Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1947-07-18
CHAPTER XXI

O11f11 l. LIN AL
Ell Caballero Rojo's voice seemed to
have lost its sting. He got up, hoping
until heavy ledger was slammed on
the table. He watched with popping
eyes as papers followed the book and
his own six-gun served as a paper
weight.
Ell Caballero Rojo opened the ledger.
His finger touched the entry that read !:
Steve Ransom-deceased.
He glared at Bartle over his mask.
"Well?" he demanded.
"Beefmen killed Steve" Bartle jit-
tered. "His wife sold me the place,
after that. There's nothing wrong
in"
1.-THE Aldman boy on Don Attero's
Cross. His father dead beside the burn
ing shed. Beefmen did that?"
His eyes, fiery above the scarlet silk,
bored into Bartle's like gimlets. Then
with a motion both smooth and swift,
his hands shifted. A horseshoe changed
on the zinc-topped table. His jaws were
rigidly set.
"Yours?"
"No!"
you're a liar!"
"That shoe was never"
"Made to hang on the horizontal
beam of Don Attero's Cross, Ell? As
tobacco stalks hung with young Sam
Aldman? Maybe not. But there is
where it will hang. With you taking
that boys place!"
Bartles blood froze. His face was
paper-white.
"You wouldn't kill an innocent
MANI" he cried. "You can't prove any
thing against me. YOU"
"Prove, eh?" The masked mans short
laugh was not pleasant. Il need no
more proof than l already have. Legal
proof means nothing to man outside
the law. l am outside the law-and
you put me there y
Russ Bartle looked up, startled. This
fellow, he thought, must be mad.
81 put you there!" be stammered
"Why-"
"Bartle, I've been looking for you tc
kill Won for five years." he went on in
a steady monotone. II didn't know you
were the man l wanted until tonight.
IF was certain the law could handle
This. still wouldn't let them take you
awav from me. That wouldn't give
back my fathers sight, or my mother
life"
THE abiect terror that was filming
Bartle's eyes was no match for the
horror in his heart Was this, then, the
end? Was his long reign Of greed over
'I've got plenty of new cases against
YOU. right here in this valley" snapped
Valdez. "When those wolves outside
mavbe YOU can hear them coming up
now-fnd out from these books and
Iedgers that took from your office
TONIGHT that you're the man behind the
trouble in the valley, you'll be just as
dead hanging on Don Attero's Cross fol-
tbe murder of those tobacco farmers
az vou'd be if l killed you for what you
did to my family. This is the end OF the
trail for me-and for you'
The man on the floor stirred. Michael
Valdez dropped to his knees peside
Chef Maxon.
"Easy, boy" he whispered. PLENTY
Of help coming pronto. All Eve go'
time to do is help you to that couch
in the next room. Then I've got to
10 moose-with this unwelcome guest
of yours" ~
With the aid of sturdy arm Maxon
managed to rise.
"Thanks,". he whispered weakly to
ri Cabalero Rojo. You'd better ride
right away. My sisters bringing Sheriff
Lande."
Valdez dragged over chair ane
dropped Maxon into it.
The sudden activity in the kitchen
then was only a blur of movement too
swift for the eye to follow. For Bartl'
had seen his golden opportunity ant
be know there would never be another