Evening star., 1940-05-16

The gag had been removed from
his mouth. Feebly he asked, still
unbroken, where's Mosely gone
to sell you out?"
Yeager slapped . hand On his
thigh. "By thunder. Red. you take
the cake!" he cried. Don't you
know you'd ought to be yclping for
mercy?"
The eyes looking up at the bald
headed man were those Of one who
had been In hell, but there was
no surrender In them.
Mercy from wolves?" he said
scornfully.
"You said 1t. fellow. That's what
we are. A pack Of wolves dragging
down meat for Russ"
Probably you'll swing for it-most
OF you," Silcott prophesied. "A
good riddance Of fools. There's not
a lick Of sense In any Of you. Russ
sure must laugh his head Of when
he's alone"
keep yore mouth shut, fellow"
Judson snapped.
What Silcott said disturbed him.
It might be too true. He did not like
to listen to the derisive warnings Of
this indomitable man.
Prentiss Task Difficult.
Prentiss had walked with Mosely
to the head of the gulch where the
Hat r boss had left his horse. On
the way his employer outlined what
he had in mind. The foreman
asked questions until he UNDER
stood the plot clearly. There were
two parts to 1t, and he was assigned
to lead the more dangerous one.
Juan had been wounded by the
soldiers and taken to the hospital.
Jud was to find out where the Mex
ican vaquero had been put and to
arrange it so that he would not
talk.
"Why shove that OF on me?" he
grumbled. ''I'n get the girl and you
take care Of Juan"
Don't be a fool, Jud," Mosely
snapped. How could you get the
girl? - You won't have any
trouble. It's an adobe building
only one floor. You don't have to
go inside the hospital at all. There
VIII be window to the room, won't
there? Do your job from there?"
yeah, and if they catch me be-
fore make my getaway"
They can't, if you are smart.
All you have to do is fork your sad
die and light out. Give the other
boys their instructions before you
CO."
They're to have him hog-tied |
and gagged before you get back. |
That the idea?"
YES" Mosely assented. "And
all lights out. She isn't to know
there is anybody In the house."
Mosely Signals Anne.
He swung to the saddle and rode |
down the arroyo, hatbacked and
strong, q man arrogant and proud |
even with the prescience of defeat |
riding on his shoulders. Events
had moved to fast for him in the
past few days. They had forced
his hand, made him come out into
the open. Now he had let his anger
rule judgement. Bitterly he blamed
himself for not having destroyed
Slcott long ago. He would have |
to do 1t as soon as he got the letters.
There could be no safety with the1
man alive. But in doing SO he
would put himself in the power Of
men he no longer trusted. Well,
that was a bridge he would have.l
to cruss IatEr. - -
When Mosely reached the Window
house, the lower part was dark, but
there was light in one of the up
stairs bedrooms. More than once
a shadow was flung on the blind, |
that OF woman crossing the room.
He thought the chances were that
1t was the room Of Anne Eliot and
not that OF her host and hostess.
He flung small handful Of
gravel against the pane. After a |
moment somebody raised the blind,
and softly lifted the window. It !
was Anne.
who is it7" she asked in q low
voice.
Russell Mosely," he answered. IT
must speak to you about something
that is very important"
Her surprise did not express it.
self In her cool whiplash voice. II
know of nothing you can have to say
to me important enough to need
discussion at this time of night,
sir"
Tells Anne Of Capture.
1T has to do with your friend.
I fear some bandits have made him
prisoner"
The shock Of it held her silent
for a moment. He pressed his ad-
vantage. II think know who they
are and where he is. II you will 60
to the place with me I can perhaps
buy his release"
Her thoughts raced. She said,
"You hate him. Why would YOU
buy his freedom?"
Perhaps to show you that I am
not as evil as you think; that I
might do my enemy a favor lust
this once" he responded. ..'
She did not believe him. He was
trying to trick her somehow, but
Tor what purpose she could not see.
The thought of kidnapping occurred
to her, and she discarded it at
once. Mosely was not fool enough
to put himself outside the pale by
anything so desperate. It would
mean the end Of him forever in
New Mexico.
I'LL see 1t. Window and ask what
he thinks" she said not knowing
that the officer had been called from
the house on urgent business.
NO." the Hat T man told her
CURLY. THAT won't do. Window
would take soldiers. The outlaws
would kill Silcott and escape while
troops were approaching"
She was greatly troubled. It
might be true that Jim Silcott had
been taken prisoner. II 80, Of
course it had been by Mosely's men.
Perhaps he had come to make some