Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-07

around here and the attack on Ret
were done by the same persona"
I'D hate to say. Maybe we can
piece more of this together when we
hear from Shorty He'll find out
where that horse and rider went
if anybody can. It's a pretty cold
trail. though"
The day dragged slowly for Ali
son. She exercised Indy Lou by
riding her around the corral, to the
ranch house and back. but never
out of sight of the house. She chafed
at this restriction. but John had
enough on his mind without adding
to his worries.
Allison had almost forgotten about
Richard Mattingly coming Friday
until Ling gave her a list of supplies
that he would be needing and sug-
costing menus. He was in high
spirits when she told him that any
thing he planned would be perfect,
as he knew more about cooking than
she did To keep her mind off the
events of the last "a hours. she
busted herself making the hospitable
old ranch house ready for the ex-
pected guest
Shorty Returns.
She found herself wondering a
little about young Mattingly. What
would he think Of the sturdy, ram
bling old ranch house? Associated
with everything that she had ever
held dear, it was very beautiful to
Allison, but she could hardly expect
him to be so charmed by it. In all
probability, it was the first ranch he
had ever seen and she hoped that
he wouldn't be too disappointed.
Could she change his mind about
selling his part of the ranch?
Her unanswered questions were
interrupted by the sound of horses
hooves and she ran to the patio to
see Shorty riding in. John heard
him. too, and they all got to the
office about the same time. With
out saying a word, Shorty dis
mounted and they all went inside.
Wal, didn't find out very much"
he said after he got settled. He
sure done some crazy ridin'."
Where did he go?" John snapped
the question, but Shorty wouldn't
be hurried. He was telling it his own
way
Wal, the tracks led from here
out to the main trail. He didn't
seem to be afraid of bein' followed
cause he walked his horse most of
the way. He stayed on the rocks or
in the grass as much as he could.
Reckon he thought somebody might
be interested in where he come
from
Shorty sank thoughtfully into a
chair. He turned south at the
main road and I thought maybe he
was headin' fer town, but it only run
that way fer about two miles or so,
then he doubled back this way agin,
almost on parallel with the way
he come out to the highway"
He doubled back toward the
cabin? You mean he came back here
again?"
Shorty Has Suspicious.
Nav, he didn't come back to the
cabin, but he ran his trail on a line
with this one, only about two miles
| south of here. He was walkin' his
horse most of the time. Either they
was tired or he was savin' him in
case he had to get away. 1 don't
know, but he wuz takin' it easy like"
Two miles South-that would put
him just beyond the ridge and would
hide him from any one that might
be riding out to pasture, wouldn't it,
! Shortly"
Unless you looked hard for him.
you never would have seen him-he
kept close to the brush and on rocky
ground most of the time. That's
what took me so long. I'd have to
get off and hunt for the tracks. His
horse had just been shoed, so that
helped some, but he shore knew how
to cover up his trail. John. Whoever
it was had been follered before"
We'll, did you find him?"
Nope, I tracked him clear to
Rocky Knoll, but 1 couldn't go no
further. The big herd must have
been down to water at the creek and
he rode right into the middle of
them. I rode around for a couple
of hours trying to pick up the trial
| agin, but I couldn't find it,
Shorty, have you any suspicious