Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1947-05-16

unused. las for myself-I'H remain
neutral. At least until hear from
Juanita. Then my chips will 60 in
with the truth. Whatever it is"
He pushed on, grim of face and de-
termined to get to the bottom of things,
for he knew that he had to bring JUS
tice to the man or men, whoever they
were, who had been responsible for
that hideous crucifxion. He solemnly
swore to unmask that man, no matter
at what risks or dangers. For the
urge for justice burned in Michael Val
DEE like hot iron.
What was more, his instinct told
him that when he found the man back
of the trouble here, he would also be
facing the man he himself had looked
for so long-the man who had been
big boss" to Garvin and Conroy, the
man who at heart had been responsible
for Ell Caballero Rojo's own tragedy.
In Gold Creeks only saloon, Juanita
de Cuevas slipped a drink she did not
want and kept her eyes on the door.
while she had been waiting for the
appearance of Michael Valdez. She
had already impressed on the non-talk-
alive bartender the fact that young
man from the Rio was pretty lonesome
in this country so far away from the
border, and craved nothing so much as
a chance to sit down, play cards or
just talk and talk with some friendly
stranger.
Michael Valdez was such a man,
when eventually he entered the saloon.
No soul would have imagined he had
ever seen the bedraggled Mexican
youngster before, but he hailed him
cheerfully and in the spirit of camara-
derie of men meeting on the trail
especially men who had a mutual
Spanish background.
In a moment idle comments were \
being made by both-comments on the
weather, the trail, the town. The bar
tender winked at Valdez as if he would
warn the vaQuero that he was in
danger of having his ears talked f1abby.
"You play with cards, senor?"
Juanita finally asked, grinning widely
with pleasure at the chance of COM
partnership. She appeared overjoyed
at Valdez smile and nod. Good We
sit in far corner, no? At that table
no one disturbs U.S."
Valdez winked back at the bartender.
Nothing more important to do" he
drawled, and followed his presumably |
newfound friend across the room.
They sat down, the girl in the peon
boys clothes talking swiftly as she
shuffled the cards, apparently intent |
only on the game to come.
"There is much news, senor," she
said, her voice almost a whisper. "All |
bad" She began to deal. First, the
killer you would know about, the man
who was at the cross, rides water. He
knows what he is about. Where he
goes, l still do not know. 1t was as
if he leaves the river on wings"
Disappointment never irked Michael
Valdez. Lost scents could always be
found if man were patient.
what else?" he asked.
81 have not given up hope of finding
he trail he followed, when suddenly l
zee fire in the valley below. There
Ire shots. 1 ride like the wind. But
[ find only a dead man, the still red
lshes of a drying shed, and a much
litter young hombre."
Valdez nodded. "What then"
"The young hombre speak to me,
enor, and he accuses cattlemen in the
forth end of the valley. By his eyes j
nd the set of his jaw l know he will
ight the whole world alone, if he must
because l am forced to tell him that
t is his brother Sam he is looking for 4
Who then was spiked to the cross"
"You think he has reason to suspect
he cattlemen?" Valdez asked. '
"Who knows? l talk with other men I
ater-some tobacco men, some cattle :
len. 1t is the old story, senior; good
Of one is bad for the other, and each
alls the other dog. But this / know
that the rider at the cross who hung =
ne boy there was the same hombre
tho was at the drying shed and set n
re to it and killed. By this sign r
ave recognized he betrays himself-so =
IT." :