circle V tonight. How about
having one of the boys see him tt
his train?"
Curly loosed a joyous whoop
Shore, Lee, I'll do it. Take him
or chase him, whichever you
say. Much obliged for handin' me
the job"
The next morning Virginia
heard from Curly that Lawle1
had abruptly left her employ
ment during the night.
But why did he leave so sud-
denly? Did anything happen?"
"W-e-e-ll-" Curly hesitated
Il reckon mebbe he did have a
kind of disagreement"
with whom?"
well now, he didn't say"
THANK you, Curly" She had
! mercy on him, but two bright
spots burned in her cheeks. "And
Ia like you to take his place,
please"