Evening star., 1940-05-02

Rufus held to the lines at which
two half broken young horses
strained. The team plunged away
wildly, the light rig bouncing and
swaying perilously.
Anne chung fast to her seat as
they ratified across q bridge, down
into dip and up again, they raced
along a stretch Of level road in a
cloud Of dust. In a cut, outside of
Blanco, the sound deepened and
made heavy going. The pace slack
ened.
Where's the flre?" Anne asked,
with a cheerful grin at her COM
panion.
They won't be kicking up their
heels so much in three-four hours"
Rufus promised.
The road went gun-barrel straight
through q sage fiat that stretched
for miles, then swung toward the
f1lmy mountains standing against
the far horizon. It wandered in
casual fashion over low-backed hills
which gradually became higher as
| they rose wave on wave to the
misty range.
Argue About Country.
To feel Rufus out, Anne remarked,
TITS a desolate country, isn't it?"
Il hadn't noticed it," the man said
dryly. II reckon some folks like to
live in two-by1four hole all bar
barred up. I don't. I want room to
breathe.
Anne laughed. She admitted that
the high plains grew on one. "The
air is like wine, and you feel glad
to be alive. There is something
about the mountains too that
washed meanness out of you.'
ut hasn't taken the meanness
out of Jud Prentiss and his boss"
Jelks mentioned.
"Jud is a tough old sinner" Anne
admitted. "As for Mr.. Mosely,
maybe he isn't as bad as you think"
If a guy is good looking he can
always get by with women" Rufus
said, to the world at large.
DO you think he really means
to blow up the dam?" the girl
| asked.
You can't ever tell what Russ
means to do. He's slick scoundrel.
Offhand, would say he's liable to
take crack at the dam. If it went
out, Jim would lose lot. And the
Hat T needs water in the creek be-
low"
If there is fight about the dam
somebody will be hurt" Anne said.
That's why you are hereto side
with your friend"
THAT bird can get in more
trouble" Rufus frowned, II never
saw his beat"
You're not so bad at it your
self" she reminded him.
Anne Explains Interest.
The black-haired young man
slanted a suspicious look at her.
AL right. You get me explained,
What about you? Why are YOU
headn' for lineup, If it isn't to mix
up In this fuss?"
Il don't know" Her eyes were
worried. It's none of my business.
but I feel drawn into it. On ac-
count of the Sentinel. First nv
uncle. then Jim Silcott. I have to
stop harm coming to him if can"
"How?"
She threw up her hands in a little
despairing gesture. II don't know.
l thought I would talk with Mr..
Mosely. People obey the law where
come from. Why can't he wait
until the courts decide?"
That's not the way Russ works, {"
They were travelling now through
country Of high hills covered with
jack pines. The soil was red and
the growth of vegetation not dense.
The terrain had the well-kept look
OF a mountain park. Following the
line OF least resistance, the road
wound among the small trees
OBVIOUSLY. Above them was a sky
deep-blue.
Wen get water at a ranch couple
OF miles down the trail" Rufus
SAID. Then we'll tie up on Tincup
and have dinner"
They descended into a vallev and
swung from the road to a small
ranch house nesting among some
cottonWoods. In the corral a wind
mill clicked cheerfully.
Jelks yelled, Hello the house!"
Phil Lamprey came to the door.
Like to water the team Rufus
called, after word of greeting.
Help yourself" Phil came for
ward and recognized Anne. For a
moment he was disturbed. He
thought she had come to see his
brother. But he greeted her warmly.
We're drumming up subscribers
to the Sentinel" Jelks explained.
Are you on the list? And have you
paid up?"
The boy smiled back at him. "We're
subscribers, and we have paid up
to the end of the year."
Fine. Where's Jesse?"
He went up to Bat Overstreet's
to get horse shod."
"Hmp!" I've heard forty-eleven
different roo coy,e x,,l,, H.