The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-09-10
CHAPTER XVI

they both knew. Morgan swapped a
short glance with the smiling White,
seeing thorough understanding in
the latter's eyes. Morgan made the
decision for both of them at this
moment, turning his horse squarely
on Herendeen. The movement pulled
White around and thus the two of
them, holding their horses to walk,
passed down the yard in a silence
that had no bottom.
The river road bent around a
point. Reaching this point, ready to
turn it and shut the Three Pines
ranch house from sight, Morgan had
his backward glance. Herendeen and
his men were in the saddle, heading
for the Haycreek Hills. They were
going after the beef, Morgan knew.
Lige White came abreast. "Clay,
I'm ashamed to say it, but I've
strung along with Ben, not liking
what's been going on around me. I
still do not like it, but I cannot toll
crate this kind of a war. Keep
away from him. The mans gone
crazy"
"a little late now," said Morgan.
There's fight coming. Ben's
made up his mind, and SO have I.
Stay out of it, Lige. And see if you
can get Gurd to do the same"
Lige White said with the greatest
reluctance: Il have hated to see
this day come"
"a long time coming said Nor
gan, and put his horse to the slope.
Lige White watched him climb,
excitement mirroring brightly in his
eyes; afterwards he continued along
the road, bound for Gurd Grants.
Pete Borders, who had driven the
Long Seven beef across the Hay
creek Hills to Herendeen's range,
lay on a peak of, the ridge through
out the middle of the day. He saw
Morgan arrive at the meadow-and
grinned to himself at what was no
doubt in Morgan's mind. 1t looked
like an open steal on Herendeen' S
part, which was the way Borders
wanted it to look.
Later when he saw Morgan head
ed for Herendeen's alone, Pete Bor-
ders grew serious and a little rest
less. 1t was, he concluded, bad
tactics on Morgan's part; and SO,
taking to his horse, he went along
the Haycreek Hills until he was able
to sight the Three Pines ranch from
the heights.
He made out the crowd in the
yard and watched the parley.
Later he saw a new rider come
along-which was Lige White-and
saw two of them ride away. Nor
gan had got out of it with a whole
skin, which relieved Borders i'm
measurably.
AS soon as Morgan left Lige
White, he turned his horse to the
slope of the Haycreek Hills and pres
emily, from a high point, he saw
Herendeen leave the valley with his
crew. Morgan calculated his margin
of advantage to be about twenty min
utes and entered the timber at a
fast clip.
He caught up with his outfit mile
or two beyond the swamp. The cat
tie were single file, going very slow
ly on the crooked trail and stretched
out for three or four hundred yards.
Cap Vermilye was in front of them,
beyond sight Fox Willing held the
rear, with Harry Jump still farther
back to cover whatever might come
up. Harry Jump was a little edgy
with the strain of this thing; he
showed relief at Morgan's presence.
81 been on the verge of ridin'
back after you"
They're half an hour behind me.
We're apt to have a scrap"
"Hell with en-" said Harry Jump
at once. Lets stop and have it
out.
Keep right on going. Fox, cut
ahead and ride with Cap If you
hear any ruckus back here, join Us.
If you meet anything in front, let out
a yell and We'll be right with you"
Fox, unable to crowd by the beef
on SO narrow way, cut through the
timber and rough slab rock with
considerable difficulty. Harry Jump
began to grumble at the tagging cat
tie, croWding them with his pony.
Morgan dropped back distance to
watch the trail.
They came at last to the stage
road and turned into it, From the
swamp meadow to this point had
been more than an hours drive and
Herendeen was long overdue, lead
ing Morgan to believe that Heren-
deem had cireled them. The trou-
BILE. then. would come when they