Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-05-26
CHAPTER XVII

BY the time Lew had run back and
got into his own saddle there was
only dust for him to follow. He
gave no order; the others had seen
and read that lookout sign. They
poured behind him along the street.
Then on the rivers open shelf he
caught the drum of hoofbeats and
saw the rider turn suddenly north
beside the whitewashed shipping
pens. He swung that way. For
moment the figure was clear against
the plaza lights where this street
ended. But at the railroad tracks it
turned once more and was out Of
sight.
Taking a blind guess, he aimed
across the depot yard before reach
ing the tracks himself and then was
Immediately sure which way the rid
er had gone. For the yard ended
against the sprawling corrals of Ra-
chals' livery. There was only one
outlet.
He stepped down from his saddle
with Joe Wheat, Quarternight and
the others following behind him, and
saw first eight or ten men afoot
near the office. Then Pete RACIAL
was coming toward him, swaying
rapidly on his stubby legs. And at
the same time, even as Racial said,
II got your crew, Burnett" and nod
ded at the group, "but there's a
bunch" he saw Clay and Ed
Splann just inside the barns dark
nav.
What he couldn't see in that mo-
ment was how many others might be
watching him from the huge black
ness behind the wide doorway. Then
one other edged into the band of
outshining light from the office, and
close to his shoulder Joe Wheat's
low voice said, "That's Stoddard,
the boss"
He recognized Stoddard without
showing that he did, short, squat
man who, at the mouth of Crazy
Woman Creek, had made the mis-
take of offering him a job. He
brought his glance back to Clay and
Ed Splann, seeing the dulled heavy
drunkenness of Clay's face. Splann
was not drunk but stood with his
huge body poised little forward,
strangely like man on tiptoe, his
long arms loose at his sides.
These things he saw in a brief
survey that could have lasted only
a moment-with his own men and
his new hands turned rigidly silent
and Pete Rachal's face in front of
him setting into weary look.
Then he moved, hearing Joe
Wheat's Lew, for Gods sake!" and
paying no attention to it. He walked
toward Clay Manning, feeling there
was no recognition in Clay's heavy
lidded eyes. He reached him and
took his arm. "Clay," he said,
'come on"
His tug brought the big shape
out little from the support of the
doorway post, stumbling against
him. He jerked his right hand up
to brace Clay's body . and some
one must have mistaken that or an
order was given that he didn't hear.
A guns flame streaked from the
black interior of the barn to be-
come instantly blended into a crash
ing roar. He felt Clay jolt as if
pushed. He was trying to pull his
own gun and hold the big man up.
But the suddenly dead weight threw
him off balance. Something hot
stabbed his arm. They went down
together and running wave of
fire passed over their heads.
po11iro arI ctr, l.
had a blurred knowledge of dust
and frightened horses and a last
rattle of shooting far back toward
the livery's end; and all at once
there was silence, GREATNESS hush
in the way of these battles, until
somewhere man groaned and deep
within the barn another called,
''They got out here!" And from the
office Pete Rachars unmoved voice
said. Curly, you better get the doc"
The hospital was an abandoned
army barracks standing on the prai-
rie's grass beyond the freight yards
east of town. The doc, too, was a
discard from the army, a gaunted
man with bloodshot alcoholic eyes.
But watching him, Lew guessed he
was capable enough even now; he
must have been a top surgeon once.
He saw the long hands were
steady, probing the slightly pulled
blue holes which were all that
showed of the wounds in Clay Man.
ning's naked back. At such close
range the bullets had entered
straight.
1t wasn't clear in his mind yet
what had happened; perhaps he'd
never know. But it seemed that all
the Open A guns must have been
turned in his direction, willing to
sacrifice Clay and even Ed Splann
if they could blast through to him.
And they hadn't. Clay's huge bulk
had saved him, taking that fire. He
remembered Ed Splann turning and
screaming at them before he fell