Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-06-19

| the money!" And you could tell from
the mems faces that Jonathan Case
had limbered their trigger fingers.
With the dust of their departure
drifting gray and sun-shot with gold
along the street, I entered villa Fos-
ter,s little restaurant. Charley Cain,
who helped out sometimes, was behind
the counter. Villa had awakened him
in the night, asked him to open up
this morning, and Charley had not
seen her since. And I thought Of the
bodies brought back in the night. the
Palomas riders who had struggled
home with the news Of the posse, and
I went to the livery barn.
Villa had gotten horse in the night
and had ridden off alone. She had
had time to reach the Bar S long be-
| fore dawn and we had not seen her.
I went to my room for a little sleep,
wondering uneasily what was on Villas
mind. And when found out. I wished
that I could not have known.
Jonathan Case stood by my cot,
shaking me awake. I heard his thick,
satisfied voice as swung up and
cleared my eyes. You're needed,
Keynes. We know where Steve May
field is hiding"
where is hep" I was pulling on a
boot while spoke and looked up at
Cases meaty, satisfied smile.
villa Foster will show u.s.
pulled on the other boot and
stamped it tight, stood up and reached
| for my leather vest and gunbelt be-
fore I spoke. where's Willa?"
waiting in the front room"
Outside the sun marked midday, and
the dry heat was reaching into the
front room shadows when stepped
in on the worn carpet and faced
Villa In the shadows she looked slen-
| der, tired, with weary defiance that
waited for me to speak,
Case says you know where Steve
is"
Hes wounded and hiding, Rusty. I
thought I knew where he might be. I
found him there little after day
light"
Alone"
Another man is with him-but he
can't do anything
Jonathan Case broke in: 81 don't
see why you insist that I go with
Keynes"
Villa looked at him without friend
illness. Il want you to be there and
admit that the reward belongs to me,
all of it, And when Villa caught my
look, her eyes were dark and defiant
of all I was thinking.
why not?" she said to me. Some
one will get the money. Steve will be
caught. He's wanted for murder now.
He'll have to face it. Why not. Rusty?
Isn't this what you want? Isn't it my
duty?"
Jonathan Case said: "Of course its
your duty"
And shrugged to VILLAS look, which
still held mine. We'll find Ed Carlin
and get it over with"
mo, Rusty. Just us. I'll not take
anyone else there-unless you're
afraid"
Let's go get your reward for you,"
I said. Villa caught the note in my
voice. Red came into her face. She
was silent as we went out, reserved
and pale as We rode away from Pa
Tomas.
Jonathan Case. borrowed gunbelt
strapped on under his coat, was red
faced and perspiring in the heat. Are
you sure they've got the money!" he
asked Villa, riding between us. "All
of it?"
l suppose SO, SalQ villa WITHOUT
much interest.
We passed the graveyard, gently
sloping down to Tumble creek could
see white stone marker off there
in the lacy shadows under the tall
cottonwood.
Villa looked once that way and then
straight ahead: and wondered who
would pay most for all this when the
final tally was balanced. Hoke May
field, beneath that white stone mark
er; Steve. who had gone all bad; or
Villa, who was doing her duty . :
for five thousand dirty dollars. spat
into the hot road dust. and touched
the gun I'd probably soon be needing.
and we rode on through the long miles
to the rocky. broken scramble of use
less range called the Little peaks.
Twice near the Little peaks we met
scouting members Of the posse. They