Askov American., 1943-12-30
Fight 1t Out
By VIC YARDMAN
Associated Newspapers.
WNU Features.
MO ONE envied Abe Tucker the
Job of sheriff of PraytOn county.

election, owned and run by Ray
Moore and Martin Ladd, who, were
the setting of this story laid east of
the Mississippi, would be known as
political BOSSES"
However, locale makes little diff
ference in human nature. Moore and
Ladd had all the characteristics uSu-
ally associated with political bosses.
They were entirely lacking in scru-
ples And to climax it all they hated
each other with a vehemence that
had already resulted in a half dozen
cold-blooded murders.
Ben Midgeley, Abe's closest friend
and newly appointed deputy, made
no bones about voicing his doubts.
"You can never clean 'em out,
Abe" Ben said. Both Moore and
Ladd have too strong hold. They
own half the land in the county
and have mortgages on the rest of
it. There aren't a half dozen
honest men in the whole blasted
county got CUTS enough to help you
make single arrest"
Abe got up and closed the door of
the little adobe office Listen" he
said, speaking confdentially, Erred
Halliday, who is Martin Ladd's right
arm and first lieutenant, is in town
today"
'That's right" Ben admitted.
"He's over at the Paradise now"
"Fine!" Abe leaned closer. "You
60 over there, Ben, and tell Fred
that Ray Moore is making a big
drive tomorrow night through He'll
gate canyon. About five hundred
head. And there'll be only four
riders doggin' 'em. Drop the news
kinda casual like, as if you didn't
suspect Fred would be interested"
George Ratnor arrived an hour
later. He was a little man, brown
and wizened, with fiery look in
his eyes. He owned small ranch
bordering on the extensive acres of
Ray Moore. For months he had
suspected Moore of annexing part of
his small herd whenever convenient,
but realized the folly of trying to
prove a charge.
George" said Abe, characteris-
tically coming to the point at once,
81 need three men besides Ben
Midgeley to assist men in cleaning
up Prayton county. Can I depend
upon your
you're DANCED right you cant"
the little man exploded. 81 don't
know what your plan is, but I'm for
it nevertheless"
Abe smiled contentedly. "Fine.
This afternoon I want you to bump
into one of Ray Moore's men, casual
like, and drop remarks to the effect
that Martin Ladd is making big
drive tomorrow night through He'll
gate canyon and there'n be only four
riders along. Give the impression
you overheard some of Ladd's men
talking in town.
At eight o'clock the following night
George Ratnor, Tod Leland, Ben
Midgeley and a youth named Curly
Sellers gathered in Abe fuckers Of
flee and listened to the sheriff unfold
his plan.
An hour later, headed by Abe, the
exit from the town, riding north. At
ten o'clock they had reached the en-
trance to Hellgate canyon, a deep
cavern-like defile separating the
Moore ranch from that of Martin
Ladd. But now the group had
diminished to three, George Ratnor
and Curly Sellers having ridden off
to the south a mile or two back.
Abe led his three companions to
a narrow shelf which ran along the
canyon floor for hundred yards or
more. Here, concealed by scrub
growth, they dismounted, tethered
their horses and walked back to the
lip of the canyon to wait.
Suddenly Abe stood erect. A re-
volver shot had sounded far down
the canyon. It was followed by an
other and then more. Motioning his
companions to follow, Abe led the
way along the shelf, descending al
most to the canyons floor.
The distant firing had increased
in volume and now, mingled with
it, they heard the hoarse shouts of
men. Shod hooves sounded on the
canyon floor; rapidly moving shad-
ow materialized from the darkness.
Abe raised the rifle in his hands and
fired. The figure crumpled. Others,
close behind, drew rein, cursing hor-
ribly. And in the mad confusion that
followed while they turned about, the
three concealed men fired rapidly.
Two more were added to the casual
ty list. Then the space at the mouth
of the canyon was empty, and the
clatter of pounding hooves grew
fainter.
'Those were Moore's men," Abe
said. ''They suspect we belong to
the Ladd outfit and that we have
them trapped"
The drum of hooves had sounded
again on the rocks. But it wasn't
made by horsemen. The cattle,
which George Ratnor and Curly Sell
ers had borrowed from the formers
range and driven into the canyon to
make the trap seem real. were trv.