The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-07-30


Charley pulled out this afternoon
to round up a few men and scout
the west side of the Moguls. We're
after Breathitt. I've got Bones Nc
Geen up on the high trail, near
Ketchell's."
Gurd said, believe I'll go sit in
with Charley. Where you going?"
Toward Freeport."
Gurd said: Better be careful.
That's a tough district"
Herendeen let out huge laugh
as he went to his horse. "Gurd,"
he said, Il never saw the man l
was afraid of or the piece of brush
/ couldn't ride through" Late falls
twilight began to deepen around the
yard; it turned the porch gray.
From his horse Herendeen watched
Catherine, who had said nothing at
all. These shadows quenched the
shining of her copper-red hair. But
she was strong and shapely, the
roundness of her upper body hav-
ing its effect on him. Her face
was a pale oval against the dark
background; her eyes were very
black. When she stirred, arms slow
ly rising behind her head and chang
ing the shape of her silhouette, Her
endeen had his moments intense
desire to get down from the horse.
Had Gurd not been there he would
have done so. He only said, "See
you later" and fell into the Free
port road, never forgetting how she
had looked.
AS soon as he had gone Gather
inc said to her brother: 'You don't
mean that, Gurd. Stay out of it.
Hack has done nothing to u.s."
Gurd walked down the steps.
''Never mind. We've got to stick
together"
She said: ''Do you realize it is
Clay's friend you're trying to kill?"
''Then he had better pick better
friends"
you've changed" she said.
whats happened?"
He came back up the steps and
stopped before her. Sure, I've
changed" His voice was monoto-
nous and odd. Morgan had his
chance to stick with us and didn't
do it. Then let him go to the devil.
He's not my friend now"
Listen" she said, you'd better
understand me. There will never be
a rider of the Crowfoot outfit sent
after Hack, or used to run errands
for Herendeen."
He said, who's running this out
ft?"
"You are, as long as you stick to
business. What's the matter with
you lately?"
He seized her arm then, his face
drawing near enough for her to see
distrust on it.
"Next time you go over to Nor
gan's don't bother to come
back"
She pulled free of his arm and
hit him across the face with her
hand. She said, You're a small
little boy, Gurd. Why don't you
try to be mani"
He shouted, well see!" and
jumped off the porch. A moment
later he raced out of the yard,
bound over the Haycreek Hills to-
ward the west flank of the Moguls.
The clay dust of the road was
ghostly glowing ribbon unrolling be-
tween the shadowy timber banks,
and as Herendeen travelled he made
a perfect target for the rustlers and
the fugitives and dispossessed nest
ers who made camp in the lost hide
outs of this section. They hated all
cattlemen. He knew this perfectly
well and watched the black margins
| of the road with a sharper attention
| than usual, but it never occurred to
him to turn back. In this man was
a belief, strong as a shield of steel,
that no bullet would ever reach
him. This belief completely gov
erned Ben Herendeen's life.
The road, rising from the tim
Der, reached small burn on which
| the black and gray snags of once
| living timber showed a stripped
gaunt pattern against the swelling
moonglow. Entering this barren
| spot Ben Herendeen caught the
smell of dust, and at once squared
his heavy body on the saddle, mean
while dropping a hand to the butt
| of his gun. Over by the far mar
| gin of the burn he saw horseman
| drift into the pearly, diffused light
and halt by the road. Herendeen
let his horse singlefoot forward
and SO came upon the waiting