The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1945-08-09

lower them again and begin their
ceaseless milling.
The last gate open, she rode in,
circled them and drove them
ahead to the gate. They poured
through and, once through went
numbering on-on south, she no
ticed.
Babe snorted, danced and turn
ed her head. She backed and
protested, she cavorted and OBJ
jected, and finally, =, knowing il
was useless to change the mind
of her Mistress she proceeded
with mincing steps. .t,.....-
"Ah-" Rusty breathed the
word in shocked surprise.
The herd was due for the feed
er's trucks. Some of them would
still be run up the tramway. But
those over there
"Why, that's queer. Why, I've
never seen anything like this.
Someone-someone has killed
those and taken"
Someone had come in, slaught-
cred the cattle and taken only
the prime cuts. The rest lay
there spelling under the sun.
Uncle Jed wouldn't believe it
He stomped around and defied
Rusty.
Cant be-" he rumbled. "Cat
tie don't get themselves rifle
killed. Man wouldn't do a thing
like that-no man"
Uncle" Rusty said, "haven't
you heard of black marketing!
It's the same as bootlegging-rur
by gangsters. Gangsters use high.
powered rifles and machine guns
don't 'they?"
"Bah!' snorted the old man
'This is the range, girl. Gang
sters don't come outside city linn
it's less they run out. You beer
listenin' to too many of them ra
dio dramars. Going out to take
a look-see for myself"
He went to the door to below
NANNY!
want me, Unc?" inquired
voice from behind the neares
divan, and a shock of dark hail
followed by two dark eyes ap
peared over the back. Say, Sis
honest, were they gangsters like
in the movies? Say, can q
with you, Unc?"
ASK your sister; she's hos!
around here" grumbled Jed Row
land. Then get yourself out anC
whistle up Sudan"
LET the boy CO." Mrs. Row.
land, coming in, sank heavily in
to chair. Nov, Rosalynn, tel
me everything from the begin
ming. I do wish your father were
here" she sighed as her brother.
in-law went out. eve need {
man to handle this. I think wee
better telephone Decker and see
what he says
Rusty would have preferred tc
call the sheriff. All the ranches
should be warned, and he was the
one to do it. But her mother ir-
sisted that she phone Ladue Deck
er.
She went to the hall phone
Three short and one long turn Of
the handle. AS she picked up the
received she could hear other re-
ceivers being lifted all along the
line. If she wanted to warn her
neighbors, all she had to do
was to tell Ladue what had oc-
Cured.
Tell Ladue to come over" or
dered her mother from the other
room. Don't 60 telling him
things over the phone; have the
whole county in on us for dinner
And with rationing-and Conchi-
ia acting the way she isl could
MT face it."
Hello, hello" came the sharp
voice of Ladue's mother.
''This is Rusty, Mrs. Decker;
is Ladue there?"
Hes about somewheres. What
are you wanting with the boy?"
Rusty waited a moment. She
felt everyone along the line
waiting, wetting their tongues to
relate. ''Now that her brothers
gone off, Rusty's running after
Decker"
''Will you tell him my mother
would like him to ride over.
Something important has happen
ed, and she and Uncle Jed want
to discuss it with him"
Important? What?"
Rusty gestured at her mother.
"You can handle her: I can't" she
whispered.
Rusty was relieved of going
hack t0 tho Scnno IF tho c1oI1ohtaY.