Evening star., 1940-05-13

Jud Prentiss, deal with you"
Make his offer through him, you
mean?"
Yes" The face of the Powder
Horn man was grim. But there
won't be any cash involved. This
Prentiss is bad man, q killer. I
think I'll take the letters with me-"
The lawyer pointed to an iron
safe. "They are locked up there.
Mr.. Mosely's handy man would be
good If he could get them out of that
steel container."
you don't know Prentiss,"
answered Silcott. There's Indian
blood In that scalawag. He might
try Apache tricks on you"
Stratton was startled. "You mean
torture me to get the lock combina-
ton"
"Jud would enjoy that. He's
born bully"
If you had the letter would it be
any safer?"
Il can put it where he wouldn't
know where to find it."
Silcott Takes Letters.
Can you put yourself where he
wouldn't know where to find you?"
Stratton asked dryly. You men
toned his Apache tricks"
Jim geStured that off lightly. "I1l
have to take my chance with Mr..
Prentiss. He and I are old acquain-
tances"
This was not very satisfactory to
the attorney, but neither was the
alternative. He did not quite believe
that Mosely would let his men 60
ase far as the Diamond Slash owner
had indicated, but dark rumors of
his methods had been bruited about
the town. Also, Silcott had told
him of the recent attack on his life.
After all this was the fight of the
Armijo grant purchasers. Their
lawyer was employed to handle only
the legal end of it. Stratton un-
locked the safe and handed the
Gandara letters to Jim.
Il don't need to tell you how i'm
portant these are to our suit" he
said You'll be careful of them.
Will you take them to the bank?
You can't tonight It's closed"
Jim smiled IF you knew where
was going to put them they might
as well be in your safe When Prem
tiss inquiries, just refer him to me"
IF he does." corrected Stratton.
The attorney watched his client
going down the street. his slim COM
pact figure erect and jaunty. There
was something about this cool and
reckless youth that inspired con-
hdence.
Finds He Is Shadowed.
AS Jim moved down the street
toward the plaza he became aware
that he was being followed by a
Mexican vaquero. The man might
simply be going in the same direc-
ton as Silcott, or he might had
been deputed to trail him. Jim
decided to find out. He stepped into
a drygoods store and bought shirt
When he came out the vaquero was
looking in the show window at
some gay bandanna handkerchiefs.
Jim crossed the plaza, his shadow
in attendance. At a second store
he bought some wrapping paper and
ball of string. From there he went
to his hotel and wrapped two pack
ages. In one were the Gandara
letters and in the other folded
copy of the latest issue of the New
Mexican" With pencil he marked
one of the little parcels in order not
to make a mistake.
He had been invited to the VIM
doms for supper and he made him.
self as presentable as possible. There
was young woman there before
whom it was important to him that
he appear at his best. One of the
packages he concealed inside his
shirt. The second one he put in his
coat pocket. To be fully dressed, he
took out and tested the revolver
strapped in holster underneath
his left arm, and then replaced 1t
carefully
The vaquero was still on the job
He sauntered after Silcott to the
post Office and from the window
watched him take the parcel from
his coat pocket and address it. His
black eyes observed the Diamond
Slash man hand the pacakeg in for
Weighing, buy stamps and leave il
with the clerk to be sent to Its
destination.
Stops at Saddlery.
Jim had one more call to make
before he reported at the Win.
doms. He stopped at saddlery
store just below the plaza to see
its proprietor. an old friend who
had ridden the brush country of
Texas with his father.
From the doorway Jim called in
cheerily, How you making it with
that saddle ordered. old-timer?"
Homer Caldwell was a big lank
man close to go, with a long reach
of well-muscled limbs. He had a
lean, bony face with a hawklike
nose and deep, piercing eyes gleam-
ing out beneath grizzled brows
Even in the store he wore a wide
sombrero and cowboy boots, into the
tops of which the legs of his jeans
were thrust.
If he was surprised at this refer
ence to the order for saddle never
mentioned to him before he gave
no sign of it. Perhaps Silcott' S
wink tipped him off.
why. I'm maxim right smart
progress he said. But I didn't
expect you here so soon. I had
some trouble fixing up the skirt
with the sudadero just the way you
wanted it. You're such a particu-
lar buzzard. Red. Come along in
and have a look-see."
Jim walked into the store and
pretended to examine the tree of a
saddle, which rested on a frame
and had not yet been completely
draped.
Its shaping fine" he said. Lis
ten, Homer I'm being watched
Keep up talk about the saddle"
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