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diff --git a/44923-0.txt b/44923-0.txt index 72e2129..dc24327 100644 --- a/44923-0.txt +++ b/44923-0.txt @@ -1,38 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Slim Evans and his Horse Lightning, by Graham -M. Dean - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Slim Evans and his Horse Lightning - - -Author: Graham M. Dean - - - -Release Date: February 15, 2014 [eBook #44923] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLIM EVANS AND HIS HORSE -LIGHTNING*** - - -E-text prepared by Stephen Hutcheson, Al Haines, Roger Frank, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44923 *** Transcriber's note: @@ -5558,362 +5524,4 @@ Transcriber's note: 3. 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Dean</title> <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> <style type="text/css"> @@ -49,24 +49,10 @@ </style> </head> <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44923 ***</div> <h1 class="nf-center">The Project Gutenberg eBook, Slim Evans and his Horse Lightning, by Graham M. Dean</h1> -<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> -<p>Title: Slim Evans and his Horse Lightning</p> -<p>Author: Graham M. Dean</p> -<p>Release Date: February 15, 2014 [eBook #44923]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLIM EVANS AND HIS HORSE LIGHTNING***</p> <p> </p> -<h3 class="nf-center">E-text prepared by<br /> - Stephen Hutcheson, Al Haines, Roger Frank,<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (http://www.pgdp.net)</h3> <p> </p> <hr class="full" /> <p> </p> @@ -7300,360 +7286,6 @@ public domain in the country of publication.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLIM EVANS AND HIS HORSE LIGHTNING***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 44923-h.txt or 44923-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/4/9/2/44923">http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/9/2/44923</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed.</p> - -<p> -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.</p> - -<p>Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> - -<p>This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.</p> - +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44923 ***</div> </body> </html> diff --git a/44923.txt b/44923.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 7e3a28f..0000000 --- a/44923.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5919 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Slim Evans and his Horse Lightning, by Graham -M. Dean - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Slim Evans and his Horse Lightning - - -Author: Graham M. Dean - - - -Release Date: February 15, 2014 [eBook #44923] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SLIM EVANS AND HIS HORSE -LIGHTNING*** - - -E-text prepared by Stephen Hutcheson, Al Haines, Roger Frank, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) - - - -Transcriber's note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - - - - -SLIM EVANS AND HIS HORSE LIGHTNING - -by - -GRAHAM M. DEAN - - - - - - - -The Goldsmith Publishing Co. -Chicago - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -Copyright MCMXXXIV by -The Goldsmith Publishing Co. - -Manufactured in the United States of America - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -CONTENTS - - I On the Sky High Trail - II Bushwhackers - III The Strange Letter - IV Trouble Looms - V The Unknown Rider - VI Lightning Returns - VII Explanations - VIII The Vanishing Camp - IX Secret Commissions - X Dirty Water - XI Slim Rides Alone - XII War Declared - XIII Fading Trails - XIV Powder To Burn - XV Dangerous Hours - XVI Telltale Marks - XVII The Night Alarm - XVIII On a New Trail - XIX More Clues - XX The Cloudburst - XXI Trapped - XXII In the Cajons - XXIII The Confession - XXIV Showdown - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Slim Evans and His Horse Lightning - - - Chapter One - - On the Sky High Trail - - -The rugged peaks of the Cajons cast deepening shadows down their eastern -slopes as the July sun, a ball of fire in a cloudless sky, swung toward -the horizon. - -Threading his way carefully through one of the passes of the Cajons was -a cowboy on a sorrel horse. Dust lay thick on both horse and rider, for -they had been long on the trail that day and there had been no rain in -the Cajon country for weeks. - -Breasting the last steep grade leading to the summit of the pass, a new -country was unfolded. The sorrell paused as its rider dismounted more -than a little stiff from the hours in the saddle and the intense heat of -the day. - -The cowboy patted the sorrel affectionately. - -"It's been a long grind, Lightning, old girl. We'll rest here a few -minutes and then see if we can find a good place to camp tonight." - -The narrow trail had broadened at the summit and there was a swale with -a little grass that had escaped the burning rays of the midsummer heat. - -The sorrel began to graze while the cowboy sat down in the shadows of a -boulder. - -All day long horse and rider had been toiling up the slope from the -east, following the little-used trail. Shading his eyes, the cowboy -tried to follow the trail. It turned west and north, into a country that -was well timbered and appeared to be rich in grazing land--a country new -to both horse and rider. - -For the twentieth time in the last three days the cowboy slipped his -hand into an inner pocket and drew forth an envelope. He unfolded the -letter it contained and scanned it with puzzled eyes. It was addressed -to Slim Evans, Flying Arrow Ranch, Sunfield, Wyo. - -"Dear Slim," the letter began, "I am in need of your help. Things are -going badly in the Creeping Shadows country over beyond the Cajons and I -am counting on you to straighten out the trouble. The greatest secrecy -is necessary so let no one except your father know of this message. Meet -me on the 22nd at the foot of the Sky High trail on the other side of -the Cajons. Will explain everything then." - -The message was signed by Bill Needham, secretary of the Mountain States -Cattlemen's Association. - -Slim Evans folded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope, -which was now badly creased. - -It had been a summons he could not disregard and the mysterious tone of -the letter had aroused his curiosity. Once or twice in the last two -years he had been able to help Bill Needham and the Mountain States -Association in running down rustlers. Bill was an old friend of the -Evans family and Slim had hastened to roll his duffel and start for the -Sky High trail over the Cajons. - -It was the best part of another day's ride to the foot of the trail, but -he could slacken the fast pace he and Lightning had maintained for he -was well within the time limit. - -Fine lines puckered Slim's brow as he stared down from the summit of the -trail toward the Creeping Shadows country. Although less than a hundred -and fifty miles from the Flying Arrow, where he had been reared, it was -new country to him, right against the southern boundary of Montana with -the Bad Lands touching it on the east. - -Slim wondered if Needham was calling him in on a case of cattle -rustling. But that seemed hardly possible, for the association had a -small staff of men who devoted all of their time and energy to running -down cattle thieves. Slim's only work along that line had been several -small investigations near the home ranch where he had been able to save -the association the expense of sending out one of its staff detectives. - -Bill Needham was the only man with the answer and Slim reluctantly left -the cool shadow of the rock. Lightning responded to his whistle and the -cowboy swung into the saddle. - -"Half an hour more, Lightning, and we'll look for a camp," said Slim, -running his fingers through the mane of his mount. - -Lightning, a beautiful horse, was tall, well built, with legs strong -enough to stand a terrific speed even in the roughness of the cow -country. - -A white star stood out on her forehead and each foot had a collar of -white just above the fetlock. It was evident that horse and rider -understood each other for, from time to time, Slim spoke to Lightning -and the mare seemed to nod in reply. - -The Sky High trail had been in little use for half a dozen years, the -new trail through the Cajons went nine miles south along an easier pass. -Years before the Sky High trail had been one of the main routes through -the mountains, cowboys and herds from the Creeping Shadows country -thundering along it. Now the old road was covered with weeds and only a -semblance of a trail remained. - -For half an hour Slim and Lightning swung down from the summit at a -steady pace. The trail rounded a rocky promontory and a small patch of -timber ahead hinted of a suitable camping place. - -A mountain stream, grown thin from lack of rain, stumbled along over its -rocky bed. There was enough grass and plenty of shelter. Slim -dismounted, loosened the cinches, and pulled the heavy saddle and -blanket from Lightning's back. He slipped the bit out of the sorrel's -mouth, tossed the reins over the magnificent head, and Lightning was -free to graze for whatever morsels of grass could be found in the little -valley. - -Slim unfastened the slender duffel roll he carried behind the saddle and -brought out the mess kit. He was traveling light. - -Before preparing his own evening meal, he slipped off the well-worn -leather chaps which protected his legs and went down to the little -stream. The water was cool and sweet and he drank deeply from the -hurrying creek. Then he washed thoroughly, finally dousing his head in -the water. - -When he cleared the water from his eyes he saw Lightning standing a -little below him and looking at him reproachfully. - -Slim laughed. "Better try a little water to wash off the dirt," he -chuckled. - -But Lightning snorted disdainfully, drank deeply, and returned to graze -again. - -The cool water refreshed Slim greatly and he set about the task of -preparing his evening meal. There was still a half hour of daylight, but -he had been in the saddle at sun-up and, toughened though he was to the -life of the range, the heat had tired him. He was ready to roll into his -blanket as soon as he finished his meal. - -There was plenty of dry wood in the patch of timber and Slim soon had a -small, smokeless fire going. Plenty of bacon, bread that now was none -too fresh, and a small pot of coffee completed food for supper. - -Slim had just finished turning the bacon to a crisp, delicious brown, -and the coffee was simmering in the coals when a rifle shot echoed from -below. - -The cowboy paused, bacon halfway between his tin plate and his mouth. -There was another shot, followed by a fusillade. Slim heard the sudden -scream of pain of a mortally wounded horse and he finished the bacon in -one gulp. - -"Lightning!" he called. - -The sorrel, now a hundred yards away, heard the cry and came at a full -gallop. - -Slim leaped across the campfire and dove into the small pile of duffel -beside his saddle. From a saddlebag he drew a cartridge belt and -holster. This he buckled swiftly around his waist, pausing only long -enough to make sure that the heavy .38 in the holster was free. - -From a boot fastened to the saddle he drew a Winchester 30-30. A glance -told him that the magazine was full and he swung an extra belt of -ammunition over his shoulder. - -The firing down below was coming steadily. There was no time to saddle -and Slim leaped upon Lightning and went dashing down the Sky High trail. - - - - - Chapter Two - - Bushwhackers - - -At a mad gallop, Slim and Lightning raced down the valley. Like the true -cow horse, Lightning sensed obstacles almost before they were in sight -and on more than one occasion stretched her long legs to leap across -badly washed places in the trail. At the pace they were going, a tumble -would have been fatal for both. - -The valley broadened and the timber thinned out. Slim reined Lightning -in sharply. Ahead of them was a great wash strewn with boulders which -had been carried down from the peaks of the Cajons by spring torrents. -Somewhere in the mass of boulders was the secret of the steady firing. - -Slim listened carefully. Three rifles were barking their song of death. -As nearly as he could tell from the firing, it was two against one and -he voted himself a ringside seat. - -"You stay here," he told Lightning. "I can't tell what I'm up against -and you're a pretty good sized target." - -He slipped off the sorrel and ducked in between the boulders. The sky -was a blaze of red as the sun dipped over the horizon. Already the -shadows were creeping up from the lowlands. Another fifteen minutes at -the most remained of light in which he could hope to do any kind of -shooting if he found himself in trouble. - -Slim moved from boulder to boulder, drawing rapidly nearer to the scene -of the firing. It seemed to be concentrated to his right and he worked -steadily in that direction. A minute later he saw the opening of a small -draw off the main valley. Then he spotted the horse which had been shot -down. The animal was lying just in front of the smaller valley. There -was a huge boulder a little to Slim's left and he managed to crawl on -top of it. From this point of vantage the entire scene unfolded. - -The rider of the dead horse was trapped in the small wash. His cayuse -shot down, he had attempted to escape, only to find himself in a -box-like canyon with walls too steep to scale. He had taken refuge -behind the rocks and now was firing carefully and methodically at the -men who had brought him down. - -A few seconds later Slim spotted the riflemen who had killed the horse. -One on each side, they were gradually closing in on the man who was -trapped in the canyon. - -Slim took another look at his Winchester. The range was almost too easy, -less than two hundred yards. There was no wind, but the light was fading -fast. - -He didn't like the way the men were closing in on the trapped rider. -Their actions were too deadly, they were firing too calmly. It was -evident that they did not intend that their victim should get out alive. -It wasn't a fair fight and Slim took a substantial interest in the -argument as he snuggled the smooth, walnut butt of the Winchester -against his cheek. - -With keen eye and steady fingers, he drew a bead on the nearest -rifleman. But the man's back was toward him. He couldn't shoot without -warning. Slim relaxed slightly and sent a ringing call echoing over the -valley. - -"Hi-yuh! Hi-yuh! What's going on there?" - -The firing ceased abruptly and two astonished riflemen swung toward him, -their weapons ready for instant action. But Slim, sprawled atop the big -boulder, was practically invisible at that distance. There was no sound -from the man trapped in the canyon. - -"What's going on here?" Slim shouted again. - -He must have raised his head slightly, for one of the riflemen made a -snap shot and a bullet splattered on the boulder less than three feet -away. - -That was a declaration of war and Slim accepted the challenge. He could -have shot the others down in cold blood, but he had given them a -chance--two chances. - -The shot fired at Slim was still echoing over the valley when the cowboy -from the Flying Arrow fired twice. There was a sharp cry of pain from -one of the riflemen and Slim heard a gun clatter to the rocks. He had -aimed for an elbow which had appeared for just a second around one side -of a boulder. Evidently his aim had been true. - -The man trapped in the canyon had joined in the fight again and the -riflemen were caught between two fires, with Slim on the one side and -the unknown on the other. They had little desire to expose themselves to -the deadly marksmanship of Slim and were content to wait until darkness. - -Slim held up his own fire. It was a waste of lead to blaze away -recklessly and the chances of hitting anyone were extremely remote. - -The twilight deepened and the evening star peeped down on the -boulder-strewn wash which a few minutes before had hummed with leaden -death. - -Night came and with it the valley awoke to new sounds--the noise of -boots scraping on rocks as their wearers clumsily attempted to move -about in silence. Slim took off his own boots and in his stocking feet -started quietly toward the place where he had last seen the riflemen. -Sharp stones jabbed his feet, but he moved silently, pressing steadily -ahead. - -In a few more minutes a new moon would shed its feeble rays over the -Cajons, but it might not penetrate this remote valley. Slim almost -stumbled over the rifle, which the man had dropped. The stock of the -weapon had been shattered by the impact of his bullet and the gun was -worthless. Slim laid it back on the ground and worked slowly toward the -mouth of the box canyon. He was curious to learn the identity of the man -who had been the target for the vicious attack of the gunmen. - -The Flying Arrow cowboy was almost at the mouth of the canyon when a -thunder of flying hoofs stopped him. There was something familiar in the -leaping cadence. The wild tattoo of the hoofs sounded like Lightning. -But that couldn't be. He had left Lightning well up the trail. - -With a growing fear in his heart, Slim cast caution to the winds and -raced back along the trail. The rocks bruised his feet, but with his one -thought for Lightning there was no time to stop and hunt for the boulder -on which he had left his boots. - -The trail smoothed out. Slim felt grass underneath. It was here that he -had left the beautiful sorrel; it was here that Lightning should be -waiting for him. - -Slim cupped his hands and called the name of his horse. - -"Lightning!" he cried. Over and over again the shout was hurled from his -anxious lips. He whistled again and again. Each time there was only the -silence of the night for an answer, while far down the trail the -drumming of flying hoofs lessened and finally vanished altogether. - -Slim knew what had happened. The riflemen, cut off from their own horses -by his appearance, had been forced to seek escape up the trail. They had -come upon Lightning, awaiting the return of her master, and had mounted -the big sorrel. Picking their way around the rock-strewn wash, they had -returned to their own horses and made good their escape but Lightning, -the most valuable horse in the Flying Arrow remuda, had been taken with -them. - -There was a consuming bitterness in Slim's heart as he turned slowly -back along the rocky trail to find his boots. Lightning was his own -horse. He had trained the mare until she was the envy of every cowboy in -the Flying Arrow territory. His hands gripped the stock of the rifle -hard. Let him come within range of the men who had stolen Lightning and -there would be no warning shouts, no fancy shots aimed only to hit an -elbow. - -It was in such a mood that Slim stormed back along the trail, too angry -to spare his feet as he walked over the cruel rocks. - -A quiet voice brought him back from wild rage to a cool realization that -he was in a tight spot. - -"Put up your hands and don't move!" - -The words were softly spoken, hardly above a whisper but there was a -ring of earnestness in them that brooked no meddling. - -Slim opened his hands and his rifle clattered to the ground. - -"Now raise your arms slowly. Don't make a move for the gun in your -holster. I'll drop you without mercy if you do." - -Carefully Slim's hands went higher until they were above his head. His -mind worked rapidly. Could only one of the riflemen have escaped? Had -the unwounded man waited for him to walk into a trap? Or was this the -man who had been trapped in the canyon? - -The questions raced through his mind. The mysterious letter from Bill -Needham of the Cattlemen's Association had certainly led him into a peck -of trouble and he hadn't reached the Creeping Shadows country. - -The soft voice spoke again. - -"Turn around now. Move slowly. Remember, I've got you covered." - - - - - Chapter Three - - The Strange Letter - - -Slim, his hands reaching toward the heavens, turned slowly around in the -moonlight. He was careful to make no false move for the bitterness in -the voice of his unknown captor almost cut the night air. - -The rays of the thin moon shone full on Slim's face. The other man was -hidden in the shadows, but Slim knew that a gun was trained on the -middle of his body. He waited patiently. There was a snort of disgust -from the unseen gunman. - -"You can let your hands drop. I've got the wrong one. Just my luck." - -Afraid of a trick, Slim was slow in lowering his hands but once they -were at waist level he felt safe. His revolver was still in the holster -at his side and in a move almost too fast for the eye to follow he could -draw the gun and fire with amazing rapidity and accuracy. - -Shoes scraped over rocks and a form loomed out of the shadows. Then the -moonlight revealed a youth about Slim's own age. A rifle was cradled in -one arm. - -"Looks like we're a fine pair," chuckled the newcomer. "After you saved -my hide from the skunks who tried to ambush me I turn around and show my -gratitude by bushwhacking you. Darned wonder someone didn't get killed -in here tonight." - -"Who are you and what do you want?" snapped Slim, his anger still near -the boiling point. - -"I don't blame you for being a mite peevish," said the stocky cowboy. -"Matter of fact, I don't know altogether what has happened." - -"Who shot your horse down?" - -"That's another mystery. I was taking it easy down the trail when a -rifle cracked and my horse just folded up and pitched me off. The old -cayuse never knew what hit him. Then the lead started pouring my way and -I scuttled into that blind canyon." - -"About that time I came along and voted myself a hand," put in Slim. - -"That's about right. You cut in just in time to save my hide. I'm mighty -grateful for what you did and doggone sorry that I held you up a few -minutes ago. After what had happened I wasn't going to take any -chances." - -"Oh, I don't blame you for that a whole lot." - -"My name's 'Chuck' Meade," the newcomer volunteered. "I'm off the Circle -Four. It's a little better than a hundred miles south of here on the -Sweetwater." - -"I'm Slim Evans. Home brand is the Flying Arrow over near Sunfield." - -They coolly looked each other over and an almost instant liking was -struck up between them. - -Slim was tall, as his name implied. A little better than five feet -eleven inches, he packed 163 pounds on a frame that was built of sinewy -muscle. His hands were long and slender and there was the grace of a -mountain lion in his walk. His blue eyes were frank and inquiring, but -at times a deadly light flickered in them, a light that warned an -opponent that here indeed was a cow hand who could take care of himself -in almost any emergency. - -Chuck tipped the beams at 195 pounds and stood only five feet seven with -his boots on. His shoulders were massive and his short arms had the -power of a grizzly bear. He was champion of all wrestlers in the -Sweetwater valley and at catch-as-catch-can scrapping was without a -peer. A mop of curly hair was inclined to scatter in almost every -direction and his eyebrows were heavy. But under the bushy brows gleamed -brown eyes that were warm and friendly and he had a likeable smile. - -Chuck looked down at the tattered socks on Slim's feet. - -"This is a bad place to go wandering around in your stocking feet," he -suggested. - -"I left my boots down the valley," Slim explained. "Figured that in my -stocking feet I could creep up on the two fellows who were trying to -bushwhack you. They got away from me and stole my horse." - -"What!" exploded Chuck, quick anger darkening his face. - -"While I was playing good Samaritan, those fellows doubled around behind -me and made away with my horse." - -"That's tough. Means we're both on foot, for my old cayuse will never -buck again." - -"Standing here won't get us any place. Let's get my boots." - -Slim picked up his rifle and led the way over the rocky ground. Every -step pained him and there was little left of his socks when he finally -reached the huge boulder where he had cached his boots. - -He sat down and stripped off his socks, rubbing his aching feet with his -hands. - -"I've got a change of socks in my blanket roll," said Chuck. "I'll slide -over and get my stuff." - -Slim massaged the soles of his feet until Chuck returned with his -bedroll. The cowboy from the Circle Four unrolled it and brought out a -pair of heavy, serviceable socks. - -Slim drew them on gratefully, wiggled his toes in comfort, and then slid -his feet into his boots. - -"Now I'm ready for action," he said, standing up. - -"Where you heading?" asked Chuck. - -"Down the Sky High trail," replied Slim, who in spite of his liking for -his new-found companion was cautious not to give away any essential -information. - -"That's fine. I'm heading the same way. Since we're both going to hoof -it from now on, we might as well throw in together." - -"Suits me," agreed Slim. "If those boys who took a little target -practice at you should show up again they may be surprised to find -they've got two instead of one to fight." - -Chuck surveyed the heavy gun and the well worn holster at Slim's side. -He whistled softly. - -"I've got a hunch that in a pinch you'd be right handy with that six -gun." - -"I can make it speak a piece," admitted Slim. "What about your saddle?" - -"It's just on the other side of the trail. I'll pick it up when we start -down." - -"Then we'll go up to my camp. I was just sitting down to supper when the -firing started." - -Chuck slung his blanket roll over his shoulder and followed Slim up the -trail. - -They reached the patch of timber and found that the small fire had -burned itself out. The bacon was cold and greasy and the coffee bitter. - -"I'll rustle more wood," said Chuck and Slim set about the simple -preparations for the joint meal. - -In a short time the fire was glowing again and the savory odor of frying -bacon and boiling coffee filled the night air. - -"That sure smells good to me," said Chuck, squatting on his heels on the -other side of the fire. "I've been traveling a little too light. Grub -ran low and I cut out my noon meal figuring that I'd be far enough down -the trail tonight to reach some ranch house and get a real supper." - -"Guess you don't know much about this country," said Slim as he deftly -flipped the bacon. - -"Why?" - -"There isn't a ranch within miles. We've got a good thirty miles of -hoofing it down the trail before we'll be anywhere near a place we can -get horses." - -"You been through this country before?" Slim thought that Chuck's eyes -were peering at him intently from beneath the bushy eyebrows. - -"Never been over the crest of the Cajons until this afternoon," replied -the cowboy from the Flying Arrow, "but my Dad's ridden through here once -or twice and he told me something about the lay of the land before I -started out." - -"Kind of a lonesome country, then." - -"Lonesome and darned inhospitable, especially the Creeping Shadows -country over to the northwest." - -"Yeh, I've heard that was a good place to stay away from." - -Slim, who was serving as cook, used a forked stick to pull the coffee -pot out of the coals. Doubling up a glove, he grasped the handle and -poured the steaming beverage into the battered tin cups each cowboy -carried in his duffel roll. - -The night air near the summit of the Cajons is crisp and cool even on a -July night and the warmth from the fire was cheering. They ate in -silence, draining the last drop from the coffee pot and gleaning the -final bit of crisp bacon from the greasy pan. - -"I'll turn dish washer," said Chuck, gathering up the simple utensils -they had needed for the meal. He went down to the creek where Slim could -hear him splashing water on the cups and the frying pan. - -Slim piled more fuel on the fire and as the flames leaped higher and the -light brightened, his eyes fell on an envelope which Chuck had dropped. - -Slim leaned over and picked up the letter. It was face up and the -address, "Chuck Meade, Circle Four Ranch," stared at him. But the thing -that really caught his attention was the name of the sender of the -letter in the upper left hand corner. It was from Bill Needham, -secretary of the Mountain States Cattlemen's Association. - -There was almost an irresistible temptation to read the letter, but Slim -conquered that impulse and tossed the envelope over on Chuck's blanket -roll. - -It was strange that both should have letters from the secretary of the -cattle association and that both should be riding down the Sky High -trail at almost the same hour. - - - - - Chapter Four - - Trouble Looms - - -Chuck returned with the handful of dishes and laid them by the fire -where the heat would dry them thoroughly. - -"You dropped a letter," said Slim. "I tossed it over on your blanket -roll." - -Chuck straightened up quickly, almost too quickly, thought Slim, and -stepped around the fire. The Circle Four cowboy picked up the letter, -glanced at it quickly but thoroughly, and slipped it into an inner -pocket. - -"Thanks. It's important, I wouldn't want to lose it." - -"There are lots of valuable things we don't like to lose," said Slim. -"Once in a while they disappear and we can't seem to do much about it." -His eyes wandered over to the saddle which he had pulled off Lightning -only a little more than two hours before. - -"Meaning what?" - -"Meaning my horse, for instance. If I'd have thought for a minute that -I'd have lost Lightning when I went trailing down to help you out, I'm -not so sure I'd have gone." - -"You're not putting a whole lot of value on my life," smiled Chuck. - -"Maybe it's just that I'm placing a lot of value on a good horse." - -"You must have thought a deal of that animal. Now you take the cayuse -that was shot out from under me--just a plain range horse. Plenty good -for cow work, but nothing fancy, and about as ornery as you can make -them. Course I hate to lose the horse, but I'm not going to shed a whole -lot of tears." - -In spite of himself, Slim felt his eyes filling as he looked at the -saddle. His voice choked. - -"You can say that all right. You had just a plain horse to lose--but I -had Lightning." - -Chuck looked at his companion sharply and saw that Slim was deeply -affected. - -"I never had anything but a cayuse," he said. "Maybe if I'd had a really -fine horse I would have some idea of how you feel." - -"Maybe you would. You see, Lightning was almost human. I could talk to -her and she'd understand almost everything I said." - -"That's a lot more than a good many humans can do." - -"Lightning was smarter than a lot of humans." Slim stretched his long -legs on the blanket beside the fire, pillowed his head on the saddle and -looked up toward the new moon. - -A desperate ache tugged at his heart. Lightning was gone and there was -only a great void there. He had to talk, he had to tell Chuck about the -wonder of his horse. If he didn't he knew he would burst out in tears, a -highly undignified thing for a husky young cowhand to do. - -"Lightning was a sorrel with a white star on her forehead and white -feet. She was long-legged, fast as the wind, and with plenty of -endurance. There wasn't a horse anywhere around that could make her go -her limit, and when it came time for the round-up, she could do the work -of any other three horses." - -"Sounds kinda like a wonder horse," said Chuck as he tossed another -handful of wood on the flames. - -"She was a wonder horse in every sense of the word," went on Slim. -"Lightning was a queer mixture. Her mother just a plain cayuse on the -Flying Arrow. We never knew just exactly what kind of a horse her father -was, but my Dad swears that it must have been Nige, leader of the band -of wild horses over on the Sunfield spur of the Cajons. Nige's never -been broken, and only a few people have ever been able to get a rope -around him. He's a beauty--coal black and all fire and temper." - -Chuck nodded. - -Even over on the Circle Four they had heard about Nige and his small -band of wild horses which roamed the eastern slope of the Cajons. - -"I've heard there was Kentucky blood in Nige," said the Circle Four -cowboy. - -"That's what my Dad always said," went on Slim. "Anyway one of our -cayuses, just a plain little sorrel with a splash of white on her face -and legs, was the mother of Lightning. She was a colt in a thousand, you -could see that at a glance." - -Slim paused and looked up at the moon again for comfort. The ache was -still in his heart, but talking to Chuck, telling him about Lightning, -was easing a little of the piercing pain. - -"I was just coming along to the age when I was going to need a good -horse," went on Slim, "and Dad picked out Lightning and turned her over -to me. We seemed to get along first-rate right from the start, seemed to -understand just what the other wanted to do. Why, I remember one time in -spring round-up when Lightning went into a prairie dog's hole and threw -me. I busted one leg and sprained the other so bad I couldn't stand. -There I was sprawled flat on the range, five miles from the chuck wagon -and a thunderin' big storm whooping down out of the mountains. - -"Lightning took one good look at me and set out for the chuck wagon at a -full gallop. It wasn't an hour later when she brought Dad and the boys -back with her. They got there just before the rain and believe me, I was -glad to see them." - -"I've heard of horses like that," nodded Chuck, "but I never knew anyone -that owned one." - -"There's only one Lightning. At first I trained her so she wouldn't let -anyone else ride her, but the other boys on the ranch didn't like it -very well so I broke her of that habit. If I hadn't done that, she'd -never have been ridden away from here this afternoon. It used to be -she'd lash out with her feet whenever anyone came near, but that was -kinda dangerous on the ranch." - -"How do you suppose the fellows that were gunning for me got her?" asked -Chuck. - -"All they had to do was to walk up and climb on, she was that gentle. -Believe me, if I ever get her back, she's going to be a one-man horse -from now on." - -"I'm afraid there isn't much chance you'll ever get her back," said -Chuck, "if this country is as sparsely settled as you say." - -"I'll get her back somehow," replied Slim in a tone that brooked no good -for the men who had taken Lightning. - -They were silent for a time, both thinking of the long walk down the Sky -High trail that faced them with the coming of the dawn. - -"Funny I didn't see you ahead of me when you went over the summit," said -Slim. - -"I must have crossed a good hour ahead of you. My horse was pretty badly -winded and I didn't try to make much time for the first half hour coming -down this side. Fact of the matter is, I stopped a little above here for -water and to let the cayuse graze." - -The fire was dying and there was no need to put on fresh wood for they -were ready to roll into their blankets. Slim kicked his boots off, -pulled the blanket up around his shoulders, and said good night to his -new-found companion. - -He was worn out by the long ride of the day, the adventure in the -boulder-strewn wash below and the mental grief of having lost Lightning. -But sleep did not come at once. - -Why had Chuck been ambushed? His thoughts centered on the letter in his -own shirt and the one that Chuck had dropped. Both were from Bill -Needham. Could they be on the same mysterious mission, could both be -answering a sudden call from the old cattleman? - - - - - Chapter Five - - The Unknown Rider - - -Slim slept restlessly that night, his mind disturbed by the grief and -worry over the loss of his horse. He was awake with the first rosy tint -in the sky above the Cajons. - -Chuck was still sleeping soundly and Slim, barefooted, walked quietly -down to the creek where he washed his face and hands. They had used up -the supply of wood gathered the night before and he picked up an armful -of dry sticks before returning to the camp. - -Chuck was awake and stretching lazily when Slim dropped the wood beside -the dead ashes. - -"Going to be a great day for walking," said the Circle Four cowboy as he -pulled on his boots. - -"Not for my feet after the beating I gave them running around over the -rocks in my stocking feet," said Slim. - -While Chuck was at the creek washing, Slim started the fire and checked -over their supplies. There was enough bacon for the morning meal and -four slices of bread that were so dry they now resembled hardtack. Not -much food for a couple of hungry cowpunchers. - -"We're short of grub," he informed Chuck. - -"Just enough bacon for breakfast and a snack of bread." - -"Might just as well start the day on a full stomach. We'll need it. -How's the coffee?" - -"Plenty of coffee, but it's going to take us at least a day to reach the -bottom of this trail." - -"Well, the coffee will help. We can drink that and think we've had a -meal." - -By the time the sun was up, they had finished breakfast and were about -the task of breaking their simple camp. - -"What about your saddle?" Chuck asked. - -"I'm going to tote it with me as far as I can. If it gets too heavy I'll -cache it along the way. Dad gave it to me and I'm not going to take any -unnecessary chances of losing it." - -Slim made up his duffel roll and fastened it to his saddle. Then he -paused to look around the camp and make sure nothing had been -overlooked. Chuck, rifle in hand, was waiting for him. - -Slim swung the heavy saddle on his back and they started down the Sky -High trail. It was covered with a fair growth of grass, for in recent -years it was used by only an occasional rider and the walking wouldn't -have been half bad in low heeled shoes. But riding boots, with their -high heels, were never meant to pound along over a none too smooth -trail. Slim knew that he would be in agony before the day was over. - -They reached the rock strewn wash where Chuck had been ambushed and -stopped while the Circle Four cowboy picked up his saddle. High above -them a buzzard was circling. In a few short hours Chuck's cayuse would -be another skeleton along the trail, hinting at an unsolved mystery. - -Chuck stuck his rifle into the boot fastened to his saddle and the -cowboys resumed their march down the trail. It was tough going over the -rocks, but they were soon out of the wash, and the footing was a little -better. - -It was here that they picked up the trail of the men who had bushwhacked -Chuck. Slim recognized Lightning's hoofprints at once. A little further -along they found where two more horses had been tethered for some time. - -"They left their horses here while they went up in the draw and used me -for a target," said Chuck bitterly. - -"Think you'd be able to recognize them if you saw them again?" - -"I doubt it. The distance was too great and the light was poor." - -"I'll know one of them," said Slim. "I put my mark on him. Unless I miss -my guess he's got a shattered right elbow. If I ever catch up with him -he'll have something besides an elbow busted all out of shape." - -The sun burned down over the Cajons and the thin air soon warmed. -Rivulets of perspiration streamed down Chuck's back and his shirt was -soon soaked. Slim, not quite so heavy, felt the heat less. - -They pounded along for better than an hour when Chuck called a halt. -"Let's stop in the shade of these scrub oaks. This saddle is digging its -way right into the middle of my back." - -Slim welcomed the suggestion and they flopped down in the shade. - -Chuck looked up speculatively at the clear blue of the sky. There wasn't -a cloud in sight, and the breeze had died down to a whisper. - -"How many more miles to the bottom of the trail?" he asked. - -"I don't know exactly. I'd say we've covered about four miles since -leaving camp. It must be 23 or 24 more." - -"I'll never make it." - -"I've got to be at the foot of the trail tonight," said Slim. - -"I'm supposed to be," admitted Chuck, "but I've serious doubts if my -'dogs' will hold out for better than 20 miles." - -"We'd better keep pounding along. Another hour and we'll stop and make a -pot of coffee and find a creek where we can soak our feet for awhile." - -"Good idea. Mine feel like they're burning up right now." - -Shouldering their saddles, they set off down the trail. The grade was -easing now. There was more timber but the grass was still scarce. - -"Not much grazing land here," commented Chuck. - -"No. That's up in the Creeping Shadows country. I've never been there -but I've heard there's some of the best grass in Wyoming in that -valley." - -"Wouldn't have to be very good to be that," said Chuck. "We almost -burned out this summer. No rain for weeks." - -"There's been little or no rain here, but the Creeping Shadows always -seem to get water." - -They were silent for a time and Slim wondered why Chuck, too, was -anxious to get to the bottom of the trail that night. He couldn't help -thinking about the letter which had fallen from his companion's pocket -the night before and there was still the unanswered question on why -Chuck had been set upon by the two gunmen. - -The sun was well toward its zenith when they made their second stop -beside a small stream. There was a little grass and a few trees in the -valley, enough at least to provide them with shade. - -Slim pulled off his boots and socks and looked at his feet. They were -red and swollen. Chuck's looked to be in even worse condition. - -The Circle Four cowboy crawled to the water's edge on his hands and -knees and gratefully thrust his feet into the cool water. - -"Oh boy! What a relief. I didn't know water could feel so good. I've -half a mind to spend the rest of the day right here." - -"Then you'll have to spend it alone. I'm going to push on as soon as my -feet feel a little better and we have some coffee." - -"Maybe the coffee will pep me up," agreed Chuck. "I'll rustle up the -wood in a little bit." - -The cool water reduced the swelling of their feet and a few minutes -later they donned their socks and boots and picked up enough dry wood -for a fire. Slim filled the coffee pot and shortly before noon they had -two cups of the steaming beverage apiece. - -"Not much of a meal," said Slim, "but it puts a little more stiffening -in my back." - -Chuck nodded, looking thoughtfully at his saddle. - -"Tell you what. I'm going to cache my saddle. I don't think we'll make -it to the bottom of the trail tonight if we don't. Once rid of the -saddles we'll be able to walk a lot faster and it will ease the strain -on our feet." - -Slim looked down at his boots. The morning's walk over the uneven ground -had done them little good. The soles had been gouged by sharp rocks and -the heels were wearing off at a crazy angle. By the end of the day he -would have to discard his expensive boots for he doubted if even the -most expert cobbler would possess the skill to repair them. - -"Guess you're right," he agreed. "I hate to leave my saddle, but I know -I can't carry it to the bottom of the trail tonight." - -Chuck looked at Slim sharply, each perplexed, perhaps a little alarmed, -at the insistence of the other upon reaching the trail's end by sundown. - -Slim washed the coffee grounds out of the pot and then placed the -battered tin pot and the remaining coffee in his blanket roll. - -"There's a little draw off to the left and across the creek that ought -to be a good place to leave our saddles," said Chuck. - -They tossed the saddles across the creek and then jumped after them. A -thicket in the draw which Chuck had pointed out proved ideal for a -cache. They returned to the other side of the creek and slung their -blanket rolls over their shoulders. - -Both cowboys had unfastened their rifle scabbards from their saddles, -and they carried these in their right hands, the butts of the guns -protruding from the leather case. - -With the burden of their saddles gone and their feet rested, they set -out down the trail again. The blinding heat of midday was upon them, but -they dared not tarry longer beside the creek. - -Heads down and shoulders hunched, they plodded along the trail. -Hoofprints of three horses were still plainly visible for the men who -had stolen Lightning had ridden down the trail at a fast pace. - -"Makes me boil inside every time I think of my being set afoot," snorted -Chuck. "Maybe I'll take a little time off and hunt around for the boys -who did me dirt. With the souvenir you left on that one chap's arm, they -shouldn't be so hard to find." - -They swung around a bend in the trail and came upon the ashes of a -recent campfire. Slim placed his hand in the ashes. They were cold. - -"The horses were staked out and hobbled over here," called out Chuck. -"Too bad we didn't slip down the trail last night and take them by -surprise." - -"It's easy to think of those things now," grinned Slim as he picked up a -handkerchief which was covered with brown stains. "I don't imagine one -of them passed a very comfortable night." - -In midafternoon they paused beside another mountain stream to rest and -bathe their weary feet. - -"My 'dogs' look like they are going to explode," said Chuck as he -wiggled his toes in the cool water. - -Slim, stretched on the bank beside him, nodded. He was wondering if they -would be able to maintain their pace and make the bottom of the trail -that night. He didn't want to disappoint Bill Needham, for the old -cattleman had written that he was counting on him. - -"My stomach and backbone are so close together I'm afraid they'll form a -union and strike on me," grumbled Chuck, "unless I put some food inside -me quick." - -"There's a little coffee left." - -"Then coffee it is," said Chuck. He built a fire and brewed a bitter pot -of beverage. - -"What did you drop in this? The heel of one of your boots?" asked Slim -as he sipped the black stuff. - -"Don't complain. It's hot and it's filling, which is the main thing." - -In spite of its poor taste, they downed the coffee, drew on their boots, -picked up the rifles, and resumed the painful downward trip. - -The sun was swinging well along toward the horizon and the country was -flattening out. They had reached the foothills, but there was still no -sign of human habitation. Coming out of a patch of timber, they looked -down a long, broad valley, the grass of which had been burned out by the -sun. - -"I pity cattle trying to live off this stuff," said Slim. - -"Better pity us. If we don't find something real to eat, we may have to -take to grass." - -Chuck started down the trail again when Slim's call stopped him. - -"Wait a minute. There's a horseman riding into the lower end of the -valley." - -Chuck halted and scanned the far end of the valley. - -"Can't see a thing. Maybe you're going daffy." - -"I'm not daffy," retorted Slim sharply. "Just stand still a minute. The -fellow's coming in from the right and he's leading another horse." - -Chuck shaded his eyes and peered intently in the direction Slim had -indicated. - -"You're right. What now?" - -"Let's drop back in the timber along the trail and wait for him to come -up where we can get a good look." - -They found shelter in a tangle of brush that had grown up around a -fallen tree. Slim pulled his rifle from the scabbard and threw open the -magazine. The weapon was ready for action. - -"Not taking any chances?" Chuck asked. - -"Nary a chance. I took one last night and lost Lightning." - -The rider advanced rapidly but the sun blazed in the eyes of the cowboys -and they found it difficult to see clearly. - -The oncoming horseman was less than 400 yards away when Slim recognized -the horse. - -"He's riding Lightning!" he cried. "Chuck do you hear? That's Lightning -coming up the trail!" - -"Sure I hear and unless you pipe down that rider will hear you and then -Lightning may be forced to go the other way in a hurry." - -Slim, who had stood up in his moment of wild elation, crouched down -behind the tree trunk and cradled the butt of his rifle against his -cheek. The lines of his jaw snapped into straight, tense lines and his -finger crooked around the trigger. A little further and the unknown -rider of Lightning would be out of the angle of the Sun's protecting -rays. - - - - - Chapter Six - - Lightning Returns - - -Slim waited impatiently as the rider on Lightning pressed on up the -valley toward them. At three hundred yards his finger pressed gently on -the trigger of his Winchester. - -"Better wait a bit longer," counseled Chuck. "You might miss at this -range." - -Slim snorted. "I've got him lined between my sights right now. That guy -is one horse thief that isn't going to get away." - -But Slim took Chuck's advice and the tension of his finger on the -trigger lessened. The target loomed larger, for the man riding Lightning -was heavy and of large stature. - -Rider and horse drew nearer, the second horse trailing Lightning by a -few feet. It was then that Slim noticed that the rifle of the rider on -Lightning was in the scabbard on the saddle of the second horse. If he -shot now, it would be at a man armed at the most with only a six shooter -and one unable to answer him on even terms. Slim knew that the horse -thief didn't deserve such consideration, but in spite of his rage at -losing Lightning he couldn't bring himself to shoot a man in cold blood. - -He dropped his rifle in disgust. "That fellow hasn't anything within -reach but a six gun. I can't take a shot at him at this distance." - -"What you going to do?" queried Chuck. - -"Wait until he comes up close and then step out and hail him. If he goes -for his six gun, we'll be on equal terms." - -"I don't know about that. Seems to me you ought to be kind of handy with -that six shooter of yours. You've got long arms and long hands and your -gun is hung just right for fast action." - -"I can make it talk," agreed Slim, his narrowed eyes watching the -approach of the rider, now almost within hailing distance. If he -continued on the trail, he would pass within three rods of the two -cowboys. - -Chuck looked down at his aching feet. - -"Gosh, but it's going to seem good to swing back into a saddle. I've -walked more today than in years." - -"You'll be riding again in about five minutes, cowboy," said Slim. "This -fellow is coming right into the center of a real unpleasant surprise -party." - -Slim shifted from his crouching position behind the fallen tree and made -sure that his gun was free in the holster. There was a good chance that -he would need it in a hurry. - -The rider on Lightning was within a hundred yards of them when Slim -stood up and waited quietly beside the trail. The horseman came on -swiftly, unaware of the incensed cowboys who were awaiting him. - -Suddenly Slim shifted his plans. He knew a bloodless but not altogether -painless way to capture the rider. Placing two fingers between his lips, -he sent a shrill, penetrating whistle ringing down the valley. - -Lightning stopped suddenly, poised like a statue. Again the sharp -whistle came from Slim's lips while Chuck watched in open-mouthed -astonishment. - -Lightning whirled into action. The big sorrel left the ground in a wild, -twisting buck that caught her rider unawares. Lightning almost swapped -ends and came down in a rocking, jarring crash that sent the unknown -rider sprawling through the air to land with a thud at one side of the -trail. - -Then the sorrel raced toward Slim, whinnying in sheer delight at -discovering her master again. - -Chuck ran down the trail to the side of the fallen rider while Slim -swung onto Lightning. The sorrel fairly danced with pleasure over the -reunion and Slim reached down and stroked the beautiful mane with gentle -hands. - -"Gosh, Lightning, old girl, it's good to see you again. Darn me! I -thought last night it was all over for us when I heard those -bushwhackers riding away. From now on no one rides you but me. -Understand?" - -Lightning threw up her head in a quick, angry manner that indicated -anyone except Slim would have a hard time mounting her. - -From down the trail came a sharp cry from Chuck. - -"Hey, Slim. Come here and meet your horse thief." - -The Flying Arrow cowboy swung Lightning about and trotted down the -trail. Chuck was bending over the fallen man, who was now showing some -signs of a returning interest in life. - -"Think you can recognize him?" asked Chuck as Slim slipped out of the -saddle. - -"Why it's old Bill Needham!" exclaimed Slim. "What under the sun could -he have been doing on Lightning?" - -Old Bill, tall and powerful of frame, a typical cattleman of the old -school, managed to raise his bruised body upon one elbow as he squinted -angrily at the two cowboys looking down at him. - -"What's the idea of pulling a stunt like this on me?" he demanded. Then, -recognizing Slim as the mists cleared from his ancient eyes, he added. -"My gosh, Slim. I was just riding up trail looking for you when that -horse of yours set off a stick of dynamite under my saddle. How did it -all happen?" - -"That's what we want to know," said Chuck. "There's got to be a lot of -explaining about some things that took place last night just this side -of the divide." - -"Well, well, Chuck. I figured I'd find you somewhere along the trail, -but hadn't counted on you and Slim being together. Know each other -pretty well?" - -"We ought to. We've done better than twenty miles of hoofing it along -this trail since sunup. My feet are just about killing me." Chuck sat -down and dragged off his boots, massaging the bottoms of his burning -feet with his hands. - -"Let's hear the story, boys," said Old Bill. "Tell me what happened last -night and I'll tell you how I happened to get hold of Lightning." - -Slim looked at Chuck. - -"Everything happened this side of the divide and you were the first over -the summit. Start the ball rolling." - -"There's plenty to tell," began Chuck. "I'd been taking it fairly easy, -figuring on plenty of time to get to the foot of the trail. A little -more than a half hour of easy riding this side of the crest of the trail -a couple of hombres cut loose on me with rifles." - -"Didn't they give you any warning?" asked the old cattleman. - -"Not a peep until the Winchesters started blazing away. The first thing -I knew my horse caved in and pitched me off. I managed to get my rifle -and ducked into a side canyon, but it was a trap--no way out. The other -two had plenty of shelter behind boulders in that dry wash and they -blazed away every time I moved. It was getting along toward dark and -looking plenty tough for yours truly when someone else voted himself a -hand in the party and cut loose on the bushwhackers from behind." - -Old Bill chuckled. "It isn't hard to guess who you're talking about." - -"Well, that changed everything. Slim hit one of them in the elbow and -they decided they'd had enough, but on the way out they circled around -and stole Slim's horse." - -"So you started hoofing it down the trail." - -"You mean we started limping down the trail," said Slim. "These boots of -mine were never made for walking and I don't know when I've suffered -such agony." - -"That goes for me, too," said Chuck. - -"How about you, Slim? Let's hear your side of the story," Old Bill -urged. - -"There isn't a whole lot more to tell. I had made camp this side of the -summit and was just sitting down to supper when the firing started. I -could tell it was two against one so I got my rifle and did a little -scouting. When I got down in the wash, I could see they had Chuck penned -up and were shooting to kill. I challenged them and they let me have a -little lead, so I cut loose. They got away and stole Lightning and I've -been kind of miserable until you showed up." - -"And say, you don't know how near death you were a few minutes ago," -Chuck said. "Slim had you lined between his sights and was all set to -let you have it. Then he decided he couldn't kill a man in cold blood." - -"So he just whistled and had Lightning dynamite me right out of the -saddle," chuckled Old Bill. "Maybe the shooting wouldn't have been so -bad after all." He rubbed his bruised body with exploring fingers. -"Danged wonder every bone in my body wasn't broken." - -"You take your falls hard," admitted Chuck. - -"I want to know where you found Lightning," said Slim. - -"The bushwhackers rode past my camp this afternoon and I recognized -Lightning in a minute. I knew you would be riding Lightning on a trip -like this and I didn't waste time nor lead. They were leading Lightning -and when I started shooting, she broke away. After what you did to them -last night, those fellows didn't have much stomach for another fight and -they took out full gallop for the Creeping Shadows valley. It wasn't -much trouble to round up Lightning for she seemed to remember me a bit -from my visits to the Flying Arrow. But boy, when you whistled she -forgot all about me. I never saw a horse go up so quick or come down so -hard. Don't ever do that again to me." - -"I never will," promised Slim, "but it's a good trick to keep in the -bag. If I'd been real smart last night I think I could have stopped -Lightning by whistling to her, but I wasn't thinking very straight. When -I heard the bushwhackers galloping off on her I just saw red in about -five different shades." - -"Don't blame you a bit, son," said Old Bill. "Now let's get down to the -business of making camp and getting some grub. No use of our going to -the bottom of the trail tonight. We'll make camp here and I'll tell you -what I've got up my sleeve." - -Slim looked toward Chuck and jerked a thumb. - -"What about him?" - -"He's in this thing as deep as you are. Just have a little patience. -We'll eat, then talk. A man can't think well on an empty stomach." - - - - - Chapter Seven - - Explanations - - -They agreed with Old Bill's simple philosophy and all three set about -making camp. Slim took care of Lightning and Old Bill's horse while -Chuck went about rustling an armful of wood. - -Old Bill opened his blanket roll and a goodly supply of provisions was -revealed, something more than the bitter coffee on which they had tried -to satisfy their hunger that day. - -A crackling fire was soon going, the bacon broiling and the potatoes -frying. There was plenty of bread and a pot of delicious coffee. Slim -and Chuck ate to their fill, and Old Bill watched them with twinkling -eyes. These were youngsters after his own heart, clean, manly young -chaps--able to ride with the best in the west, afraid of nothing, -including mountain wildcats. He knew that he could count on them for the -work that was ahead. - -When they had finished the meal, Slim and Chuck took the few utensils to -the nearby stream where they washed them in the cool water. By the time -they were back at camp, Old Bill had the blankets spread out, more fuel -on the fire, and his pipe going. He was ready to talk, ready to tell -them why he had summoned them to meet him so mysteriously on the Sky -High trail. - -The cowboy from the Flying Arrow and the one from the Circle Four eased -their weary bodies down on the blankets and waited for Old Bill to -speak. The cattleman shifted his pipe. - -"I'll start in from the first," he said. "It goes quite a ways back into -Wyoming cattle history, but it's best that you know fully what you're -going into." - -He jerked a thumb in the general direction of the Creeping Shadows -country. - -"That's the best cattle country in this part of the west--plenty of rich -grass and lots of water that's good all of the year round. The valley is -set down between the Cajons and the Three Soldiers and it's warmer than -most parts of Wyoming in the winter. But it's tough country to get -into--too expensive for a railroad for the amount of business, so the -world has sort of forgotten the valley except when the trail herds come -out in the fall on the way to the loading yards at Mopstick. The valley -is just as tough, maybe a little tougher, than it was thirty years ago -when Adam Marks went in and started the Box B. Adam had a fight on his -hands then and he's got one now." - -"So we're headed for the Box B?" said Slim softly. He had heard his -father speak of Adam Marks and the Box B, of the fine grass and water on -the range and of the choice cattle the Box B sent to market each fall. - -"You two are headed for the Box B," corrected Old Bill. - -"You voting yourself out?" asked Chuck. - -"I never voted myself in. Now don't jump at conclusions. Adam went into -the Creeping Shadows country when it was a nest of outlaws. He was -honest and clean and he bought his land. He took with him a hard-riding, -hard-fighting bunch of punchers that were handy with fist or gun. He -cleaned up the valley except the town of Dirty Water and that was too -tough even for Adam to fumigate. - -"To shorten up the story, Adam prospered. He kept buying more land and -increasing his range stock. He was figured a millionaire a couple of -times over but the bottom went out of the beef market and then rustling -started again and it's been growing worse the last few months. Adam has -lost hundreds of fine cattle and he hasn't been able to put his finger -on the gang responsible." - -"Which means you've picked Slim and me to go in and do a little Sherlock -Holmes work for you," interjected Chuck. "How about your regular cattle -detectives?" - -"I was just getting to that," said Old Bill a little wearily. "Adam sent -word to me that he was in trouble and I sent a good man into the valley. -He never came back. Then Adam sent another call to the association for -help and I sent another good riding detective, but after a week in the -valley with Adam's boys, he did a disappearing act." - -"Someone scare him?" asked Chuck. - -"They were the type that didn't scare. I think someone shot them just -like they attempted to get you yesterday." - -"They'll have to be a lot better shots than that if they figure on -getting me," snorted Chuck. "They missed me the first time. Say, I could -knock an apple off a man's head at that range ten times out of ten and -never touch a hair on his head." - -"That's one reason I sent word for you to meet me here," said Old Bill. -"Adam Marks is up against a tough proposition. I've lost two of my -regular detectives on the job. It isn't that I'm afraid to send them in, -but I know it's pure murder for them if I do. They're all known. What I -need is two fellows who look and act like a couple of gay young -buckaroos that don't have a responsibility in the world and don't care -much where they hang their hats just so there's a peg handy. - -"I picked you boys for several reasons. Slim has done a couple of little -jobs for me over near Sunfield and I know he's got a good head and a -cool one. In addition, he's a dead shot with a six gun. Chuck's a fine -rider and the best man with a rifle I've seen in many a year. Slim, your -temper is likely to flash a bit too hot at times, but I figure that -Chuck being a little slower to fly off the handle will kind of keep a -check on you. In other words, you're my idea of the right kind of a team -to send into the Creeping Shadows country and ferret out these -rustlers." - -Slim looked across the fire at Chuck, carefully appraising the cowboy -from the Circle Four. He had liked Chuck from the very first. - -"What do you think about it?" he asked. - -"I don't much like being shot at without warning," said Chuck, "so you -can count me in to see this thing through. I've a pretty strong hunch -we'll find the fellows that gave me the lead greeting tangled up with -this gang of rustlers." - -"And I'm still mad about Lightning being stolen," added Slim. "Looks -like both of us have a debt to repay those birds in the Creeping -Shadows. Count me in." - -"Me too," added Chuck heartily. - -Old Bill smiled broadly. He had felt sure that these youngsters would -come through. He reached over to the nearby woodpile and tossed a couple -of large sticks on the flames. The fire brightened, chasing the shadows -away from the men stretched on the blankets. - -"Don't make a mistake and think this is going to be an easy job," -cautioned Old Bill. "You'll have to do plenty of hard work and a lot of -tough riding. You're going into this thing alone. Not even Adam Marks -will know who you are." - -"Why not?" asked Slim. - -"He knew that the other men I sent in were detectives. They never came -back." - -"You're not hinting that Marks is rustling his own cattle?" - -"I'm not hinting at a thing," replied Old Bill sharply. "I'm simply -telling you the facts. No one must know you have any possible -association with me. That's why I asked both of you to meet me on this -lonely trail." - -"I was 'met' all right," said Chuck. - -"That worries me," said Old Bill. "It makes it a lot harder for you -boys. The gang operating in the Creeping Shadows must figure I'll be -sending in more men and have every incoming trail picketed." - -"But they never gave me a chance." - -"This gang won't." - -"When do you want us to start for the valley?" asked Slim. - -Old Bill was silent for a time. - -"We've got to get a horse for Chuck and new boots for both of you," he -said at last. "Then I'd better get a complete change of clothes for -Chuck. That's a pretty loud shirt he's wearing and it might be a -give-away when he reaches the valley, especially if those hombres got a -good look at it. I think you better have your hair cropped close, too, -Chuck. That would change your appearance a lot." - -"You mean it would ruin my manly beauty," howled Chuck. "Who's going to -do all this barbering, anyway?" - -"I'll ride back across the Cajons by another trail I know they won't be -watching, get another horse for you, buy boots for both of you, clothes -for Chuck and bring back a pair of hair clippers." - -"While you're worrying so much about me, what about Slim and Lightning?" -Chuck wanted to know. - -"They never saw Slim in the daylight and I'll get a little dye while I'm -on the other side and we'll make Lightning a solid sorrel. That ought to -fool them." - -"Better buy me a saddle," suggested Slim. "My own outfit looks too good -for a wandering cowboy." - -"One thing," grinned Chuck, "we'll have a couple of days to rest here -and let the swelling in our feet go down." - -"That suits me," agreed Slim. "My main worry was getting Lightning -back." - -They talked a few more minutes, then rolled into their blankets as the -fire died down. The moon, coming up over the Cajons, looked down on the -sleeping camp, and swung on toward the west. - - - - - Chapter Eight - - The Vanishing Camp - - -They were out of their blankets at sunup, for Old Bill had a long ride -ahead of him. - -"Better let one of us make the trip," suggested Slim. - -"I'll go," replied the cattleman. "You boys hole up here. I don't want -you chasing around much until you're all ready to ride into the Creeping -Shadows and look for a job on the Box B." - -They all lent a hand in getting breakfast. Then Old Bill got his horse, -swung into the saddle, and went off down the trail. - -Chuck washed their few dishes while Slim got the camp in shape. When -they had completed their tasks, they sat down and contemplated the -bright freshness of the morning. - -Chuck wiggled his toes gratefully as he looked at his badly worn boots. - -"It's going to be great to have at least a day to loaf and let my feet -catch up with the rest of me. Hope Old Bill gets a good fit in boots." - -"Didn't you give him your size?" asked Slim. - -"Gosh, no. I forgot all about that." Chuck's face registered real -dismay. - -"If he gets the largest boots in the store they won't be any too small," -chuckled Slim as he surveyed Chuck's broad feet. - -"I'll have no insults cast at my underpinning," roared the cowboy from -the Circle Four, hurling a near-by stick at Slim. - -Slim ducked with a grin as the stick whistled by. - -"If you feel like throwing things, I'll be on my way." - -"How come?" - -"Don't forget that I've got a horse." - -"But you're not pulling out?" Chuck was genuinely startled, afraid that -Slim had believed him serious when he had tossed the stick. - -"I'm pulling out in about five minutes, but I'm only going to ride back -up the trail and bring down the saddles we cached yesterday. It will -save time when Old Bill returns." - -"You're right. After the reception we got night before last I'm anxious -to get into the Creeping Shadows country and see what it's all about." - -Slim found Lightning nearby, grazing on a patch of grass that somehow -had escaped the searing rays of the July sun. He vaulted onto the -beautiful back and ran his fingers through the splendid mane. A queer -sob choked his throat as he thought how near he had been to losing -forever the horse which had become his companion. - -"Let's go, Lightning." The voice was low but Lightning pricked up her -ears and trotted briskly toward the camp. - -Chuck stood up as they approached, openly admiring the beautiful sorrel. - -"Tell you what, Slim. If you ever lose your horse again, come on over to -the Circle Four. You'll probably find that I've stolen her. Why, she's -the finest horse in the cow country." - -"Or any other country," added Slim proudly. "We'll amble. See you this -afternoon for I'm going to take my time." - -"How about grub this noon?" - -"I had enough at breakfast to last until supper." - -With a cheery wave to his companion, Slim gave Lightning her head and to -the music of swiftly drumming hoofs, disappeared up the valley, heading -back along the Sky High trail. - -Slim soon brought Lightning down to an easy lope, a tireless pace that -was capable of eating up the miles when on a day-long trail. But there -was no need for even that much speed, and a few minutes later he pulled -her down to a walk. - -It was a glorious July morning such as only the Cajon country knows, -with the air sweet and clean. As the trail mounted toward the crest, -Slim turned to look toward the Creeping Shadows country. The air was -clearer than on his first glimpse from the summit, and he could see the -broad valley lying below the Three Soldiers. - -Even at that distance it was clear that there were many open meadows and -from what Slim knew of the country, they would be rich with the grass -needed to make fat cattle. It seemed incredible that such a beautiful -country was a land of lawlessness and violence where the life and wealth -of a man like Adam Marks was in daily danger. - -From a distance came the faint drumming of hoofs. Slim had no desire to -be seen on the trail and he sent Lightning leaping behind the protection -of a dense thicket. His rifle was in camp, but his revolver was in the -holster at his side. With deft hands, he made sure that the gun was -ready for instant use. Then he slipped off Lightning's back and stepped -up to the sorrel's head, placing one hand gently over the nostrils. He -couldn't afford to have Lightning whinny as the other riders passed by. - -A few seconds later two horsemen appeared down the trail. They had -evidently been riding hard, but the grade steepened just below Slim and -they brought their tired horses down to walk. The riders were dressed in -conventional cowboy garb, Stetsons, blue shirts with a kerchief caught -carelessly around the neck and well worn leather chaps. Each man carried -sidearms and a rifle in the boot on his saddle. They were burned to a -deep brown by days in the sun, but there was also a hardness about their -features that was not reassuring to Slim. They looked like a couple of -tough customers. - -Slim could hear them talking and he listened intently to catch their -words. - -"How much further to the summit?" asked the shorter of the two. - -"Must be all of ten miles," was the reply. "I'm not sure; never been to -the top before." - -"Seems kinda foolish to have to watch this trail, but the chief is sure -plenty mad about the way Newt and Maxie handled this deal. Means there's -a couple of cowboys on the prod somewhere in the valley." - -"And probably plenty mad, what with one of them getting his horse shot -out from under him and both of them having to hoof it down from the -summit." - -"Kinda funny we didn't run across them," said the squat, heavy-set -puncher. - -"It's all right with me that we didn't," growled his companion. "Look at -the elbow Maxie's got. He won't be able to use it for a couple of -months. If that slug had been a little deeper, Maxie could have kissed -his arm goodbye." - -"All the same, it seems darned foolish ordering us up here to see that -no one comes down the trail. The chief's either getting ready to pull a -big raid or he's getting cold feet and is going to leave the valley." - -The voices were fainter as the riders went up the trail, but Slim -listened eagerly to get the reply of the taller puncher. - -"Don't worry about the chief getting cold feet. He's got all of the -nerve in the world. In a little while, he's going to be the cattle king -of the Creeping Shadows." - -Slim smiled grimly. The "chief" would be cattle king only after he had -disposed of Adam Marks and if there was anything Slim and Chuck could do -to prevent it, that would never be accomplished. - -A few rods further Slim came to the stream where they had rested and -cached their saddles. He crossed the stream and went into the gulch -where the saddles had been hidden. They were intact and after watering -Lightning he swung his own onto Lightning's back and cinched it firmly. -Then he fastened Chuck's broad saddle on behind his own. - -The sun was well toward its zenith when he started leisurely down the -trail. Riding astride the easy-gaited Lightning, the trip was in marked -contrast to the painful journey of the day before when each step had -been agony to their tired and swollen feet. The memory made his feet -hurt and Slim shoved thoughts of the trail into the back of his mind. - -Slim's trip back down the trail was made at a most leisurely pace. There -was no need to hurry, and aside from keeping an alert lookout for some -chance rider coming up from the valley, he enjoyed every bit of it. It -was mid afternoon when he swung off the trail and turned to the left to -their own camp. When he reached the stream bank where they had passed -the night every trace of their camp had vanished! - - - - - Chapter Nine - - Secret Commissions - - -Slim looked at the scene in amazement. Blankets, cooking utensils and -even Chuck had disappeared. The ashes of their fire had been scattered -and made to look as though days had elapsed since the camp had been -there. - -The cowboy from the Flying Arrow looked around cautiously, afraid that -he had stepped into a trap laid by the rustlers from the valley of the -Creeping Shadows. - -While he raked his mind for some solution to the disappearance of the -camp, a low whistle sounded from across the stream. Slim whirled -quickly, his right hand poised for a fast grab at his gun if necessary. - -Above a fringe of underbrush on the further bank, Chuck was peering at -him. - -"What happened to the camp?" demanded Slim. - -"Didn't you meet any riders along the trail?" - -"Two." - -"How do you think they got up that far if they didn't come by here? I -heard them coming and believe me, I dusted around and made our camp do a -vanishing act. You want to remember we're not far off the trail and this -looks like a handy watering place on a hot day. I wasn't taking any -chances." - -"Well, you can come out of hiding now. Those fellows are at the summit -by this time and from what I gathered as they went by me, they'll be -there quite a while." - -Chuck emerged from the undergrowth, carrying his rifle in one hand. He -jumped from one rock to another, and finally arrived on Slim's side of -the stream. - -"Now we'll have to lug all of the duffel and grub over here," said the -Flying Arrow cowboy. - -"Not on your life. There's a fine bite of grass on the other side and a -little hollow to hide our fire. No more camps near the trail for me." - -"You're getting worse than an old hen," protested Slim. - -"I am, huh! Well listen to me. The boys that rode up the trail swung -down to the stream here to water their horses. It was a darned good -thing I was on the job and had sense enough to get our stuff out of -sight. Why, I sat over there with my rifle trained on them just itching -for a chance to bang away. But I'd done my job too well. I hadn't left a -thing for them to steal." - -"Hear much they said?" asked Slim. - -"Everything, but they only talked about the heat and the long ride up to -the summit." - -"I heard enough when they went by me to warn us that we'd better get -over to the Box B as soon as possible. That gang is drawing a tight net -around every entrance or exit from this country. Something big is going -to happen and unless there's some outside help on the job, Adam Marks -may be wiped out." - -"Got any idea who's running the rustlers?" - -"They mentioned 'the chief' once or twice, but never repeated his name. -I've a hunch he'll be a hard one to run down. A man operating a gang as -efficient as this one seems to be won't leave many loose strings -around." - -Slim gave Lightning her head and the sorrel picked her way across the -bubbling stream. He unfastened Chuck's saddle and let it drop to the -ground. Then he went back across the creek and Chuck managed to mount -behind Slim, riding back across the stream in this manner. - -Chuck had found an ideal camp spot. The grass was rich, there was plenty -of wood, and the swale was deep enough to hide their fire. - -Slim turned Lightning out to graze and then both turned a hand to the -task of getting their simple camp in shape for the night. That done, -they went down to the creek bank, and loafed in the rays of the -afternoon sun. Chuck watched the swift-moving waters. - -"There's a pool below with plenty of trout. I watched them this morning, -but didn't have a thing to catch them with. Gosh, a mess of mountain -trout would taste good." - -"You're sure there're trout in the pool?" - -"Saw them with my own eyes." - -Slim hastened back to their camp and dug deep into his saddlebags. He -pulled out a small oilskin packet and from that produced a length of -sturdy line and two artificial flies, a little the worse for wear, but -still usable. Slim fastened the best one to the line and returned to the -stream. - -"Try your luck with this," he said, dropping the fly and line at Chuck's -feet. - -"You can start the fire now," grinned Chuck as he picked up the line and -started for the pool. "I'll have a couple of one pounders in five -minutes." - -"Say, who's going to clean the fish?" asked Slim. - -"If I catch them, you ought to be willing to do the cleaning," said -Chuck. - -"But it's my tackle you're using," Slim reminded him. - -"You would have to suggest that," retorted Chuck. "That being the case, -we'll split the work. I'll catch the fish, you build the fire, and we'll -both clean them." - -"If any," chuckled Slim. - -Chuck strode off downstream and Slim gathered up an armful of wood for -the fire. Then he walked down to the pool. Chuck had used his knife to -cut a sapling for use as a pole and he was casting energetically with -the fly. - -"How many?" asked Slim. - -"Not a one so far, but just wait a minute." - -Five more casts failed to produce a strike and Chuck's confidence -started to crumble. - -"Let me have a try." Slim took the homemade pole and moved downstream to -a point where the rays of the sun streamed warmly on the water. The fly -flicked the surface of the water, again and then again. On the fourth -cast there was a flash of silver and a trout was hooked hard. - -"You've got him, you've got him!" shouted Chuck, dancing along the bank -oblivious of his tender feet. "Don't lose him." - -"I won't unless your shouting scares him away." - -The trout was a beauty, at least a pound and a half if Slim was any -judge, and he played the fish carefully, finally drawing it close enough -to the bank so Chuck could reach down and get it in his hands. - -"What a beauty," said the Circle Four cowboy as he held the trout in his -hands. "Some people have all the luck." - -"You mean some people have all the skill," grinned Slim, casting the fly -back into the now quiet waters of the pool. He was patient and a fair -judge of trout water, the result being that a few minutes later he got -another strike, but this one finally eluded him. Slim got a third strike -and this time landed his fish, which was larger than the first. - -Returning to camp, they set about the task of cleaning the fish. Old -Bill had left them plenty of food, and at sundown they stretched out -beside the fire to enjoy their evening meal. The trout was delicious and -there was plenty for both. - -Supper over, they lolled on their blankets, watching the last light of -day fade and the evening star brighten. - -The night was uneventful and in the morning Slim again fished the trout -pool. His luck held with him and he managed to land five trout in a -little more than an hour. - -"We'll have enough for supper, even with Old Bill here," said Chuck as -he surveyed the catch of silver beauties. - -During the day they kept a close watch on the trail but it was not until -late afternoon that Old Bill appeared riding up out of the valley. He -was leading a horse and his own saddlebags were bulging with articles he -had purchased on the other side of the Cajons. - -Chuck looked at the horse with a critical eye. - -"That's a skinny nag you brought me," he said, after greetings had been -exchanged. - -"Maybe it will take a little of the extra weight off you; kinda saw you -down in the middle," chuckled Old Bill as he swung out of his saddle. - -They gave the cattleman a hand in unloading the saddlebags and -unfastening the boots which he had tied to his saddle. - -Chuck hobbled the cayuse Old Bill had brought for him and then joined -the others in camp. - -"Have to move across the creek?" asked Bill. - -"A little company rode up the trail yesterday and I figured it was best -not to be seen," said Chuck. "Slim saw them higher up the trail, but he -gave them the slip, too. They were going up to the crest of the Cajons -to make sure that no one else wanders into this country by that route." - -Old Bill nodded thoughtfully. - -"They're plugging up every trail into the Creeping Shadows country. -Lucky thing I know an old one that's been forgotten by everyone except -myself and Adam Marks." - -"Maybe the rustlers are using that one to get the cattle out," suggested -Chuck. - -"I'd know if they were sending cattle out that way," replied Old Bill. - -Chuck unwrapped a package the cattleman tossed toward him. It contained -a change of trousers and a shirt of plain blue material. - -"Why this isn't even new," protested Chuck. - -"Of course not. Think I want you going into the valley with a brand new -outfit when you're supposed to be a cowboy who's nearly broke and -willing to work for just about any kind of a wage? I got the shirt and -pants from an old clothes dealer. They're clean. Put them on." - -Chuck mournfully took off his brightly checked shirt and in its place -pulled the blue one over his head. The trousers were too large even for -Chuck, but they would do. - -"How about the boots?" asked Slim. - -"I got in an awful jam," confessed Old Bill. "I knew your size but I -forgot to ask Chuck what size he wore so I just got the biggest in the -store." - -Slim found that the boots Old Bill had brought fitted comfortably. Like -the shirt and trousers for Chuck, the boots were from a second hand -store, and as a result were well broken in. - -Old Bill's guess had been good, and Chuck failed to grumble when he -eased his feet into the boots. - -"Now we'll get at the important business," said the cattleman, producing -a pair of hair clippers. - -"Is that necessary?" asked Chuck hopefully. - -"We're going to do this thing right. When I get through with you, -neither one of the hombres who jumped you up near the summit will ever -recognize you." - -Chuck sat down on the grass and Old Bill started snipping away. He -wasn't expert as a barber, but he managed a fair job which Slim, -grinning at Chuck's protests, watched. - -The new haircut certainly made a difference in Chuck, and Slim felt that -in Old Bill they had a wise counsellor. - -After the hair-cutting operation was completed, Old Bill turned to Slim. - -"Bring Lightning up and we'll get at the dyeing of her white spots." He -opened up a can of dye and mixed it in one of the tin cups, working -until he had the mixture just the shade of Lightning's sleek hair. Then, -with a soft cloth, he rubbed on the dye while the big sorrel stood -patiently, wondering just what it was all about. - -First the star on the forehead was changed from white to sorrel, then -the white on the legs was dyed. When the task was finished, Slim stepped -a few paces from his mount. The dye had blended beautifully with the -natural shade and it would have taken an expert to have detected that -dye had been used. - -Slim put the new saddle Old Bill had brought on Lightning, drew up the -cinches, and mounted. He rocked back and forth in the stirrups, then -dismounted and adjusted them. Once more he mounted, this time satisfied, -and a smile broke over his lips. - -"I'm all set for whatever we run into in the Creeping Shadows country," -he said. - -"You'll run into plenty of trouble," promised Old Bill. "Let's eat. I'm -half starved." - -Slim fried the trout and half an hour later, with the sun dropping down -behind the Three Soldiers and the twilight coming up out of the Creeping -Shadows, they sat down around the campfire. There was little -conversation during the meal, for to riders of the range food is too -important to mix with idle talk. - -The supper over, Slim and Chuck washed up the dishes while Old Bill -stretched out on his blanket and puffed contentedly at his pipe. - -"Looks like we're all set to start in the morning," said Chuck, -returning to the campfire. - -"The earlier the better," replied Old Bill. "It's a good day's jog down -to Dirty Water. That's the one town in the Creeping Shadows and you'll -want to hit there first and make a few inquiries about jobs. Course the -only ranch I want you to work on is the Box B, so if some misguided soul -offers you another job, you'll have to do some quick thinking and get -out of it." - -"What will we say if someone in Dirty Water gets curious and wants to -know how we rode in?" asked Slim. - -"Tell 'em the truth. Say you came down the Sky High trail, but don't say -anything more. No one will recognize you, what with Chuck having a new -haircut and a shirt that doesn't talk out loud." - -"What about the fellows guarding the trail?" Chuck wanted to know. - -"Whoever asks will probably know about the guards and if you tell him -you came down Sky High, it will cause a little trouble for the guards, -which should be all right with you." - -"And we're not to tell Adam Marks we're working for you?" asked Slim. - -"Not unless it is absolutely necessary. Don't talk any more than you -have to. The less you say, the better off you'll be. Just keep your ears -and eyes open." - -Old Bill sat up and drew a leather folder from an inner pocket. From -this he extracted two slips of heavy paper and two small silver emblems. - -"When I figured I'd call on you boys to help me solve the mystery of the -Creeping Shadows, I went down to see the governor at Laramie. He's made -you boys special agents directly under him with authority to act in any -part of the state. These slips of paper are your commissions from the -governor and the little silver shields are your badges. See that no one -gets hold of them or your life won't be worth the paper those -commissions are written on." - -Slim took the paper and badge Old Bill handed him, and read the -commission which made him a special agent of the state. Then he folded -it carefully and placed it in the bottom of his right boot. Chuck did -likewise and both cowboys fastened the badges on the inside of their -Stetsons where the sweat band would hide them from any observer. - -"Those badges mean that the entire law enforcement machinery of this -state is behind you in your quest for the rustlers," pointed out Old -Bill. "When you learn the truth of what's going on in the valley, send -for me. If there isn't time for that, use the power of the law which -those badges give you." - -Slim's fingers slid inside his hat and he fingered the tiny silver -shield. He hoped that he wouldn't have to call on the power which the -badge represented. - -Shortly after that they rolled into their blankets, for a long ride was -ahead of the young cow punchers with the dawn of the next day. - - - - - Chapter Ten - - Dirty Water - - -Breakfast next morning was finished in quick time and they set about -breaking camp. Slim cached his own saddle and under it Chuck placed his -extra clothing. - -They brought their mounts up to the camp and saddled them. Slim patted -Lightning affectionately, talking to her as he drew the cinches tight. - -"We're going on another adventure, old girl," he said softly, "and I'm -counting on you to help me win. If we get in any tight spots, it may be -up to you and your speed. How about it?" - -If Lightning didn't understand the exact words, she sensed that her -master was praising her, and she tossed her head proudly. - -Slim looked carefully at the places where Old Bill had applied the dye. -There was no trace of the pigment and to all intents and purposes -Lightning was simply another sorrel. True, she was a little larger and -longer of leg than the average range horse, but not uncommon enough to -attract unusual attention. - -Chuck's new mount was just a plain calico cayuse, a good sturdy horse -with plenty of endurance and a good trail gait. - -"Fixed on cash?" asked Old Bill. - -"We're supposed to be broke," said Chuck. - -"Sure enough, but I thought you might need a bit for emergencies." - -"I've got enough for that," said the Circle Four cowboy and Slim added -that he had sufficient cash to carry him along. - -The sun was just topping the Cajons when they swung into their saddles -and splashed across the noisy mountain stream. They reached Sky High -trail and took the turn to the left, heading down for the valley. For an -hour they rode steadily with Old Bill in the lead. Then they came to a -fork in the trail and the cattleman halted. - -"Here's where we part. I'm going left and out beyond the Cajons by the -old trail. You boys take the way to the right. It's a good day's ride to -Dirty Water and unless I miss my guess, that's where you'll find the -rustlers. I'm counting on you boys to turn them up for us. When you need -me you can send a telegram from the railroad station at Mopstick. That's -outside the valley, but it's the nearest telegraph office. Good luck." - -Old Bill gave each of them a firm, warm handclasp that conveyed more -than words, swung his horse around sharply, and moved briskly down the -left fork of the trail. - -Chuck and Slim watched him until a clump of aspen hid him from view. -Then they spoke to their own horses and turned onto the trail that led -to the Creeping Shadows. - -The cowboy detectives rode at a steady pace that ate up miles on the -long down trail into the valley. - -Through midday the sun burned down on them unmercifully, but they paused -at noon only long enough to water their horses. - -Slim rode in the lead, little spurts of dust leaping up around -Lightning's hoofs. The Flying Arrow rider kept his head bowed to shield -his face from the burning rays of the sun. - -They left the foothills and entered the Creeping Shadows country, a -broad, rolling land that was sheltered between the Cajons on the east -and south and the mighty Three Soldiers range which reared its peaks in -the west. - -Streams tumbling down the sides of the ranges converged in the valley -and assured the cattlemen there of plenty of water. There was ample -timber and the grass was lush and long, though now burned badly by the -long drought. It was a cattleman's paradise and Slim, as he appraised -the worth of the valley, could realize why rustlers would make a bold -bid to steal the possessions of Adam Marks and take the valley for their -own. - -Lightning seemed to sense her rider's thoughts for she paused at the -crest of a knoll as though to give Slim a better chance to view the -country which unfolded before him. - -Chuck, his clothes heavy with dust, reined in beside Slim. - -"Better ease up a little," said the Circle Four rider. "This pace is a -little more than my cayuse can stand on a day as hot as this. - -"We've been hitting it pretty hard," conceded Slim, "but I wanted to get -to Dirty Water before sundown. Unless I miss my guess the village is -only a couple of miles further." Slim pointed toward the left, where a -cluster of frame buildings could be seen strewn along the banks of a -stream. - -"It may be the Box B," said Chuck. - -"I don't think so. The Box B is closer to the Three Soldiers. Whatever -it is, we'll know in a few minutes." - -Slim spoke to Lightning and the magnificent sorrel started down the -slight grade, apparently as fresh and tireless as when they had taken -the trail early in the day. - -As they neared the buildings, Slim was convinced that they were -approaching Dirty Water and he wondered just what kind of a reception -was in store for them. Old Bill Needham had said the village was the -headquarters of the rustlers. - -Dirty Water was anything but impressive. It was a typical cow town. Most -of the buildings were unpainted, their cracked boards burned a dead gray -by the heat of summer and the chill blasts of winter. - -Slim and Chuck pulled up on their side of the creek and surveyed the -town with critical eyes. There was only one street, the buildings -fronting along the creek and set back about fifty yards from the edge of -the stream. Many of the frame structures had false fronts, giving them -the appearance of two story buildings. There were not more than fifteen -or sixteen buildings in Dirty Water. - -"Wonder where the town got its name?" mused Chuck, looking down at the -stream which flowed in front of them. It was clear and blue--the blue of -waters from the high peaks of the Three Soldiers. "It couldn't have been -from this creek." - -"I'll leave that information for you to dig out," grinned Slim. "Come -on. I'm hungry, tired and dirty. There's one place over there that -claims to be a hotel." - -They forded the stream and their horses mounted the sloping bank to the -main street. Half way down the row of buildings a two-story structure -reared its head. A faded sign proclaimed "Palace Hotel" and to the rear -was a rambling stable and large corral. - -In spite of their own weariness from the long, hot day in the saddle, -their horses came first. - -A hostler appeared from the shadows of the stable as they dismounted and -Slim turned Lightning over to his care. - -"How much for the horses?" asked Chuck. - -"Going to stay at the hotel?" asked the stableman. - -"Yes," Chuck nodded. - -"Half a dollar for each horse then." - -The price was fair enough and Slim and Chuck unfastened their saddles -and rifle scabbards. They were taking no risks on the honesty of anyone -at Dirty Water. The hostler looked at Lightning with open admiration. - -"Fine looking horse," he said. "Must be mighty fast." - -"Fair," agreed Slim, "but getting a little old to keep up a hard trail -gait very long. See that she's given the best of care." - -The cowboys picked up their duffel and headed toward the hotel. - -"What was the idea telling the hostler Lightning was old and losing her -speed?" asked Chuck. - -"There's just a chance we may find our lives depending on Lightning's -speed and there's no use in tipping off anyone how fast she really can -run when I give her a chance." - -"In other words, we'll sit tight and let the other fellows do the -talking while we're here," grinned Chuck. - -"Exactly. I'm hungry. Let's hope the hotel doesn't live up to the name -of the town." - -They clumped across the narrow stoop in front of the hotel and entered -the small room which served as a lobby. A fat, bald-headed man who had -been swatting flies looked around from behind the counter. - -"Bed and board?" he asked. - -"Providing there's no bugs in either one," said Chuck. - -The fat man's face turned red and he sputtered furiously. - -"Tha--, tha--, that's an insult to the Palace Hotel," he finally managed -to say. "I never yet been accused of harboring a bed bug in my place." - -"No offense meant," grinned Chuck. "I was just being cautious." - -The hotel man shoved a well thumbed ledger across the counter. A rusty -pen and half empty bottle of ink followed. - -"Sign your monickers here," he said, indicating several blank spaces -near the bottom of the page. - -Slim picked up the pen and looked at the names which had been signed -before him. According to the register, the last guest, Maxie Denkman, -had visited the hotel three months before. Slim looked again at the name -on the register. "Maxie," the name clicked. It was the one the riders on -the Sky High trail had mentioned as the man he had shot in the fight -near the summit when Chuck had been ambushed. Here indeed was a clue to -the mystery of the rustling in the Creeping Shadows. It might be worth -only a little, but Slim carefully cataloged it in his mind for future -reference. - -"Not much travel through here," he said, pointing to the name which had -been placed on the book three months before. - -"Not enough," grunted the hotel keeper. "Still, with the riders coming -in off the range, I manage to get along." - -"Country seems right healthy," said Chuck, glancing through the -dust-fogged windows toward the broad expanse of the valley. - -"Some inquisitive people have been known to have a touch of lead -poisoning," said the hotel man sharply. - -Slim signed his name and handed the pen to Chuck. The Flying Arrow rider -scratched his name with gusto and felt sure that no one would be able to -read the scrawl. - -"You fellers didn't put down your addresses," said their host. - -Slim looked at him calmly, yet when he spoke his voice was low. - -"That," he said, "is none of your business." The hotel keeper decided -that as far as he was concerned the newcomers could be only one jump -ahead of a sheriff. - -He handed a key over the counter. "Your room's No. 3 on the left side as -you go down the hall." - -Slim and Chuck picked up their saddles and ascended the stairs. The -hallway was narrow, hot, and poorly lighted, but they found the door of -their own room. - -The room was furnished in the usual fashion of a cow country hotel. The -bed was of cast iron, the other furnishings being two straight-backed -chairs and a wash stand that stood at a crazy angle. The mirror above -it, like the windows, had not been cleaned in months and there was a -smell of mustiness about the room. - -Slim threw open the one window and a light breeze from the east riffled -the remnants of what had once been a curtain. - -Chuck tested the bed. - -"Not bad," he said, "and the sheets are clean." - -There was no water in the pitcher on the washstand but the portly keeper -of the hostelry appeared with a bucketful. - -"Wasn't looking for any business today," he said as he filled the water -pitcher. "Here's a towel, too. Supper will be ready in about fifteen -minutes." - -He paused at the door. - -"Anything you need?" he asked. - -"Solitude," said Chuck. - -The door slammed hard behind the retreating figure. - -Slim laughed and then sobered as he turned to Chuck. - -"You're deliberately stirring that old chap up," he said. "What's the -idea?" - -"Nothing special. I just don't like his looks. Maybe I can worry a -little of the excess fat off him." - -"If you keep up at the rate you started, he'll be a skeleton by tomorrow -morning." - -They washed the grime of the day's ride off and Slim surveyed the -washbowl with distaste. - -"It's easy to see where they got the name 'Dirty Water' for this town." - -The clang of a bell sounded below and shortly after footsteps thudded -heavily on the stoop. - -"We'd better get down there ahead of the army," said Chuck, throwing -open the door of their own room and starting down the stairs. Slim -followed, but at a more leisurely pace. He had heard someone moving -about in the next room and he was curious to know what their neighbor -looked like. The door opened and a man, dressed in typical cowboy -attire, stepped into the hall. His right arm was in a sling. There was -scarcely enough light to see his features clearly in the dusk of the -hall, but Slim felt certain that the man was Maxie Denkman, who had -registered three months before. He was also the Maxie he had wounded on -the Sky High trail. - -"Pretty hot today," said Slim as the other man approached. - -"Yeh, a little warm. I guess I saw you riding in a while ago." - -They were at the head of the stairs where the light was better and Slim -saw that the other man was watching him keenly. His eyes shifted down to -the gun, which swung at Slim's right hip. Then they jerked back again. - -"Going to stay in this country long?" Slim thought there was just a -tinge too much anxiety in the tone. - -"Hard to say. My pardner and I are just drifting, trying to find a good -outfit to tie up with." - -"Then you won't hang around here long. Cattle business in the valley is -in a bad way. I hear lots of talk about rustlers, but I guess it's poor -management more than anything." - -"We're willing to work cheap if the outfit looks like it will come -through," said Slim. - -They reached the bottom of the stairs and turned into the dining room. -Half a dozen men were already seated at the one table and the food was -disappearing at a rapid rate. - -Chuck had his own plate heaped high and Slim soon had his filled with -food. There was little conversation. That would come later when -appetites were satisfied and they sat back and waited for the pie to be -brought on. - -The man Slim had met in the hall was making slow work of his supper, for -he was greatly handicapped with the use of only his left hand. He paused -and looked at Slim. - -"Don't believe I know your name or did I miss it coming downstairs?" - -"I didn't mention it. Name's Evans, Slim Evans. My pardner's Chuck -Meade." - -"Glad to know you. I'm Maxie Denkman. Meet the rest of the outfit here." - -He turned to his left and introduced the group at the table. There was -Pike Carberry, who ran the general store, and his clerk, Jim Ferris, who -also did the barbering for the whole valley. Next was Leo Kovec, whose -star on his vest proclaimed him to be the marshal and beyond him sat -Newt Bemis, whom Denkman introduced as an assistant cattle buyer. The -man at the end of the table drew Slim's attention. He was well groomed -in spite in the heat of the day, immaculately shaved, and his linen was -fresh and white. His dark hair was slightly curly and he had a pleasant -smile. - -"I'll introduce myself," he said. "I'm Hal Titzell, cattle buyer." - -"Glad to know you," said Slim, and Chuck echoed the words. Just then the -pie was placed on the table and conversation died. - -Between mouthfuls of pie, Slim mentally gauged the group at the table. - -Pike Carberry, genial, white-haired and sixty, was just what he appeared -to be--the town storekeeper. Jim Ferris, slightly bald and about -thirty-five, was talkative. - -Leo Kovec, the marshal, was about forty, heavy of face and figure and -Slim put him down as mentally slow, although he might be the local agent -of the rustlers. - -Newt Bemis looked plain bad. His features were heavily lined and a livid -scar disfigured the right cheek. The brand, "Gunman," was written all -over him and for that reason Slim put him down as both interesting and -dangerous. He was also the Newt who had tried to bushwhack Chuck on the -trail. - -Maxie Denkman, in introducing the others, had failed to mention his own -business, but Slim knew he was allied with the rustlers. - -The last man and the hardest of them all to catalog was Hal Titzell. He -might be thirty-five and again he might be almost fifty. His skin was a -clear tan, and his hands and fingernails much better kept than the -average. He might be a cattle buyer, but Slim also put him down as a -gambler, a man of rare courage and ability, which also meant an -exceedingly dangerous man. - -The pie finished, the group pushed their chairs away from the table and -went to the stoop, where a dozen chairs were ranged along the wall of -the hotel. - -The sun had dropped behind the Three Soldiers and shadows were -thickening. Titzell sat down beside Slim and pointed across the valley. - -"Watch the shadows and you'll see why this country is known as the -Creeping Shadows." - -The shadows from the foothills of the Three Soldiers were extending -further into the valley in a steady, visible movement. They were alive, -creeping out and out until the entire basin was folded in their -softness. Hard behind them came the deeper cloak of the night. Down the -street a light flared in the window of Pike Carberry's general store and -further along raucous voices sounded in the Elite Pool Hall. Several -horses splashed across the creek and their riders disappeared inside the -portals of the pool hall. - -"Quiet night," said Titzell. "Things liven up Saturdays when the boys -come in off the range." - -"You must get around the country quite a bit. Maybe you know where -they're needing help." - -"Most of the outfits are cutting down instead of adding men on the -payroll," said Titzell smoothly. "The Box B, Adam Marks' outfit, claims -to be having trouble with rustlers, so you might get on with him but it -would be a chance I wouldn't want to take if what Adam says is true." - -Slim wondered if Titzell was giving him a friendly warning or trying to -scare him. - -"I didn't figure there was much rustling being done these days," said -Slim. - -"All I know is the talk that's current in the valley. Adam claims he's -being stolen blind and of course that makes all of the other ranchers -touchy. They think he's accusing them of being cattle thieves because -Adam has the biggest outfit." - -"It looks like good cattle country." - -"There's none better in the world," said Titzell softly. "It would be a -prize worth risking your life to get. Adam Marks once had the chance to -control the whole valley, but he's getting older and losing his grip. -The man who succeeds the Box B can run this little cattle empire about -as he desires." - -"Unless," thought Slim to himself, "he happens to be an ambitious -rustler and runs up against the law." - -Chuck, who had been making a tour of the town, returned and dropped into -a chair beside Slim. It was quiet and peaceful, a far cry from the -bitter cattle war which Old Bill Needham had told them was raging in the -valley. They talked for another half hour with Titzell and were about to -go up to their room when the sound of wildly drumming hoofs came from -across the creek. - -"Someone's coming mighty fast," said Titzell, half rising from his chair -and shielding his eyes in an attempt to peer into the darkness beyond -the creek. - -"Two horses," said Chuck, adding quickly, "they're pulling a wagon of -some kind." - -"Must be from one of the ranches, then," put in Titzell. The cattle -buyer stood up and hurried down toward the creek. Slim and Chuck -followed. - -Out of the night lurched a lather-covered team, a spring wagon careening -behind them. The horses fairly leaped the stream and started a mad dash -up the bank. - -Chuck without waiting to learn who was in the wagon or what was -happening, hurled himself at the team, grasping the bit of the horse on -the left. The Circle Four cowboy was lifted from his feet by the wild -charge of the horses, but he came down with his legs in motion and -dragging hard on the bit. It was 195 pounds of bone and muscle against a -tired team, and Chuck soon won, the horses slowing down to a walk. They -came to a halt in front of the hotel where the feeble light from the -lamp in the main room cast its rays over the wagon, where a man was -huddled on the seat. - -Hal Titzell vaulted into the wagon and lifted the man's face. - -"It's Adam Marks," he cried. "He's been shot." - -The words drummed into Slim's brain. Adam Marks, owner of the Box B and -the man they had come to help, had been shot! The rustlers were striking -out boldly, bidding for a quick finish in their fight to ruin the -rancher and win control of his rich grazing lands. - - - - - Chapter Eleven - - Slim Rides Alone - - -Slim vaulted over the wheel and into the wagon. He picked up the body of -the rancher and passed the inert form down to Chuck. The news of the -runaway spread rapidly and a crowd was gathering. Hal Titzell shouted -for the doctor and the only physician in the entire valley, "Doc" -Baldridge, appeared in the doorway of his office, a half block down the -street from the Palace Hotel. - -"Bring him over here," he called. - -Chuck, carrying the unconscious rancher, hurried to the physician's -office where he placed Adam Marks on the old cot. The white hair of the -cattleman was streaked with dried blood and his breathing was slow and -irregular. - -"Looks bad," said Hal Titzell, shaking his head. - -Slim was watching the doctor, now working over his patient with -practiced hands. He called for hot water from the hotel and a bystander -hurried away to return shortly with a steaming kettle of water. - -There was nothing Slim and Chuck could do in the doctor's office and -they stepped outside. - -"I'll see that the team's cared for," said Chuck, leading the exhausted -animals back toward the stable. - -Slim, leaning against the hitching rail in front of the doctor's office, -stared into the blackness across Stony creek, wondering what secret it -held of the attack which had struck down the cattleman. Chuck returned -presently and they conversed in low tones. - -"I found his rifle and revolver in the bottom of the wagon," said Chuck. -"The six gun must have fallen out of his holster. Neither one had been -fired, which means he was ambushed." - -"I expected as much. The gang we're up against doesn't give a man a -chance." - -Slim paused suddenly. Hal Titzell emerged from the doctor's office. - -"What's the news?" asked Chuck. - -"A little too early to say definitely," replied the cattle buyer. -"Adam's been creased pretty deeply by a rifle bullet along the right -side of his head. Doc thinks he may pull through but it's going to be -tough going." - -"Maybe we ought to ride outside and get a better doctor," suggested -Chuck, who had little faith in Dirty Water or anyone connected with it. - -"No need to do that," assured Titzell. "Doc Baldridge may not look like -much, but when it comes to fixing up gunshot wounds he's a marvel." - -It was evident that it would be a good many hours before Adam Marks -regained consciousness and could tell what had happened, so the small -group gradually dispersed leaving Slim and Chuck. - -"You'd better roll in," said Slim. "I'm going to hang around until I can -find what's happened." - -"All night?" - -"If necessary. If the fellow that wounded him finds he didn't do a -thorough job, he may decide to sneak back and finish him." - -Chuck whistled softly. "That's an idea. Tell you what. I'll turn in for -a few hours and then come down around two and relieve you." - -Chuck went to the hotel and Slim re-entered the doctor's office. Doc -Baldridge had drawn a chair up beside a table on which a kerosene lamp -burned softly. On the cot across the room was the motionless form of the -owner of the Box B. - -"One of Adam's riders?" asked the doctor. - -"Nope. Just drifting and looking for a job. I'd kind of hoped to get on -with the Box B." - -Doc Baldridge laid down his book and stared thoughtfully at Slim over -his spectacles. - -"Don't be a fool," he said. - -"What do you mean?" - -"Just what I said. It's doggoned near fatal to start riding for the Box -B these days. Look what happened to the owner of the outfit." He jerked -his thumb toward the rancher. - -"If the pay's good, I'm willing to take the chance," grinned Slim. "I'll -just stick around and when he comes to he may be crazy enough to hire me -and my pardner." - -Doc Baldridge resumed his reading and Slim sat down beside the wounded -man to begin what might be an all night vigil. - -Hal Titzell looked in an hour later. - -"You must want a job," he said to Slim. - -"I'm going to get one if patience will bring it," grinned the Flying -Arrow puncher. - -"Maybe I could find something for you to do," suggested Titzell. - -"Thanks. If this doesn't pan out, I may be around." - -The cattle buyer left and Doc Baldridge, without looking up from his -book, spoke softly. - -"Keep away from Titzell. He's poison." - -Slim smiled and gave no sign that he had heard the warning from the -doctor. He had already put the suave Titzell down as a dangerous man. - -It was nearly one o'clock when Adam Marks opened his eyes. His fever had -dropped and his mind seemed clear. Slim spoke to the doctor, who shut -his book and went to the cot. - -"How about it, doc?" asked the cattleman. - -"You're too tough for one rifle bullet to kill," replied the doctor, -"but you're going to be laid up for a few days. What happened?" - -"Bushwhacked," was the slow reply. "It was almost dark and just at the -mouth of Wolf coulee. The first shot missed me. I started for my gun but -the second one got me. How'd I get here?" - -"The team brought you in. They must have run all of the way. Good thing -they did." - -"This will leave the boys at the ranch in a tough spot," said Marks. - -"Maybe you could use a couple of extra hands," said Slim hopefully. - -"I could if they were good, honest men." - -"I'm one of them and I'll vouch for my pardner. I'm off the Flying Arrow -and he's from the Circle Four. We want work." - -"There's more than work at my ranch. There's apt to be fighting soon. -I'm being stolen blind and the day I catch up with the rustlers there's -going to be bloodshed." - -"I'll work and fight for an honest boss." - -The cattleman seemed to be mulling something over in his mind. Then he -asked, "You say you're off the Flying Arrow?" - -Slim nodded. - -"Fellow named Evans used to own that outfit. Maybe you know him." - -"My name's Evans. I'm his son." - -Marks' eyes twinkled beneath the heavy bandage. - -"Then you're hired and so is your friend. I wish I could get a dozen -more like you." - -"I don't think you'll need a dozen more," said Slim quietly. "I'll start -for the ranch now and my pardner will come down and stay with you. When -he thinks it's safe to leave you, give him any orders you have and he'll -ride out." - -"Joe Haines is my riding boss. Tell Joe I sent you. I've only got four -men now. Others have either been shot up or scared away, but I guess you -won't scare." - -"I don't like to run," grinned Slim. - -The Flying Arrow rider left the doctor's office and hurried to the -hotel. A dim light was burning in the lobby, but there was no one about. -He shook Chuck out of a deep sleep and informed him that they were on -the payroll of the Box B. - -"Have any trouble getting on?" asked Chuck. - -"Not a bit. I told him where I was from and he's heard of Dad. I'm -starting for the ranch now. You stay here and keep watch on Marks. He'll -be safe enough in the day time but don't let him out of your sight at -night." - -Chuck pulled on his clothes, examined his six gun and rifle, and -prepared to take up his vigil at the doctor's office. - -The cowboy detectives parted outside the hotel. - -"Watch your step," cautioned Chuck. "I don't want to see you brought -into Doc Baldridge's office with a hole through you." - -"I'll be careful," promised Slim. - -The Flying Arrow rider wakened the stableman and inquired the way to the -Box B. - -"It's a nine mile trip, but the trail's clear. You'll strike it just -across the creek." - -Slim's low whistle brought Lightning out of the corral and he saddled -and bridled the mare with expert hands. He slipped his rifle into the -scabbard on the saddle and swung silently into the stirrups. - -Dirty Water appeared asleep with only the dim light in the hotel and the -glow from the windows of Doc Baldridge's trying to penetrate the -blackness of the night. It was the hour just before the dawn when Slim -set out for the Box B. - - - - - Chapter Twelve - - War Declared - - -Dawn had broken over the crests of the Cajons and smoke was curling -above the cookhouse when Slim rode down on the Box B. The ranch -buildings were set almost in the shadows of the Three Soldiers, the -towering peaks looming above the huddled structures at their feet. - -The foothills rose some miles behind the ranch, but the buildings -themselves were in a broad, rich valley. A fringe of cottonwoods growing -rank along a creek protected the layout from the winter winds which -swept down from the north. - -The ranch house, a rambling frame structure, had once been painted gray, -but wind and rain had worn this to a sickly hue. The other buildings, -including the bunkhouse, the cookhouse, and the blacksmith shop, were -unpainted, their boards warped and burned by the sun. - -A large corral was just below the buildings with a score of horses -inside. Beyond was a rich meadow through which the creek wandered, and -the grass there was thick and green. Stacks of hay, cut for winter use, -were ranged along one side. It was an ideal layout and Slim could -understand the pride of Adam Marks in the Box B and its rich, rolling -miles of range land. He could understand, with the spirit of a true -cowman, how a man would fight to the end to retain his possessions in -this last stand of the cattle frontier. - -Slim spoke to Lightning and the sorrel quickened her pace. As he rode -past the pole corral, men poured out of the bunkhouse to watch his -approach. - -Slim pulled Lightning up several rods from the bunkhouse and surveyed -the Box B riders with a cool eye. It was easy to pick out Joe Haines, -the foreman. He was a typical cowboy, head slightly bald as though -singed by too much exposure to the sun and face as brown as saddle -leather. He could claim any age from forty to fifty, and Slim would have -been willing to guess that he was closer to fifty. The others were -younger, but he noticed that every one of them carried guns and -well-filled cartridge belts. - -"I'm looking for Joe Haines," said Slim. "I have news for him." - -"You're looking at him," said the foreman, stepping forward. - -Slim leaned over in his saddle and looked into the foreman's eyes. - -"Your boss was shot last night," he said. - -"What's that?" demanded Joe, stunned by the words. - -"Adam Marks was shot last night. His team brought him to Dirty Water and -Doc Baldridge patched him up." - -"How bad was he hurt?" a younger cowboy edged forward with this -question. - -"A rifle ball creased one side of his forehead. He was unconscious for a -while, but Doc thinks he'll pull through." - -"Where did it happen?" asked Haines, hitching his gun belt forward. - -"Marks said it was at the mouth of Wolf coulee, wherever that is." - -Joe Haines nodded. - -"That's a bad place. Come on, boys. We're riding for Dirty Water." - -Slim spoke quickly. - -"Just a minute. I had a talk with your boss before I left town. He wants -you to stick at the ranch and watch the cattle. Maybe this is just a -ruse to get you all away so the rustlers can clean out the place." - -Pausing, the foreman turned back toward Slim. "Who in thunder are you?" -he asked. - -"Name's Evans--Slim Evans. I've been riding over on the Flying Arrow. -Been hired and told to report to you for work. My pardner, Chuck Meade, -is staying in Dirty Water and he's camped right beside your boss, so you -won't need to worry about anything happening to him there." - -"How do I know you're telling a straight story?" countered the range -boss. - -"You've got my word for it and people don't question my word," said Slim -quietly. He straightened up in his saddle and his right hand slipped -along his leg. - -Joe Haines saw the move and a broad smile covered his homely features. - -"No offense meant, cowboy, but we've had so much trouble I'm just -naturally suspicious of everyone who comes along. We'll take your word. -Better turn your horse loose. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes." - -Slim rode down to the corral, pulled his saddle off Lightning and turned -the sorrel loose. There was plenty of water and feed in the corral and, -satisfied that his horse was all right, Slim returned to the bunkhouse -where the cowboys were finishing their morning toilets under the pump. - -"Meet the gang, or what's left of them," said Haines. "Here's Pat Beals, -Doug Huston and Walt Kelly." - -Slim shook hands with the outfit as the breakfast bell clanged. A -Chinese cook, Lee Wu, brought steaming bowls of breakfast food, a -pitcher of black coffee, and then stacks of cakes and bacon. There was -little conversation as the cowboys stowed away enough food to carry them -through the day if need be. - -Slim made a survey of his companions while they were eating. Pat Beals -and Walt Kelly were only a little older than himself and there was a -reckless glint in their eyes. Doug Huston was sandy-haired and Slim put -him down as probably thirty. His left eyelid drooped slightly and he -seemed to be continually squinting. He was the least likeable of the -group and Slim felt that he could not be trusted altogether. - -Breakfast over, they gathered outside the cook house and Joe Haines -issued orders for the day. - -"Pat, you and Doug ride along the west range and see how those cattle -along Stony creek are faring. Walt can trail over north and see if -everything is all right toward the Double O. I'll take Evans and ride -down to Wolf coulee and see what happened there last night." - -They started for the corral, Slim and the range boss walking together. - -"Your horse fit for a full day?" asked Haines. - -"She'll be all right," smiled Slim as he thought of Lightning's -wonderful endurance. There was no need to tell anyone of the -capabilities of his horse. - -While the others had to rope their mounts to separate them from the -milling string of horses in the corral, Slim only whistled once and -Lightning responded instantly. - -"My gosh!" exclaimed Pat Beals enviously. "You must have a circus horse. -I can yell my head off and I can't get any of my mounts to come near -me." - -"Maybe they don't like your voice," suggested Walt Kelly, who had just -finished a battle with a calico cayuse and was badly winded. - -They swung into their saddles and started out on the day's ride, Pat and -Doug heading west to ride along the headwaters of Stony creek, Walt -riding north toward the range of the Double O and Slim and the foreman -backtracking along the trail to Dirty Water. - -Joe Haines was openly admiring Lightning. - -"Quite a horse," he said. "Must be fast?" - -"She can go places," grinned Slim, but he did not encourage the -conversation along that line. - -"Have any trouble getting into the Creeping Shadows country?" asked the -foreman. - -"Why?" - -"Rustling's bad here and we'd heard that the gang doing most of the -dirty work had plugged up every trail coming in and were getting ready -for a final clean-up." - -"I haven't been here long enough to find out what's going on," said -Slim, which was partly true. "If rustling is bad, why not appeal to the -peace officers?" - -The foreman snorted. "The sheriff's on the other side of the Three -Soldiers and he's either been bought off or is scared to death." - -"How about the marshal at Dirty Water?" - -Haines laughed bitterly. "Kovec's nothing but a tool for the rustlers. -It's a wonder you ever got out here alive." - -"I left when the town was asleep," grinned Slim. - -"That town never sleeps. It's bad from top to bottom and Hal Titzell is -one of the worst of them. He rides all over the country but I never -heard of him ever buying any stock to amount to anything and Maxie -Denkman and Newt Bemis, who say they're helping him, are nothing but -hired gunmen." - -"Maxie isn't feeling so well," said Slim. - -"How come?" - -"Well, from what I gather, Maxie and his friend Newt must have tried to -stop a couple of cowboys from riding into the valley. Seems as though -they picked the wrong targets and Maxie got a bullet through his arm." - -"You wouldn't know who shot at Maxie, would you?" Haines asked, a broad -grin wrinkling his face. - -"I might," smiled Slim, "and then again I might not. I've got a bad -memory." - -"I think we're going to get along fine," said the foreman, "and I'm only -hoping that pardner of yours is the right kind of a hombre." - -"Don't worry about him. He's as steady as they make them and a dead shot -with a rifle." - -"Then I'm starting to take heart again. For a while it looked like we -would be cleaned out, but with a couple of good riders who've got plenty -of nerve and aren't afraid of a struggle, we'll fight this gang of -rustlers to the end." - - - - - Chapter Thirteen - - Fading Trails - - -The ride to the mouth of Wolf coulee was uneventful and the sun was -swinging high above the Cajons when they reached the scene where the -owner of the Box B had been ambushed the night before. - -The mouth of Wolf coulee was broad with the trail from the ranch to -Dirty Water down the center of the draw. An outcropping of rock thrust -its way into the coulee from the right and it was obvious that from the -shelter of the rock the gunman had fired at Adam Marks. - -The riders slipped from their saddles and picked their way carefully -over the broken ground, Slim taking the lead. - -"It must have been almost dark when it happened," said Slim, "for it was -some time after nightfall when the horses came galloping into Dirty -Water." - -The foreman nodded. "He left the ranch half an hour before sunset and -packing quite a roll of cash with him." - -"I didn't see any cash when he was brought into the doctor's office." - -"Probably not. The rustlers must have reached him after they had wounded -him and taken the money. Adam was afraid to keep the money on the ranch -and he was going to go around Dirty Water and drive all night to get to -Mopstick where he could catch a train and take the money to the bank at -Brighton." - -"If the money was in your boss's clothes when he reached the doctor's -office, it's safe, for Chuck's on the job," said Slim. - -There was a warning whir of rattles and Joe Haines called out sharply. - -Slim leaped backward, his gun spouting flame. Two shots echoed across -the coulee and the body of the rattler slipped off the rock. - -The foreman looked incredulously at Slim. - -"Where you carrying your gun, in your hand?" he asked. - -"No," replied Slim, feeding fresh shells into the six gun and sliding -the weapon back into his holster. - -Joe Haines asked no further question but in his own mind he cataloged -Slim as the fastest man he had ever seen with a gun. The weapon had been -drawn with a skill so fast and smooth that it defied the eye. It was -almost like magic, the sweep of that long arm and the accurate spurt of -the weapon. - -"Here's where our bushwhacker made himself comfortable," said Slim, -pointing behind a rock where a half dozen cigarette butts were strewn. -He leaned down and picked up an exploded rifle shell. Turning it over -slowly in his fingers, he looked at the mark of the firing pin on the -base. Then he slipped the copper cartridge into an inner pocket. It -might come in handy later. - -A few rods further back they found where the gunman's horse had been -tethered and there was evidence written in the dust there that the rider -had mounted in great haste. - -"He must have been afraid someone had overheard the shot and was coming -after him. He sure tore out of here," said Joe Haines. - -"Maybe he started out to overtake Adam Marks and get the money," said -Slim. - -"By golly, I'll bet you're right! We'll get our horses and follow this -trail." - -Slim's hunch was correct, and a short distance further the tracks left -by the lone rider merged into the dust of the main trail to Dirty Water. -The gunman had been riding hard, but the team, spurred on by an unknown -fear, had been too fast for him. - -A mile and a half along the road to Dirty Water the trail of the -solitary rider swung to the right toward the Three Soldiers. - -"Want to follow it?" asked Slim. - -"I'm more anxious about the money. That trail won't cool off for a few -hours. We're riding to Dirty Water." - -It was mid morning when they reached the cow town. They splashed across -Stony creek and tied their horses to the rail in front of Doc -Baldridge's office. Chuck emerged from the interior and Slim noticed -that he was careful to keep his rifle in his hands. - -"Anything happen?" he asked anxiously. - -"Something tried to happen," said Chuck grimly. "This is no place for a -sick man to try to get well. We've got to get Mr. Marks back to the -ranch and get him there at once." - -"This is my pardner, Chuck Meade," said Slim, introducing his companion -and the range boss of the Box B. - -"Glad to know you," said Chuck, as he shook Joe Haines' hand with real -warmth. - -"Hear you've signed on to work with us and I'm glad of it. We need all -the good boys we can get." - -The foreman hurried on into the office and Slim and Chuck had an -opportunity to talk alone. - -"What happened?" Slim asked eagerly. - -"You mean what didn't quite happen? Well, it was about half an hour -after you left and I was still trying to wake up when I heard someone -creeping along outside the front of the office. We had all of the -curtains pulled down but it was so hot we had to leave the door open. I -blew out the lamp and jumped through the doorway. In the darkness I -stumbled and when I got up the hombre that had been trying to do the -sneak act was running down the street past the hotel. I let him have a -few slugs to stir things up, but I missed him." - -"You think he was after Marks?" - -"I know it. Here's what I found outside this morning. The fellow was in -such a hurry he dropped it." - -Chuck pulled out a revolver which he had stuck in the belt of his -trousers. - -"We were afraid something like this might have happened. Joe Haines told -me his boss was taking some cash to the bank at Brighton and had planned -to ride around Dirty Water in the night and take the train at Mopstick. -You see any money on him?" - -Just then Joe Haines emerged from the Doctor's office. - -"If one of you boys will go around to the stable and get the team ready, -we'll start for the ranch. We're taking the boss home. The money is -safe." - -"Good thing," said Chuck. "I'll get the team." - -Fifteen minutes later they carried the owner of the Box B out of the -office and placed him on a mattress in the bottom of the wagon. Slim had -settled for their room at the hotel and at the same time had made the -purchase of the mattress. Joe Haines took the reins of the team while -Slim had a lead rope on Joe's horse. They eased across the shallow bed -of Stony creek and started the dusty ride to the ranch. - -As they moved away from Dirty Water, Slim turned in his saddle. Hal -Titzell, immaculately dressed, was standing on the stoop of the Palace -Hotel, watching the small cavalcade and Slim thought that the expression -on the face of the cattle buyer was anything but pleasant. - -They made slow progress, Joe Haines driving carefully to ease the jolts -for the injured man on the mattress. Slim rode alongside the wagon and -conversed with Joe. - -"If it's all right with you, I'm going to swing off the main trail and -see if I can follow the fellow who did the shooting last night," he -said. - -"Go ahead," urged Joe. "If you catch up with him, treat him like you did -the rattlesnake this morning." - -A few minutes later Slim turned away from the trail to the ranch and -headed more directly toward the Three Soldiers. He had little difficulty -in following the trail for the rider had been pushing his horse hard. - -Slim swung along at an easy lope, a pace that Lightning could hold all -day. The trail was leading into the foothills of the Three Soldiers and -shortly after midday Slim stopped beside a creek to allow Lightning to -drink and graze. He had no food for himself, but breakfast at the Box B -had been hearty enough to ward off the pangs of hunger until nightfall. - -It was mid afternoon when Slim found the place where the unknown rider -had stopped to rest himself and his mount. A handful of ashes were still -warm and he pushed on with renewed hope. His quarry could not be more -than three hours' ride ahead and on a horse that should be tiring -rapidly. - -Slim leaped off Lightning and got down to examine the tracks he was -following. He wanted the memory of the hoof marks stamped indelibly on -his mind. Somewhere in the valley he might come across them again even -though the coming night might let his quarry escape this time. The left -rear shoe had a V-shaped nick that made it easily recognizable anywhere -and after studying the other tracks for some outstanding characteristic, -Slim remounted Lightning and pushed steadily ahead. The pace was faster -now, and the sturdy sorrel seemed to scent that a chase was on. - -They had been climbing for the last two hours and Slim knew that they -were well behind and above the Box B layout. It was half an hour before -sunset when, from a promontory, he looked down on the ranch buildings, -snuggled in the rich valley which was the heart of the Box B. - -As the shadows deepened in the Three Soldiers, Slim knew that his quarry -was safe for the night. In spite of Lightning's superior speed and the -ease with which he had been able to follow the trail, it would be -impossible to overtake the rider ahead. - -Slim watered Lightning at a mountain stream and pondered what to do -next. It would be a hard ride down to the ranch, but he was hungry. On -the other hand, if he stayed in the foothills, he could press on the -first thing in the morning, perhaps overtaking the man he sought before -he struck the trail again. - -Slim's innate stubbornness and determination to stick to a job until the -end finally decided him and he made a crude camp beside the tiny stream. -There was plenty of grass for Lightning, but Slim went hungry for the -second meal that day. He hitched his belt a trifle tighter and unrolled -his blanket. - -With the first streak of dawn over the distant Cajons, he had Lightning -saddled and ready for the trail. An hour later he came upon the -overnight camp of the unknown rider and his heart leaped. The trail was -getting hot. Another hour and he should be within striking distance. - -Slim felt that if he could but overtake the gunman who had shot down the -owner of the Box B, he would have captured an important man in the gang -of rustlers. It might be the opening wedge to splitting up the gang and -freeing the entire valley of the menace which hung over the cow country. - -The rosy hue of the dawn faded into a slate grey and misty clouds -whirled around the peaks of the Three Soldiers. It looked like rain, the -first in weeks. - -Slim exclaimed bitterly, for a rain at this time would obliterate the -trail and his day of hard riding would be without reward. Talking almost -constantly to Lightning, he pushed the sorrel as rapidly as the rough -ground would permit. He knew that he was gaining steadily and if the -rain would only hold off another hour, he should have his quarry. - -The gray clouds swept lower as Slim pressed along through the foothills, -praying that the rain would hold back a few minutes longer. But the -skies opened and the long-delayed rain descended in torrents. The trail -faded before his eyes and Slim turned back and headed out of the -foothills. So far the rustlers held the upper hand. - - - - - Chapter Fourteen - - Powder to Burn - - -Night settled over the Creeping Shadows country on the wings of the -storm and Slim still faced a long, wet ride back to the Box B. It was -unfamiliar country, but he knew in a general way the shortest route to -the ranch and he struck out cross-country. - -The rain fell in torrents, and he kept to the higher ground, working his -way slowly out of the foothills. The long-needed rain would be worth -thousands to the valley, freshening the grass which had been burned -brown by the prolonged drought. - -In spite of the long hours on the trail and the hard pace of the last -few hours, Lightning made good time, and a little after ten o'clock Slim -caught sight of the lights of the ranch. The yellow pin points of light -dispelled some of the misery of the night and disappointment of having -the trail washed out from under him. - -The rain was cold, and in spite of the poncho, rivulets of water ran -down his neck and he became thoroughly chilled. They struck one of the -ranch trails, and Lightning quickened her pace. She was as anxious as -Slim to get protection from the weather. - -The ride in from the foothills gave Slim a chance to think over the -situation in the valley. There were certainly some unusual elements -involved. - -First, there had been the shooting on the Sky High trail, in which Chuck -had been ambushed and then the attempt to kill the owner of the Box B. -It was evident that things were moving rapidly toward a climax. - -Slim thought of his brief visit at Dirty Water and checked over one by -one the men he had met there. The storekeeper and his clerk could be -eliminated from important roles in the rustling gang, but Hal Titzell -was a puzzling figure. It was obvious that he had plenty of nerve and at -least an explanation for his presence in the valley, but Slim questioned -whether he actually had been buying any cattle. That was something he -determined to find out. - -It simply wasn't possible for cattle to disappear without some trace, -and Slim wondered why the Box B cowboys had been unable to find the -rendezvous of the rustlers. Then there must be a shipping point for the -stock. The normal place was Mopstick, outside the valley, but there -might be another loading yard nearer along the railroad that was being -used. - -As Slim mulled over the possibilities, he realized that he and Chuck -were going to be in for some busy days before the mystery of the -rustling on the Box B could be solved. - -Slim rode into the valley which sheltered the headquarters of the Box B -and Lightning sloshed toward the corral. Chuck, who had been listening -for Slim's approach, came running with a lantern under his slicker. He -opened the gate, and horse and rider passed inside the corral. There was -a pole lean-to, with a thatched roof, at one side of the corral and the -horses were gathered under this protection. - -"What luck?" asked Chuck. - -"None," replied Slim. "I was within half an hour of my man when the -storm broke. The trail just melted out in front of my eyes and I turned -and headed for home." - -"Had anything to eat?" - -"Not a thing since yesterday morning." - -"Gosh, you must be starved. Lee Wu's kept some food hot for you. Better -get over to the cookhouse and fill up. I'll go up to the house and tell -Joe Haines and the boss. They've been mighty anxious about you." - -"I'll eat in a little bit," said Slim, as he pulled his saddle off -Lightning. "What do you think of the outfit here?" - -"Everything rings true to me, except Doug Huston. He hasn't made a move -out of the way, but I don't like his eyes." - -"Neither do I. Maybe it's unfair to Doug, but I'm going to play a hunch -and keep a mighty close watch on him. Think the other boys suspect we're -anything but a couple of punchers?" - -"No one except Joe Haines, and he knows we're not out here just for the -fun of it." - -"I'm not worried about Joe, but I don't want the others to get -suspicious and I especially want them to keep out of Dirty Water where -they might start talking." - -"I guess we'll be too busy riding range for anyone to get to town for a -couple of weeks." - -"This thing will go one way or another by that time. We'll either have -the rustlers behind bars or they'll have control of the valley. Let's -go." - -They splashed through the mud of the corral and made their way to the -cookhouse. Lee Wu, who had been reading, welcomed Slim. - -"Supper hot," he said. - -"I'm going up to the house. See you later." Chuck left the cookhouse and -Slim was alone with the Chinese cook. - -Lee Wu hurried in with hot food. There was plenty of hash, bread, and -coffee and Lee opened a can of sliced peaches. - -"I'm just about starved," grinned Slim, as one mouthful of food followed -another. "Haven't had a thing since yesterday morning." - -"Can fix more hash," grinned Lee Wu. - -"No thanks. This will fill me up. Say, Wu, you're a real cook. I never -tasted better hash." - -"Not bad, not bad," chuckled Wu. "Like that myself." He sat down -opposite Slim and took a generous helping of his own hash. - -"Catch bushwhacker?" he asked. - -Slim looked up gloomily. "No, Wu. I was almost up with him when the rain -started and the trail was washed out. Better luck the next time." - -"Tough place. Plenty boys come and work here while and then drift on. -Afraid of getting bullet in back. No one bother Wu though." - -"Why not?" - -The cook disappeared in the kitchen to return with a double barreled -sawed-off shotgun. - -"Fill 'em up with nails," he chuckled. "Hit someone and phooey!" - -"Phooey, is right," grinned Slim. "I guess you're safe enough from the -rustlers. Got any idea who's causing all of the trouble?" - -"Plenty ideas, no proof. Bad business to talk with loose tongue." - -"You're right, Wu. A loose tongue can sure get a fellow into a lot of -trouble." - -Chuck stuck his head in the door. - -"They want you at the ranch house as soon as you're through." - -"I'll be along in a minute." Slim finished the last of the can of -peaches. "Great supper, Wu. Thanks a lot for saving it for me." - -"Okay," grinned Wu, who had warmed to Slim's praise of his cooking. - -Slim found the owner of the Box B propped up in bed. Joe Haines was in a -chair nearby. - -"Chuck's told us about the rain," said Adam Marks, his keen eyes -glinting beneath the bandage which swathed his head. "Anything else -happen?" - -Slim recounted briefly his hard ride on the trail of the bushwhacker. -"The fellow was circling along the foothills and riding pretty hard. He -must have had an idea he would be trailed." - -"You're darned right he did," put in the range foreman. "We wouldn't let -a shooting like that go without trying to get revenge." - -"Get any clues on the fellow's identity?" asked Marks. - -"I'll recognize the marks of his horse's shoes wherever I see them," -replied Slim. - -"Good boy. We've needed a couple of nervy riders like you and your -pardner. It gives me new courage. We'll whip these rustlers to a -standstill." - -"I'd like to know how they ship the stock they rustle," said Slim. - -Joe Haines smiled grimly. "I'd like to know the same thing. I've got a -hunch, but you can't prove anything on a hunch." - -"How do the other cattlemen in the valley stand?" - -"They're all suspicious since I started losing cattle. Claim they're -being raided, too, but I doubt that. No one will work together. It's -every man for himself." - -They discussed the situation for a time and then Slim went to the -bunkhouse. The other riders were in their bunks, apparently asleep, but -Chuck roused up and lifted his bulk on one elbow. He started to speak, -but Slim shook his head, undressed, turned out the light, and rolled -into the blankets. He was worn out by the hard ride on the trail and he -fell into a slumber that was broken only by the strident tones of Lee -Wu's breakfast bell the next morning. - -Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Slim found the bunkhouse deserted, but -the sound of running water and other noises informed him that his -companions were outside at the pump. - -He slipped into his clothes and joined them. - -"Chuck tells us the rain played you a dirty trick," said Walt Kelly, -hitching his pants closer about his rotund waist. - -"It didn't help any," admitted Slim. - -"Learn anything that really gives you anything on the rustlers?" asked -Doug Huston. Slim looked into the watery eyes and thought he detected a -trace of uneasiness. - -"Not a thing," he replied. While the others headed for the cookhouse, -Slim hurried down to the corral. He was afraid the rain had washed the -dye off Lightning, but to his intense relief he found that the white -spots were still effectively covered. - -There was little conversation at breakfast as the punchers downed the -stacks of cakes and gulped the breakfast food and coffee. When they -emerged from the cookhouse, Joe Haines was waiting for them. - -"We've got two more riders," he said, "and we're going to try to cover -all of the main herds everyday." Then he assigned the work and Slim -found that he was teamed with Doug Huston while Chuck was paired off -with Pat Beals. Joe and Walt would ride together while Lee Wu took his -faithful shotgun to the ranch house to stand guard there. - -Slim found Doug to be a silent riding partner, but Doug knew the range -well and they worked west toward the foothills where he had ridden the -day before. The rain had freshened the grass overnight and Slim marveled -at the sleek, well fed condition of the Box B cattle. It was little -wonder rustlers would take extreme risks to get such stock as grazed on -the rolling acres of the Marks' ranch. - -They stopped at noon and ate the lunch Lee Wu had prepared, then started -the swing back toward the ranch. There had been no sign of any cattle -having been stolen and the herds were grazing calmly in the rich valleys -of the foothills. - -They were near the north boundary of the ranch when Slim sighted a lone -rider and turned to Doug. - -"That's one of the Double O boys. Nels Anderson, their boss, keeps them -all riding our range line. Claims he's lost cattle and doesn't make any -bones about saying that he thinks they're on our range. Matter of fact, -I guess he did find about forty head he'd lost over here." - -"Which doesn't mean the Box B rustled them." - -"Well you try to tell that square-head that story. We've all talked -ourselves hoarse." - -The lone horseman waved as the Box B punchers passed a few hundred yards -away and they waved in return. - -"That's Al Bass. The Double O riders are all friendly enough, but they -have to do what old Nels tells them." - -They reached the ranch shortly before sundown and found the other riders -there ahead of them. There had been no sign of the rustlers anywhere on -the Box B and Joe Haines led his punchers to supper with a lighter -heart. - -After supper Slim had a chance to talk with the foreman alone. - -"How many head have you lost altogether?" he asked. - -"I'd say around 500. That's a rough guess, but we won't know for sure -until the fall round-up." - -Slim whistled. "That's a lot of cattle." - -"More than we can stand. Much more of it, and the Box B will be ready -for the auction block." - -A rider appeared on the trail from Dirty Water and they watched him -approach the ranch. - -"I'd just as soon see a snake coming," grunted the foreman as he -recognized the visitor as Hal Titzell, the cattle buyer. - -Titzell dismounted easily and faced the foreman. - -"Been around the valley a bit today," he said, "and thought you might -have a little choice stuff to sell. I've got a special order from a -Chicago commission house. Top price for choice beef. What do you say?" - -"Sorry Titzell, but you know we don't do business with you." - -"I thought maybe you'd changed your mind. I heard your outfit was a -little pressed for cash." - -"You heard wrong." - -"Maybe I'd better talk with your boss," said the cattle buyer, starting -toward the ranch house. - -"Adam Marks is too sick to see you," replied Joe, barring the way. "If I -were you, I'd start back for Dirty Water." - -"Very well," replied Titzell, apparently unperturbed by the gruff -treatment accorded him, "but think it over. If you change your mind -about that choice stuff on your north range, let me know." - -The cattle buyer mounted and rode swiftly down the trail toward Dirty -Water. - -"I hope his horse stumbles and Titzell breaks his neck," snorted the -range boss. - -One remark of the cattle buyer's lodged in Slim's memory. He had -especially mentioned the choice stock on the north range, which lay next -to the boundary of the Double O. - -Slim was still feeling the fatigue of his two arduous days on the trail -of the bushwhacker and he rolled into his blankets early, followed -shortly by the other riders of the Box B. - -Doug and Slim rode the same section of the range the next morning and it -was well after noon when they reached the boundary of the Double O. On -the previous day they had passed a bunch of steers grazing in a coulee a -mile below the boundary, but the cattle were nowhere in sight and Slim -and Doug spread out to hunt for them. - -Slim followed their trail straight across the line into Double O -territory and he turned and rode back to join Doug. - -"The cattle have gone into Double O range and it looks to me as though -they were driven there." - -"Then we'd better get back to the ranch and tell Joe." - -Slim gave Lightning her head and soon outdistanced Doug in the ride back -to the ranch. Fortunately Joe Haines had ridden in early and he told the -foreman what had happened on the north range. - -"We're going to have a showdown with Nels Anderson," said Joe grimly. -"We're going to get those cattle back even if we have to do it with -gunpowder!" - - - - - Chapter Fifteen - - Dangerous Hours - - -"See that you're well heeled," admonished the fiery foreman of the Box B -as he hurried into the bunkhouse to strap on an extra revolver. - -Slim made sure that his saddle was well cinched for they would be riding -fast and hard. - -Just before they started, Walt Kelly and Chuck rode in from the south. -They were speedily informed that Box B cattle had been driven into -Double O territory and that the Box B was determined to have none of -that. They joined the raiding party with a whoop and all five riders set -out at full speed for the north range, leaving a startled Lee Wu to -guard the home place and his wounded boss. - -"How many do you think were driven onto the Double O?" asked Joe as they -galloped northward. - -"I'd say about forty head," replied Slim, "and from what I saw of them -yesterday, they were all prime beef." - -"That's just the kind of cattle we've been losing right along, prime -stuff that knocks the bottom out of our pocketbook. If this keeps on -much longer, we won't have anything left to ship this fall. I never -figured old man Anderson would stoop to rustling our stuff, but it looks -like we have the goods on him." - -The little cavalcade whirled northward, a trail of dust mounting in its -wake and hanging in the still afternoon air. - -They topped a slope and looked down on the Double O range. A little more -than a mile away they could see a few cattle grazing. - -"Maybe that's our stuff over there," shouted Walt. - -Joe shook his head. "They'd have driven them further into their own -range." - -They swung westward along the range line to the place where Doug and -Slim had picked off the tracks of the missing cattle. - -Joe swung out of the saddle and scanned the hoofprints of the horses -which had driven the cattle into the Double O territory. - -"Only three riders made the raid," he grunted. "They had plenty of -nerve." - -Slim, looking down at the hoof prints could hardly suppress an -exclamation of surprise. There was a distinct V-shaped nick in the left -rear shoe of one of the horses! There had been a similar nick on the -same shoe of the horse which had carried the bushwhacker safely away -from the vengeance of the Box B. - -Slim leaned down and spoke to Joe, and they moved out of earshot of the -others. - -"Listen Joe, there was a V-shaped nick in the left rear shoe of the -horse I chased all over your west range. There's the same kind of a nick -in one of the hoofprints here." - -"You mean the fellow who took a shot at the boss was one of the fellows -who rustled the cattle last night?" - -"It looks that way." - -Joe's honest eyes narrowed to steely slits and his lips tightened into a -grim line. - -"The Double O had always been a tough outfit, but I never figured old -man Anderson would stand for murder. If we find one of their riders is -riding a horse with a shoe like that, watch out for trouble in great big -chunks." - -The Box B riders remounted and started north into the Double O -territory. From the trail, it was evident that the cattle had been -driven hard, but the small herd had been fairly easy to handle. - -They penetrated more than a mile into the Double O range when a group of -riders galloped into sight over a low hill. - -"Here comes trouble," grinned Chuck, loosening his rifle and making sure -that it was ready for fast action. The other Box B riders looked at -their guns and Slim's heart tightened. Tempers were at a fighting pitch. -It would require some real diplomacy to get through the next few minutes -without someone being hurt, perhaps seriously. - -The two groups of riders swept toward each other at a furious pace, -slowing down only when they were less than two hundred yards apart. At a -hundred yards they stopped, eyeing each other warily, waiting for the -first break. - -"Old man Anderson's with his boys and he's wearing two guns," said Joe. -"That means he's on the warpath sure." - -Slim counted the Double O riders. Five men were ranged behind their boss -and he recognized one of them as Al Bass, the range rider they had seen -the day before. - -"They've got our cattle," said Walt Kelly impatiently. "What are we -going to do, talk or shoot?" - -"We'll talk first," said Joe, curbing his first impulse to shoot it out, -for the Box B was outnumbered. - -Joe held up his hand and started forward, calling to Slim, "You ride -with me and the rest stay here and watch for any break." - -Nels Anderson and Al Bass rode forward from the Double O group and they -met halfway between. - -The owner of the Double O was a gigantic Swede, well over six feet tall -and as broad as an ox. His huge hands rested easily on the pommel of his -saddle and the butts of his six guns protruded from the holsters on each -leg. The light blue eyes peered out from beneath shaggy eyebrows and his -whole face was a picture of intense rage. He burst into an immediate -accusation. - -"You fellows got nerve," he roared. "Stealing my cattle and then riding -over here in the daytime hunting more. By gar, this is going to stop and -stop right here!" - -"What do you mean, stealing your cattle?" replied Joe angrily. "All -we're doing is trailing a herd of our own stuff that you've driven into -your range. Fine thing for a man's neighbor to turn rustler." - -The Swede's face flushed an angry red and his right hand clawed at his -gun, but Al Bass reached out quickly and seized the hand with a firm -grip. - -"Hold it, Nels," he said. "There's something wrong here. I saw Box B -cattle on our range better than a mile back. They're hunting their stuff -on our territory and we're looking for some of our choice beef on their -side of the line." - -It was with difficulty that the owner of the Double O controlled his -surging temper, and when he spoke his voice was filled with emotion. - -"Don't you call me a rustler again," he warned Joe. "Next time maybe Al -won't be here to stop me." - -"Sorry, Nels, but my temper got away from me. We've been losing cattle -right and left and this time we figured we'd trailed some of our prime -beef right into your back yard." - -"Yeh," grunted Al Bass. "There's a trail a quarter mile west of here -where about sixty head of our stuff was driven onto your range last -night. Laugh that one off." - -"Looks to me like a clever attempt to get the Box B and the Double O -into a lot of gun play and clean both outfits out while they were busy -trying to settle grievances," said Slim. - -He turned to Nels Anderson. Briefly he told him of the attempt to kill -Adam Marks and how he had trailed the bushwhacker, only to be beaten -back by the storm. - -"The man who shot Adam Marks was riding a horse that had a V-shaped mark -on the left rear shoe," said Slim. "We found the same mark left by one -of the horses used to drive our cattle onto your range last night." - -"So you figured that it was a Double O rider who tried to kill your -boss," said Al Bass. - -"That's about the ticket," said Joe. - -Nels Anderson's big frame shook with anger. - -"Fools, fools," he cried. "Why, Adam and I came here together. We don't -always agree, but by gar I sure wouldn't let anyone take a shot at him." - -Al Bass leaned forward. - -"I was the fellow who found out our cattle had been rustled and I got a -good look at the hoofprints left by the rustlers' horses. There's just -such a mark as you described on one of the left rear prints." - -Slim smiled a little grimly. - -"I'd kind of figured there would be. Seems like these two outfits ought -to forget any past troubles and realize that through a clever trick the -rustlers almost had them fighting each other to death. We figured one of -your boys tried to get our boss, and that your whole outfit was stealing -our cattle, while you fellows were dead sure we rustled off your beef -last night." - -Nels Anderson leaned over toward the Box B foreman, thrusting out a huge -hand. - -"Joe, your boy is right. We have been blind. You tell Adam that from now -on we ride together. I'll come see him soon. Now we better throw in -together. We'll round up your stuff and drive it back on your range and -then bring our cattle back." - -They united forces and turned back into the Double O range to hunt out -the Box B cattle. Slim felt that real progress had been made. The -differences between the Double O and the Box B had been smoothed over -and the two largest outfits in the Creeping Shadows had united for a -stand against the rustlers. He looked over the cowpunchers. They were a -hard riding lot, every one of them capable of a good fight and Slim knew -that the rustlers were going to be in for some dangerous hours before -many more days passed. - - - - - Chapter Sixteen - - Telltale Marks - - -It was sundown when the Double O and the Box B riders finished the task -of getting the cattle back on their own ranges. They stopped at the -boundary between the ranches and the Double O cattle plodded northward -onto their own range. - -"How many cattle you figure you've lost?" Joe asked the owner of the -Double O. - -"Right around 350," replied Nels. "How many have you?" - -"It's more than that. A good 500 head and maybe a few more have been -stolen in the last few months. I tell you, it's hit us mighty hard." - -Nel's pale eyes hardened and his huge hands moved convulsively for he -was a man of deep emotion. - -"We shall stop that, and soon," he roared. "Tomorrow we go see Cook and -line him up. After that we'll clean out Dirty Water and maybe that will -stop the rustling." - -Joe looked thoughtful. - -"I don't think we'll be able to swing Cook along with us," he said, "and -when it comes to cleaning up Dirty Water, we'll have to have some -proof." - -"I'm tired of waiting," said Nels. "Action I got to have. There's no law -in the valley unless we make it ourselves." - -"You're right," agreed Slim, "but let's wait until we're sure of the -gang responsible for this rustling." - -Nels grumblingly agreed that Slim's advice was logical and they parted -with the agreement that the Box B foreman would ride over to the Double -O in the morning and that Nels would accompany him on a visit to the -Cook ranch. - -"What sort of a fellow is this Cook?" - -"All bad," replied Joe. "He runs the Diamond Dot, a small outfit that -lies east of the Double O and the Box B and north of Dirty Water. His -range backs right up against the Cajons. We've had lots of trouble with -him over our water rights." - -"Has he been losing cattle the last year?" - -"Claims he's lost a bunch, but I wouldn't take his word for anything. -Unless we keep a close watch, he runs his cattle over on our range and -they clean up some of our best grazing land." - -"Then it won't be much use to see him tomorrow?" - -"I don't think so, but it will satisfy Nels, and if Cook has really been -losing beef he may throw in with us. He has a lot of riders and they're -all tough birds. If the three outfits made a united stand, we'd sweep -this valley clean of every undesirable hombre that's come in here the -last couple of years." - -When they reached the home place, Joe went at once to report the events -of the day to the owner of the Box B while the cowboys hurried into the -cookhouse, where Lee Wu had supper ready. - -"Golly, but I thought there was going to be trouble when Joe called Nels -Anderson a rustler," said Walt Kelly, between mouthfuls of bread. - -"There would have been if Al Bass hadn't grabbed his hand," put in -jovial Pat Beals. "I'm telling you, my hair was standing on end." - -"We're finally getting started on the right track," said Walt, "even if -it almost took bloodshed to get these outfits together. Believe me, it's -going to be tough for the rustlers from now on." - -Slim had been watching Doug Huston and he thought he saw the cowboy's -face twitch slightly. One thing, Doug had expressed no elation at the -peacemaking with the Double O. - -There was only the faintest tinge of light over the Three Soldiers as -they left the cookhouse. Up at the ranch house, a light glowed in Adam -Marks' bedroom and Slim knew that the foreman was recounting in great -detail the happenings of the day. - -Slim walked down to the corral and whistled softly. Out of the shadows -came Lightning, and Slim climbed up to the top rail and ran his hands -through the sorrel's thick mane. - -"We made a little progress today," he said softly and Lightning tossed -her head in agreement. "But we've got a long way to go," added Slim, and -again the sorrel nodded. - -Chuck came down from the bunkhouse and climbed atop the corral. - -"Doing a little heavy thinking?" he asked. - -"Trying to, but the results are about zero." - -"I'd like to know how the 800 and some head that have been stolen from -the Box B and the Double O were taken out of the valley," said Chuck. - -"When we discover how that's been done, we'll be just about at the end -of this mystery." - -"They've been rustled in small lots, but even then cattle can't fly." - -"That's one reason I'm anxious to see what kind of a place the Diamond -Dot runs. Joe Haines don't like that outfit a bit." - -"He didn't like the Double O until he realized that somebody was trying -to get the two outfits to fighting," pointed out Chuck. - -"There won't be any more trouble along that line and I feel we've made a -little progress, but not enough." - -Slim's fingers, exploring an inside pocket, came in contact with the -cartridge he had found at the scene of Adam Marks' ambush. He had two -definite clues, the exploded shell and the V-shaped hoofprint. Somewhere -in the valley he must find the rider of that horse. - -The cowboy detectives returned to the bunkhouse. The foreman was still -at the ranch house and the other Box B riders were engaged in various -personal tasks. - -Slim and Chuck rolled in early, and a few minutes later the others were -in their blankets. - -Slim fell into a restless sleep, for even after his body relaxed his -mind was working on the rustling mystery. Thus it was that he heard a -slight noise down at the corral and awakened almost instantly. - -Slim pulled on his trousers, picked up his boots, and left the bunkhouse -silently. Someone was in the corral saddling a horse. Slim moved swiftly -forward. The moon, which had topped the Cajons, was shrouded with -clouds. - -The cowboy detective paused beside the main gate of the corral to see -what was going on inside and had just stuck his head above the top rail -when a rope swished out of the shadows and settled over his head. Before -he could utter a sound, it was jerked tight and he fell sprawling to the -ground, gasping for breath. - -Slim clawed at the rope, but it was too tight. Someone was running -toward him, coming out of the corral. - -The moonlight brightened for an instant and Slim looked up into a masked -face. - -"Smart guy," came a hard, chilling voice. "Well, you're not as smart as -you think you are." - -Slim tried to dodge, but the other man struck him with a short, heavy -club, and the cowboy detective lost consciousness. When he finally -opened his eyes, the moon was well toward its zenith and his head -throbbed dismally. - -He tried to move, but found his arms and feet securely bound and a tight -gag in his aching mouth. He managed to roll over and lift his head. He -had been carried a hundred yards from the corral and deposited beside -the creek. Slim tried to wriggle along the ground, but he made little -progress and it was an exhausting effort. He rolled over on his back and -looked up at the moon. There was nothing to do but wait for morning. - -It was well after midnight when Slim heard a horse approaching the Box -B. It was coming slowly as though the rider was afraid of discovery. -Then the gate of the corral was opened and Slim knew that his assailant -had returned. There was no question now but that one of the Box B riders -was allied with the rustlers for Slim felt sure that the unknown rider -had slipped away to inform the other members of the gang that the Box B -and the Double O were standing shoulder to shoulder to resist any -further depredations. - -The aching hours went by slowly. The moon dropped behind the Three -Soldiers and for over an hour the Creeping Shadows country was cloaked -in the deepest night. Then the peaks of the Cajons were touched with the -first streaks of another day and Slim moved a little to rest his -tortured body. - -It was an hour later before he was found and then Chuck saw him lying -beside the creek and hurried to slash his bonds. - -Slim had to be helped to a sitting position, for the circulation had -long since stopped in his feet and hands. Chuck worked carefully, -rubbing the bruised members. Slim cried out in pain once or twice as the -blood again coursed through the arteries and veins. His tongue was badly -swollen and Chuck ran for a cup of water. Returning, he took a clean -handkerchief and soaked it with water. This Slim placed in his mouth, -sucking gratefully at the cool liquid. - -Joe Haines heard that something was wrong and came hurrying down, the -other Box B riders following him. Slim waved aside their questions for -his jaws ached too much to talk and it was not until he had downed a -bowl of breakfast food that he told them the full story. - -"Have any idea who it was?" asked Joe. - -"Not the slightest," replied Slim, deciding not to reveal that he had -heard the rider return to the Box B. - -Walt Kelly hurried down to the corral to look at the horses. - -"Every cayuse is there," he said when he returned. - -"Then I can't figure out what anyone was doing in our corral," said Joe. - -"Maybe he was going to run off with the horses and Slim came along just -in time to give him a scare," suggested Doug. - -"Well, maybe," agreed Joe, but it was plain that such an explanation did -not satisfy him. - -When they left the cookhouse, Joe turned to Slim. - -"Feel like riding over to the Double O with me?" - -"I'll be all right in a few minutes. Count me in. I want to be along -when you talk with the boss of the Diamond Dot." - -Slim went to the bunkhouse while the others hastened down to the corral -to get their mounts. The cowboy detective was firmly convinced that -someone in the bunkhouse had slugged him the night before and left him -hog-tied along the creek. - -With quick, deft hands he searched one bunk after another. It was not -until he reached Doug Huston's duffel bag that he found anything. Wadded -in the bottom was a black cloth which might easily be tied around the -lower part of the face to form a mask. Slim nodded grimly. His -suspicions that Doug was the rustlers' key man on the ranch were rapidly -being confirmed. - -Slim rammed the black cloth back into the duffel bag and slipped on his -chaps, slung his gun belt around his hips, and started for the corral. - -An excited group was gathered at the gate, looking at tracks which led -into the corral. - -"Look here, Slim," cried Chuck. "One of the rustlers, the guy that took -a shot at the boss, rode right into our own corral last night. Here's -his tracks going in, but there's none coming out." - -Slim looked down at the hoofprint to which Chuck pointed. There was the -telltale V-shaped mark. - - - - - Chapter Seventeen - - The Night Alarm - - -There was no mistaking the V-shaped nick. It was clearly outlined in the -dust and Slim stooped to look at it closely. - -"Kind of looks like the mysterious rider was the guy who roped me around -the neck and then left me down by the creek to hear the crickets sing," -he said. - -"Maybe he was trying to get another shot at the boss," said Walt Kelly. - -"If he was, he wouldn't have ridden right into our corral. Anyway, -there're no marks like this one coming out," Chuck pointed out. - -Slim sat back on his heels, puzzled at the turn of events, while Chuck -ambled into the corral. A minute later he shouted for them to join him -and they hurried inside. - -Chuck was looking at his own horse but as they approached he pointed at -the dust. - -"My gosh, fellows, my own horse has that V-shaped mark on his left rear -shoe!" - -"That kind of puts you in a hole," spoke up Doug Huston. - -"Nothing of the kind," retorted Slim sharply. "Chuck wasn't on the range -when the boss was shot and you fellows know darned well where he was the -other night when the rustlers were chasing our cattle onto the Double O -range. This is just a trick of the rustlers to cause suspicion in our -own outfit. The fellow who slugged me last night rode away on Chuck's -horse and while he was away from the ranch he had the V-shaped mark -filed in the shoe. It was clever trick, but it didn't work." - -Joe Haines, who had been strangely silent, stepped forward. - -"You're right, Slim," said the foreman. "Putting that nick on the shoe -of that cayuse was aimed to throw us on the wrong track. What's -troubling me is how the rustlers learned we were after a horse with a -shoe marked like that. As far as I know only our own outfit knew about -it and Nels Anderson and Al Bass." - -"I didn't think the Double O would shoot straight," said Doug. - -"I wouldn't jump at conclusions," said Slim. "When this thing is finally -cleared up there's going to be a lot of surprised people in the Creeping -Shadows country." - -"Oh, you talk like a cattle detective," snapped Doug. - -"If I was a cattle detective," replied Slim smoothly, "I'd probably be -slipping the iron bracelets on these rustlers and starting them for the -state penitentiary." - -"Better get a file and smooth out that mark," Joe told Chuck. "There's -no use your cluttering up the landscape with V-shaped signs." - -Chuck departed for the blacksmith shop and Slim and Joe saddled and -mounted their horses. - -Joe gave the riding orders for the day to the other punchers. Then with -Slim he rode north toward the Double O. After a time he spoke. - -"Do you think it was someone on the ranch who waylaid you last night and -rode away on Chuck's horse?" - -Slim picked his words carefully as he replied for even though he had -absolute faith in the integrity of the foreman, he did not intend to -reveal that he was in the employ of the Mountain States Cattlemen's -Association and working under Old Bill Needham until the showdown. - -"I'm inclined to believe someone on the ranch is tipping the rustlers -off to every move. That's the only way the gang could have learned the -boss was carrying money with him the night they shot him and it's the -only way they could have learned about the nick in the horseshoe. -Whoever is doing the thinking for this gang is clever and dangerous." - -"He's all of that, but he'll never match the power of the cattlemen if -we line up Hack Cook." - -Nels Anderson and Al Bass were waiting for them and they swung into -their saddles as the Box B men approached. - -"Anything happen last night?" asked Nels. Slim related what had occurred -at the Box B corral. - -"That's no good," he said. "It means there's a traitor in your outfit." - -"Don't say that until we've got the proof," Joe warned him, for although -he was privately convinced that Nels was right, he wasn't going to let -any outsider cast any reflections on his riders until he had ample -proof. - -With Nels and Joe ahead, they rode toward the Diamond Dot. Slim found Al -Bass a pleasant companion and they discussed the range war at length. - -"Your outfit's pretty well loaded with men," Slim said. - -"The Box B would be if they could keep their hands on," grinned Al, "but -after those two cattle detectives were killed and a couple of the other -boys got winged, a bunch of them blew out of the country." - -"The present outfit won't blow," said Slim. - -"I don't know about that. I wouldn't count too much on Doug Huston. He -looks like a weak sister to me." - -It was nearly noon when they reached the Diamond Dot, which lay north -and well to the east of the Box B although almost directly east of the -Double O. - -Water on the Diamond Dot was not as plentiful as on the neighboring -ranches and the grass was thinner. The buildings, almost under the -Cajons, were in a poor state of repair and the corral was a ramshackled -affair. Two cowboys in front of the bunkhouse looked up as the riders -approached and four more men appeared to watch the visitors. On the -porch of the ranch house a man pulled himself out of an old rocking -chair. He was in his stocking feet and had been dozing and smoking his -pipe at intervals. - -"That's Hack Cook on the porch," said Al. "He's a tough customer and -I've got a hunch we won't get any cooperation from him." - -Slim looked at the owner of the Diamond Dot. Hack Cook was almost -square. His shoulders were tremendously broad and his chest was like a -barrel. His face was red and his neck so short that it disappeared into -his body. - -"Hello, Hack," rumbled Nels as the riders stopped in front of the porch. - -"Howdy," replied Hack, but he gave no hint that he intended to ask them -to dismount and have dinner at the ranch. "What's on your mind?" - -"Plenty," said Nels. "It's about the rustlers. The Double O and the Box -B are joining forces." - -Hack's face reddened and his voice trembled. "Joining forces? It's about -time you big outfits did that. Now you'll try to ruin me altogether. You -haven't been able to do it singly so you're doubling up on me. Well, I'm -serving notice on you right now that I've got fighting men on my payroll -and we're going to fight to the end." - -"Why you crazy fool," broke in Joe Haines, "we're not looking for -trouble. We're offering you a chance to join us and run the rustlers out -of the valley. You claim you've been losing stock. Here's your chance to -prove it by throwing in with us. We're going to give this valley the -once-over with a fine-toothed comb." - -Slim had been making a survey of the Diamond Dot layout. He was -surprised at the number of cowboys at the bunkhouse. There were six -outside, more than the Box B carried and as many as the Double O, which -were much larger ranches than the Diamond Dot. - -There was the movement of a faded curtain at a window on the second -floor of the ranch house and Slim started involuntarily as he got a -glimpse of the face peering out from behind the curtain. It was that of -Hal Titzell, the cattle buyer from Dirty Water. It was true that Titzell -had visited the Box B two days before, and it was possible that he was -trying to buy cattle from the Diamond Dot, but Slim didn't like the -looks of the thing as he recalled the early warning Doc Baldridge had -given him about Titzell. - -Nels and Joe argued for some time with Hack Cook, but the owner of the -Diamond Dot was adamant and no amount of cajoling on the part of the -visiting cattlemen could make him change his mind. - -"Then go it alone," exploded Nels at last, "and I hope to heaven you -lose every one of your cattle, that your grass burns up and your water -holes go dry." - -"They probably will if you can do anything about it," retorted Hack. - -The visitors whirled their horses about and departed at a gallop. - -"What burns me up is that he didn't ask us to eat," grumbled Al Bass. -"Our cook quit last night and one of the boys had to rustle grub this -morning. We fed light." - -Slim could sympathize with Al, for even though he had enjoyed one of Lee -Wu's good breakfasts, he was hungry. When they reached the Double O, the -Box B riders paused only long enough to water their horses, before -pressing on toward the home ranch. - -Nels and Joe had decided on night riding and Slim knew that there would -be little rest for him until after the dawn of another day. When they -returned to the ranch, Joe explained the new plan of action. - -"We're splitting up the range," he said. "Most of the stuff has been -stolen along our north and east line and along the south and east line -of the Double O. We'll load up a chuck wagon at once and start for our -north line where we'll make camp. Get a move on, boys, and help Lee Wu -get ready. The Double O's lost their cook and Lee's got to cook for both -outfits." - -It was just before sunset when a team was hitched to the chuck wagon and -Wu, his shotgun over his knees, cracked the whip, yelled a wild Chinese -chant, and the team leaped away to the accompaniment of many crashing -pots and pans. - -Walt Kelly, in spite of his protests, was left at the ranch to guard the -boss and to feed and care for him while the others trailed out behind -the fast-wheeling Wu. - -It was deep twilight when they reached the site which had been selected -for the camp. There was a good spring and plenty of timber. The Double O -boys were waiting and they greeted Wu with wild shouts of joy for the -Chinaman's reputation as a cook was known the length and breadth of the -valley. - -It was well after dark before supper was ready and they fell to with -ravenous appetites. The Double O riders were loud in their praises of -Wu's cooking and the grinning Chinaman served them again and again until -he finally spread his hands and said, "All gone, too much hungry." - -They grinned and leaned back on the ground, waiting for orders from Nels -and Joe. Slim looked them over. In addition to the Double O boss and Al -Bass, there were five riders from that ranch. All of them were clean, -capable-appearing fellows. In the Box B contingent were Joe, Doug, Pat -Beals, Chuck and himself. With Wu to guard the camp, that meant twelve -riders were available for riding the range. - -Nels, by virtue of his years, took command and assigned each rider to -his night's work. Three shots, fired in rapid succession, were to be the -signal that trouble was ahead. - -"This is a finish fight," Nels warned them. "The word's gone out that we -mean business. Shoot first and ask questions afterward." - -The riders scattered to their horses and a few minutes later were -stringing along the east range of the Double O and the Box B. East of -them lay the Diamond Dot. Slim and Chuck rode south together. They were -to patrol near the trail which led from the Box B to Dirty Water. - -"Think we'll get anything by this night riding?" asked Chuck. - -"We may not get anything, but neither will the rustlers," replied Slim. -"I've got a hunch that the key to the whole mystery is somewhere around -the Diamond Dot. I saw Hal Titzell there this afternoon. He was watching -us from a second story window." - -"You mean that the Diamond Dot is rustling the stuff from the Double O -and the Box B and then Titzell steps in and buys the cattle?" asked -Chuck. - -"It might be something like that," admitted Slim, "but I'm not going to -advance too many theories. We've got to be careful they don't spot us as -cattle detectives." - -They parted near the trail to Dirty Water, Chuck riding further south -along the east line of the Box B. - -Midnight passed, and up and down the long line of riders there was -nothing reported out of the way. Pat Beals was on one side of Slim and -Chuck on the other. He contacted them at intervals and they talked -briefly before starting the return ride down their section of the line. -It was lonely work, riding the range at night, with the feeling that -rustlers might be encountered at any minute. Slim fingered the six gun -at his side and made sure that it was free in the holster. Then he -slipped his rifle in and out of the scabbard to satisfy himself that it -was ready for instant action. - -The thin moonlight faded and the night became doubly black. Another hour -and the sky over the Cajons would brighten, but in the interval before -that Slim had the feeling that many things might happen. - -He was riding north when trouble started. Behind him and from Chuck's -section of the range came three shots, one after another. Slim wheeled -and listened. There was a sharp, terrible fusillade. Then silence. - -Whipping his own gun from his holster he fired three times in the air -and urged Lightning into a mad gallop. From behind him he could hear the -alarm signal echoing up the line as other riders repeated the warning -shots and he knew that they were pounding along in his wake. The -rustlers were riding somewhere before him and he knew they had already -silenced Chuck's guns. With black anger in his heart, he leaned over -Lightning and urged the great sorrel to even greater speed. - - - - - Chapter Eighteen - - On A New Trail - - -Slim and Lightning sped through the darkness at a mad, headlong pace -that fairly devoured distance. They passed the end of Slim's patrol and -entered Chuck's territory. - -Slim pulled the sorrel up short and listened. From far behind him came -the pounding of hoofs, the other Box B and Double O riders coming to the -alarm but ahead of him there was only a dismal silence. The sound of gun -shots had long since died away and Slim progressed more slowly. - -There was a chance that he might walk into a trap, but an even greater -chance that if he hurried he might pass Chuck in the dark. - -It was nerve wracking to hold Lightning down to a walk, but Slim kept up -the steady pace as the sound of the riders behind him came nearer. - -Pat Beals was the first to catch him. - -"What's happened?" he shouted. - -"I don't know," replied Slim. "I heard Chuck give the alarm and then -there was a volley of shots. I haven't heard a thing since then and -haven't been able to find Chuck." - -Other riders joined them and they spread out to hunt for the missing -cowboy. The sky was graying before they found the first clue. Joe Haines -stumbled on the trail. His gun blazed three quick shots into the sky and -they rallied to him at a gallop. - -Joe pointed to a broad trail before him. - -"There goes one of our choice bunches of beef," he said bitterly. "That -means Chuck stumbled on the rustlers on our range." - -"Comb this section again," roared Nels angrily. "Maybe they left Chuck -wounded some place just out of our sight. Get him first, then the -cattle." - -Again the riders, grimly silent, spread out and through the early hours -of the morning they rode in search of the missing Box B puncher. It was -mid forenoon before they gathered around the chuck wagon, weary and -hungry from the all-night vigil and the search. - -Squatting on their heels, with pans of piping hot food before them, they -listened as Joe Haines outlined the next step in their campaign against -the rustlers. - -"It's pretty evident that the rustlers captured Chuck and forced him to -go with them," he said. "The thing to do now is to go after the cattle. -The trail's fresh and even though they've a few hours start, we'll be -able to overtake them." - -"That trail's heading for the Diamond Dot," said Nels harshly. - -"I know it. Look to your guns, boys. There'll be trouble before the -day's over. If any of you want to pull out now, that's all right with -us." - -No man moved as though to leave and after the hearty breakfast, each one -examined his guns. - -With Nels and Joe in the lead, they swung into their saddles. It was an -earnest, silent group of riders that trotted south along the Box B line -to pick up the trail of the missing cattle. They found the trail and -turned east into Diamond Dot territory, with the rugged foothills of the -Cajons only a few miles ahead of them. - -Al Bass leaned over and spoke to Slim. - -"Once the rustlers get the cattle to the Cajons, it will be tough -finding them. They'll break up the herd and we'll have to comb every -valley." - -Slim nodded and gave voice to his thoughts. - -"Aren't we likely to run into the Diamond Dot, going through their range -this way?" - -"I'm kind of hoping we will," shot back Al. "My own hunch is that the -Diamond Dot is in thick with the rustlers. If they aren't actually doing -the rustling, they know who it is. Why, the Box B or the Double O would -never let rustlers drive a herd across their range." - -It was shortly after noon and they were well into the Diamond Dot -country when Slim, who was now in the lead, sighted a cloud of dust -coming toward them. A few minutes later a plodding herd of cattle was -visible and behind it was ranged a cordon of riders. - -The Box B and Double O punchers paused to survey the scene. Then Joe -exploded. - -"What nerve!" he roared. "Those are Box B cattle and that's a Diamond -Dot gang riding behind them." - -His hands flashed to his side and his gun leaped up, ready for instant -action, but Nels reached out a huge hand and restrained him. - -"Wait a minute, Joe. They're driving the cattle toward your range. Hold -your temper and we'll see what's up." - -A lone rider broke away from the group behind the cattle and galloped -toward the visitors. Slim recognized the powerful, squat figure of Hack -Cook, owner of the Diamond Dot. - -Cook pulled up sharp and his horse reared as he jerked savagely on the -bit. - -"What's the idea of invading my range?" asked Cook angrily, his heavy -face flushing. - -"What's the idea of driving our cattle around on your range?" countered -Joe. - -"We're bringing them home. Found them here a couple of hours ago and -started back with them. I don't want those scrubs eating up my grass." - -"So you found them?" drawled Nels, his light blue eyes little more than -slits under his shaggy brows. "Well, mister, let me tell you, those -cattle were rustled last night off the Box B's east line and one of -their riders is missing. Someone's going to have a lot of explaining to -do." - -"I'm not explaining anything," replied Cook. "We found the cattle this -morning. Go get 'em and take them home." - -"Your horse looks about worn out, Hack," put in Joe. "Must have been -doing a lot of night riding." - -"We don't ride our range at night," replied the Diamond Dot boss. - -"Well, anyway, your horse is about worn out. Better get another or this -nag may collapse and you'd have to walk home, which would be just too -bad." - -Cook growled something under his breath, but wheeled and galloped back -to join his own riders. They soon drew away from the Box B cattle, -heading back for their ranch house. - -The Box B and Double O riders circled the herd and started it again on -the journey back to the home range. - -Joe scanned the cattle with practiced eye. - -"Holy mackerel," he exclaimed. "We've been gyped right. There should be -at least 250 head in this bunch and I can't count more than 185 or 188." - -Slim and Nels checked the number in the herd. Joe was right. At most -there were not more than 190 in the herd. - -"Which means the rustlers skimmed the cream of the herd and turned the -rest back. It would be too easy to trail a bunch this size. Also, -turning them back allays our suspicions," said Joe. - -"Darned if I don't think it was the Diamond Dot that rustled the stuff -last night, took what they wanted, and started back with the rest when -they figured we'd be on the trail," said Al Bass. - -"I think you're right," agreed Slim. "I want to know what's happened to -Chuck." - -Nels looked at the Cajons with a critical eye. "I expect the answer's -some place in the mountains, but it would take weeks to comb them and we -can't leave our own range unprotected that long. We'll just have to play -along and hope that we can get the rustlers and find your friend at the -same time." - -But Slim was sick at heart for he knew what had happened to the other -cattle detectives sent into the Creeping Shadows country. They had -disappeared, never to be heard from again and he was afraid that a -similar fate had befallen Chuck. - -They herded the cattle back to the Box B range and then Slim drew Joe to -one side. - -"I'm riding alone for a while," he said. "If I get the breaks, I'll turn -up some valuable clues on the rustlers and also find Chuck." - -"Good luck, boy," said Joe. - -Slim turned away from the other riders and headed straight back into the -Diamond Dot range. There was at least three hours of daylight left and -he soon reached the place where they had met the Diamond Dot riders. -Slim pressed on along the trail of the cattle, following it into the -first of the Cajon foothills. - -There he saw that the cattle, driven at a hard pace after being taken -from the Box B range, had been watered and the bulk of the herd turned -back toward their home range. It was evident that the rest of the cattle -had been driven in small groups into the foothills. This, in itself, did -not interest Slim greatly, for he had been convinced of what had -happened. He was seeking a clue that would lead him to the hideout where -he hoped he would find Chuck. - -Half a dozen trails led away from the water hole and Slim finally -decided on one which led toward the heart of the Cajons. It was sound -reasoning that the hideout of the rustlers would be in some mountain -fastness. - -Slim followed the trail cautiously, wary lest he ride into a trap. The -trail branched in several places, but Slim pressed deeper into the -mountain country, climbing higher and higher. - -The trail was well worn and he knew that it had been used recently so he -kept on. To his surprise, it followed a low pass through the mountains -and it was mid evening when he reached the summit. - -Behind him spread the Creeping Shadows country while to the east and -north the moon was coming over the horizon. Far away he saw the flash of -a locomotive headlight and he determined on a new course of action. -Undoubtedly this trail, unknown to anyone on the Box B or the Double O -as far as he knew, led down to the railroad, perhaps even to Mopstick, -the shipping point for cattle from the Creeping Shadows country. - - - - - Chapter Nineteen - - More Clues - - -Slim rode for another hour and then, with the moonlight bright, found a -suitable camping place away from the trail. He tethered Lightning and -unrolled his own blanket. In spite of his worry over Chuck's -disappearance, he was soon asleep, worn out by the previous night ride -and the long day in the saddle. - -He was up with the dawn and a few minutes later, astride Lightning, was -going down the trail. It was nearly mid morning when he reached the -railroad and turned to his left to follow the line to the cattle -shipping point. - -A locomotive hooted a few minutes later and Slim moved away from the -track as a transcontinental limited roared by. Passengers on the rear -platform waved to the lone rider and Slim returned the greeting. Far -down the rails he could see the cluster of buildings that was Mopstick, -but the limited shot by without stopping. - -Mopstick consisted of a water tank, a blistered station, three boxcars -which had been set on the ground for the families of the section men, -and the stockyards. There was no store. - -Slim tied Lightning in the shadow of the water tank where a trough -overflowed with cool water. Entering the depot, he found the operator -busy copying orders for a freight that was wheezing along in the wake of -the limited. - -Slim had reached the point where he needed information and needed it in -a hurry. When the agent turned around he produced the small badge of -authority from the governor and found that it opened, as though by -magic, the way to obtain the facts he sought. - -"I want to see your records on cattle shipments in the last year," said -Slim. - -Without protest, the agent produced the large book with carbons of the -bills of lading. The Diamond Dot, the smallest outfit in the north end -of the Creeping Shadows, had shipped as many cattle as the Double O and -the Box B combined. - -"The Diamond Dot is a pretty good customer of this railroad," said Slim. - -"Just about the best we've got around here. They've been shipping a lot -more stuff in the last year than ever before." - -"Ever hear anything about any rustling going on in the Creeping Shadows -country?" asked Slim, watching the agent intently. - -"Sure. There's been bad talk for a couple of years, but nothing seems to -come of it. Lots of people think the Box B and the Double O are getting -ready to grab the Diamond Dot." - -"Who says so?" - -"Why I've heard Hack Cook of the Diamond Dot tell how the big outfits -were trying to run over him." - -"Then doesn't it seem kinda queer that Cook's shipping as many cattle as -the other two combined?" - -"I asked him about that once," replied the railroad man, "and he said he -was cleaning out his range so if they chased him out he wouldn't lose so -much." - -Slim grunted. It was an explanation, but a pretty thin one. He went out -to the yards. They had not been used for some weeks, but he recalled -that the last bill of lading had been dated only the week before. He -turned back to the station. - -"Your last bill of lading was dated only a week ago," he told the agent, -"but those yards haven't been used for at least a month. Something -funny's going on around here. You'd better talk and talk fast." - -"I didn't say the cattle had been shipped from here," replied the agent. -"You didn't ask me where they were shipped from. Just keep your temper -and I'll tell you." - -The freight whistled in, stopping only long enough for water and orders, -and then clanked out again. When he had reported the passage of the -freight, the agent turned to Slim. - -"Cook drives his cattle through a low pass in the Cajons and hits the -main line about fifteen miles below here. In order to save time we load -direct on a way freight, using a portable chute." - -"Then Cook lets you know a couple of days in advance so you can have the -chute on the way freight?" - -"Sure. I have to see that the freight's carrying enough empty cattle -cars to take care of his stuff. He's shipping two cars out tomorrow -night." - -"You're certain about that?" - -The agent handed Slim a copy of an order he had sent the dispatcher, -asking for two empty cattle cars in the way freight the next night. - -Slim tossed the order back. - -"Keep your mouth shut about my visit. If a word leaks out that I've been -here, I'll know who's to blame and I'll see that you get in plenty of -trouble." - -He hurried out of the station, his mind buzzing with plans. Cook was -shipping cattle the next night fifteen miles down the line. It was time -for action. There wasn't a minute to lose. Hours of hard riding faced -him, but he felt that within the next two days the mystery of the -rustling in the Creeping Shadows country would be solved. - - - - - Chapter Twenty - - The Cloudburst - - -It was on the ride back to the line camp of the Double O and the Box B -that Lightning showed her magnificent stamina. Mile after mile the big -sorrel covered at a trail-eating lope. - -Slim didn't dare return to the Creeping Shadows country through the low -pass. Instead, he rode miles out of his way and came in further north, -cutting across a corner of the Diamond Dot range and then racing along -the east line of the Double O. - -It was late afternoon when threatening clouds rolled out of the Three -Soldiers in the west. The air grew still and moist. Nature seemed to -hush as the angry clouds climbed higher. The sun was blotted out. It was -one of those quick, terrible storms of midsummer and Slim looked for -shelter. There was none. He could only ride, hoping that the rain would -not come down too hard. - -The first big drops pelted him. Then the skies opened, a gray wall of -water rushing down from the heavens. In spite of the poncho, Slim was -soon soaked and the water rushed off Lightning's flanks in torrents. -Heads down, horse and rider plodded on. - -It was impossible to see more than a few hundred feet, but Slim knew he -was in a valley. That was bad. The rain was of almost cloudburst -proportions and a wall of water might come sweeping along at any moment. - -Slim urged Lightning to a faster pace, and the faithful sorrel -responded. The cowboy looked for higher ground, but instead they seemed -to be going down a gentle slope. Then they looked down on what had been -a dry wash. It was running several feet deep with water and rising all -the time. On the other side lay higher ground and as Slim debated what -to do, the dull rumble of oncoming water could be heard above the noise -of the storm. - -If he turned back, it might be hours before he could cross the stream. -He leaned over and spoke to Lightning. "Let's go," he urged her and the -sorrel started down the bank. Slim almost held his breath as the water -swirled about them. Lightning walked carefully, for a slip would send -them both into the torrent. - -The sound of the oncoming water filled the heavens with its terrible -roar and Slim looked upstream. Around a bend poured a wall of water, -black, raging, death-dealing. - -Lightning's hoofs touched the other bank and with a great leap the -sorrel left the water. But danger still lurked for horse and rider. The -wall of water was spreading out. They were far from safety. - -As though sensing that death was riding hard behind them, Lightning shot -ahead, mud flying from her hoofs. In great leaps the sorrel kept ahead -of the madly rushing waters, angling always toward the higher ground. - -Slim looked behind. The water was gaining. He urged Lightning to another -burst of speed and the great horse responded. It didn't seem possible -that they would escape, but with a last noble effort, Lightning flashed -over the muddy ground and they reached safety just as the flood waters -swept by. - -Slim pulled up his horse and watched the torrent roar down the valley. -Gratefully he leaned over and stoked Lightning's head. - -"That's another score in your favor, girl," he said. "Maybe I'll be able -to repay you some day." - -Almost as suddenly as it had descended the storm broke and the sky -cleared. The sun went down behind the Three Soldiers in a crimson aura -of light and Slim and Lightning pressed on over ground that had hardly -been dampened by the rain. They reached the line camp just at dusk and -found the Double O and Box B riders getting ready for the night patrol. -Slim swung out of the saddle as Joe and Nels hurried toward him. - -"What luck?" asked Joe. - -"Plenty," replied Slim, "but first I've got to take care of Lightning -and then get a little grub for myself. I'm starved." - -Half an hour later, with a plate of steaming food before him and the -Double O and Box B riders grouped around, he related the events of the -last few hours. - -"I've suspected Hack Cook for some time," said Joe Haines, hitching his -gun belt higher when Slim told them that another shipment of stolen -cattle was to be dispatched the next night. - -"They've shipped the last of _our_ cattle," rumbled Nels, his hands -shaking with rage. The other cowboys backed up his remarks with -determined expressions. - -"What's the plan of action?" Joe asked Slim, for the young rider, by his -resourcefulness, had become the acknowledged leader now in planning the -campaign against the rustlers. - -"I think we'd better hit the trail for Mopstick. Then swing south along -the railroad and lay a trap for the rustlers. They'll drive the cattle -through the low pass in the Cajons and we'll catch them red-handed. That -will give us all of the evidence we'll need." - -Nels nodded his approval and Joe looked around at the others. - -"You boys all set for a clash with the rustlers?" he asked. - -"You know it," replied Al Bass. - -Less than an hour later, the Box B and the Double O cowboys left the -line camp, Slim taking the lead and Nels and Joe trailing close behind. -At the pace they planned to travel, it would be an all night ride to -Mopstick, where they would water their horses, rest, and then ride -leisurely down the railroad and lay their trap for the rustlers. - -They crossed the country where Slim had almost been trapped by the -cloudburst and found the stream nearly back to normal. Hour after hour -they moved along the trail, cutting through the foothills and then over -the Cajons and down the other side. - -Slim was thinking of the action that would come the next night, -considering first one plan and then another for cornering the rustlers. -He didn't want bloodshed if it could be avoided. If things went well, -the rustling in the Creeping Shadows country would be broken soon. - -It was nearly dawn when they reached Mopstick, where they watered their -horses at the trough under the railroad tank. A fast mail thundered -through the hamlet, and Al Bass was taken for a ride by his cayuse, -which went wild at the sound of the locomotive whistle. - -Pat Beals and one of the Double O riders had brought along the grub and -they all lent a hand in getting breakfast. After that the horses were -turned into the stockyard and fed while their riders slept in the cool -shade of the water tank. It was noon before they were ready to start -down the railroad. - -Slim went into the tiny depot and spoke to the agent. - -"What time will the freight be along to pick up the cattle?" he asked. - -"About six o'clock. That gives them better than an hour to get the beef -loaded." - -"Thanks," said Slim. "Mind you now, not a word about this to anyone." - -A few minutes later an even dozen grim-faced cowboys started down the -railroad, their horses refreshed by the feed and rest and the riders -alert and ready for whatever blazing action the next few hours might -hold for them. - -The agent had given Slim explicit directions on just where the freight -would stop and how the cattle were loaded. It was midafternoon when the -cowboys reached the place along the right-of-way. Fortunately there was -plenty of cover nearby, low undergrowth providing an excellent hiding -place for riflemen while an outcropping of rock would shelter the horses -from the rustlers. - -Slim, Joe and Nels surveyed the scene carefully. There must be no slips. -The trap must be carefully laid. - -It was finally decided to place riflemen in the underbrush, holding -several riders in reserve behind the rock outcrop. The minute the firing -started, they would sweep out and cut off the escape. With the train -blocking the railroad, the riflemen on each side and a mounted rear -guard, there seemed little chance that the cattle thieves would be able -to get away. - -Nels took charge of the riflemen while Slim and Joe elected to ride with -the men who would cut off the escape from the rear. By the time they had -taken their places, a cloud of dust could be seen on the trail from the -Cajons. The rustlers were coming, driving the stolen cattle leisurely, -for there was ample time before the freight arrived. - -A small stream ran a half mile back from the right-of-way and it was -here that the rustlers paused to water the cattle. Slim, watching from -the protection of the rock outcropping, counted six riders. - -The sound of an engine whistle came to them faintly and he turned to see -a plume of smoke far up the track. The local freight was coming. The -rustlers heard the whistle and started the cattle moving toward the -tracks. The showdown was near and Slim felt cool and ready for anything -that might happen. - - - - - Chapter Twenty-One - - Trapped - - -The freight train clanked to a stop while a quarter of a mile away the -cattle churned restlessly. Slim was impatient for the break that would -mean action, the break that he hoped would mean the end of the rustlers -in the Creeping Shadows country. - -While the train crew unloaded the portable chute, the rustlers drove the -cattle nearer. Slim looked around at the riders grouped nearby. -Impatiently Joe was fingering his six gun and behind him Al Bass sat -calmly, his face tense and a little white. Three other horsemen were -ready to sweep out and cut off the escape of the rustlers. - -Watching the approach of the cattle and the riders, Slim was not -surprised to recognize the squat, heavy form of Hack Cook, owner of the -Diamond Dot. - -"I'm taking Cook," muttered Joe, who recognized the Diamond Dot owner -just as Slim did. The cowboy detective nodded. He'd let Joe have the -first chance, for after all it was a feud between the ranches of the -valley. If Joe failed to get Cook, Slim knew that with Lightning under -him he could overtake anything in the country. - -The rustlers whirled around the cattle, keeping them in a compact mass -as they neared the train. Suddenly there was a burst of gunfire. The -riflemen hidden in the bushes had blazed away. - -A horse and rider went down. In another blast of lead a second rustler -threw up his hand and pitched from the saddle to lie inert upon the -ground. - -Guns leaped into the hands of the remaining rustlers and they opened a -rapid fire on the riflemen. Joe spurred his horse, and the riders swept -out from behind the rock. Slim was riding easily, cautiously, ready to -take the trail of the first rustler who made a break for liberty. - -"Get 'em all," shouted Joe. "It's the Diamond Dot outfit." - -The gunfire was savage, ripping the silence and hurling echoes against -the boxcars. The astonished train crew scurried for shelter. - -The rustlers knew they were up against tremendous odds, for the -cattlemen far outnumbered them and were shooting from shelter. - -Hack Cook whirled to meet the menace of the riders. He was using two -guns, both of them spouting flame and smoke. A Double O rider who had -leaped ahead of Slim slumped in his saddle and his fright-crazed horse -pitched him to the ground. - -Another Diamond Dot rider went down before the hail of lead. There were -only three rustlers left, Hack Cook, one of his cowboys and Newt Bemis, -whom Slim knew as a henchman of Hal Titzell's. - -Slim saw Bemis shooting at Joe. He opened fire with his own six gun and -the second shot sent Bemis tumbling out of his saddle. - -The remaining Diamond Dot cowboy made a dash for the train while Hack -Cook whirled his cayuse and rode straight toward Al Bass. Al didn't -flinch, his own gun blazing away steadily at the two-gun desperado. But -Al never had a chance. Cook's heavy bullet caught him in the shoulder -and he spun to the ground. - -Slim had been too far away to get a draw on Cook, and the rustler broke -through the cordon of riders and dashed away up the trail leading -through the Cajons. - -The cowboy detective paused only long enough to make sure that the other -rustler would be captured. Then he spoke to Lightning and set out in -pursuit of Cook. - -The great sorrel could have overtaken the Diamond Dot owner within a -mile, but Slim had other plans. There was a fair chance that Cook, -ridden by fear, would lead him to the mountain hideout of the rustlers -and there Slim felt that he would find Chuck. He didn't dare think that -anything had happened to Chuck, that he wouldn't find his companion -alive. - -Lightning struck an easy pace, keeping within sight of the fleeing Cook, -and Slim carefully reloaded his gun. Behind him the sound of firing died -out and he knew that the last Diamond Dot cowboy had either been brought -down by the blazing guns of the cowboys or had surrendered. - -Slim looked down at the trail ahead and something in one of the -hoofprints made him pull Lightning to a sudden halt. He slid out of his -saddle. The left rear hoofprint of Cook's horse was marked by a V-shaped -nick. There was no doubting it now. Cook was the man who had ambushed -the owner of the Box B. He was the rider who had directed the raids on -the Box B and the Double O in an attempt to get those outfits fighting -each other in a finish battle. - -When Slim remounted, he rode with new determination. The rustling -mystery was near its solution. - - - - - Chapter Twenty-Two - - In the Cajons - - -Chuck's mind was vague and his head throbbed dully. The last thing he -could remember was firing wildly at guns flashing in the night. -Gradually his memory returned and he remembered the night raid by the -rustlers on the Box B cattle. - -The riders had come silently out of the night, following a little draw -driving a small herd ahead of them. He had swept down on them after -giving the alarm and they had opened fire instantly. Then something had -struck his head, constellations had danced before his glazing eyes, and -he had collapsed in the saddle. How much time had elapsed or where he -was, were questions he couldn't answer. - -Chuck moved cautiously and learned that he was bound hand and foot. His -roving eyes took in his prison. He was lying on the floor of a lean-to, -one wall of which was formed by a larger cabin. It was daylight, for he -could see the sky through cracks in the roof, but there was no sound to -indicate that anyone was near. - -The cowboy detective attempted to sit up, and after a painful ordeal, -managed to twist his body into a partially upright position. His hands -and feet were numb, but there was a little give in the ropes which held -his hands and he moved them steadily. The circulation returned to his -aching arms. For a time Chuck had hopes of freeing his hands, but he had -to give up in defeat and he rolled back onto the floor. - -Hours passed before he heard the sound of horses and a few minutes later -two riders dismounted within a few feet of the lean-to. He could hear -their voices plainly. One he recognized as that of Hack Cook and the -other, though familiar, he could not identify. - -"Where's the kid?" he heard the unknown ask. - -"Tied up on the floor of the lean-to. He's got a back nick in his head -where one of our bullets grazed him last night." - -Well, that was something. Chuck knew that the raid had taken place only -the night before and from the waning sunlight, it must be late -afternoon. - -The door of the lean-to opened and two masked men entered. The first one -he knew was the owner of the Diamond Dot, but the second he could not -identify. - -Hack Cook bent down and looked at Chuck's throbbing head. - -"He ain't hurt much. Couple of days and he'll never know he was hit." - -"I'll say he won't," put in the other rustler. "In a couple of more days -he'll not care what happens. I'm positive this kid and that Slim Evans -are cattle dicks." - -"We searched Meade but didn't find a thing," replied Cook. - -"Makes no difference. These boys are too dangerous to have loose on the -range. Why Evans was within a few minutes of you when you were riding in -the foothills of the Three Soldiers after you failed to bump off old man -Marks. If it hadn't been for that rain, he'd have gotten you sure. - -"Another thing, he's looking for a man that rides a horse with a shoe -that's got a V-shaped nick." - -"I fixed that," growled Cook. "Had Doug Huston file a nick on one of the -shoes of Meade's horse and we filed a couple on the horses of the other -boys. Say, there's so many V-shaped nicks making tracks around this -valley that the fellow who tries to follow all of them will go crazy." - -"Then let's hope that Evans tries to follow them all. That fellow's just -plain dynamite." - -Chuck was hungry and he spoke up. - -"How about something to eat?" he asked. - -"Not tonight. We haven't got any grub with us. Maybe we'll be back -tomorrow." - -"Then give me a drink." - -Cook laughed harshly. "It'll do you good to get thirsty. Give you an -idea of what we're going to do with you when we have time." - -They stepped outside and slammed the door. Chuck could hear them -conversing outside. - -"When are you going to ship the cattle?" asked the unidentified rustler. - -"Day after tomorrow. Can't get cars until then," replied Cook. - -"Well, keep a close eye on Meade. I'm going back to Dirty Water. After -the cattle are safely out I'll come back and we'll decide just how we'll -dispose of this fellow." - -They mounted their horses and rode rapidly away, leaving Chuck alone, -without food or water. The air grew chill, and he spent a miserable -night. - -It was mid morning when he heard a lone rider coming toward the cabin. -The horseman dismounted and opened the door. Like the visitors of the -day before he was masked, but he had a jug of water and some food. He -untied the ropes that bound Chuck's hands and, gun in hand, squatted on -the other side of the lean-to while Chuck wolfed the food. His lips were -cracked from lack of water and his stomach ached with a great emptiness, -but the coarse food soon gave him new energy. If the masked rustler -would only come close enough for him to lunge. Chuck eyed the distance -with a calculating eye. - -"Turn around," commanded the gunman. Chuck was forced to obey, and the -rope was slipped over his hands again. The lean-to was in semi-darkness -and Chuck managed to tense his hands. Perhaps there would be a little -slack when the rustler finished tying the knots. - -Chuck was hurled over on his back and the rustler slammed the door and -rode away. It was not until Chuck was sure that he was quite alone -again, that he renewed his attempt to loosen his bonds. The rope around -his wrists gave slightly and he worked steadily, straining against the -bonds. Night came and in spite of himself he fell asleep. - -At dawn he was at the painful task again, straining and tugging, and -making a little progress all of the time. At last his left hand slipped -free, then his right, and with shaking fingers he untied the knots that -had held his legs fast. - -His legs were so numb that he was forced to crawl out of the lean-to on -his hands and knees. Once outside he rested in the bright sunlight, -blinking his eyes against the unaccustomed light. He massaged the -muscles of his legs until the circulation was back to normal and then he -stood up. It was great to be free again. - -At a nearby stream Chuck washed his face and hands and gingerly felt of -the wound on his head. Nature had done a good job of healing it and -unless he got another severe bump, it should heal all right. - -Chuck took time to survey his prison. The cabin and lean-to were in the -heart of the Cajons, an old trail leading away to the left. It was along -this that the rustlers who had visited the cabin traveled. There -appeared to be no other exit from the valley and Chuck set out along the -trail, walking carefully. - -For better than a mile he followed the winding path. Then it opened -suddenly into a wider valley and Chuck looked down on the hiding place -of the rustlers of the Creeping Shadows. - -There was plenty of water here and lots of rich grass. A large pole -corral had been built near the far end of the valley where the mountains -closed in again. Down there was also a large cabin. The whole valley -appeared deserted except for a calico cayuse which was in a smaller -corral. Chuck's heart leaped as he recognized his own horse. - -Keeping under shelter as much as possible he made his way down the -valley. The entire layout was deserted and he entered the cabin. His -saddle and rifle as well as six-gun were piled against one wall and with -eager hands Chuck fastened the gun belt around his waist. There was food -in the cabin and he soon had a good meal. Rifle in hand and saddle over -one shoulder, he started for the corral. Refreshed by the food, he was -ready to hit the road. - -The dusty trail leading out of the larger corral indicated that a small -herd of cattle had been driven out of it a short time before and Chuck -picked up the trail and followed it, angling always a little to the -left. - -A few minutes later the smaller trail joined the one Slim had followed -through the mountains, the path the rustlers used in running the cattle -out of the Creeping Shadows over to the railroad. Chuck had stumbled on -the hiding place where they held the stolen livestock until time to ship -them out from the railroad. - -Still following the trail of the cattle, Chuck swung toward the -railroad. He rode steadily, ever watchful lest he run into another trap -of the rustlers. At noon he was well down the east side of the Cajons -and he saw the local freight pulling down the main line and stop, but he -was still some miles away, too great a distance to see what happened -after the freight stopped. - -Chuck spurred his cayuse into a full gallop, rocketing down out of the -Cajon foothills. The trail straightened out and a lone rider, coming at -a furious pace, came into sight. - -Chuck swung his cayuse off the trail, slid from the saddle, and found -shelter behind a rock. The oncoming rider had been too busy looking -behind him to see Chuck. - -It was Hack Cook, owner of the Diamond Dot. Then Slim galloped into view -and Chuck snuggled his cheek down against the butt of his rifle and -voted himself a large-sized share of the chase. - -Much as he knew the rustler deserved to be shot down without mercy, -Chuck couldn't quite bring himself to that. Lining his sights on the -oncoming rider, he pressed the trigger. There was a tiny spurt of smoke -from the rifle and Hack Cook catapulted from the saddle, drilled neatly -through the right shoulder. - - - - - Chapter Twenty-Three - - The Confession - - -Slim rode easily, keeping the fleeing owner of the Diamond Dot within -sight. They pushed deeper into the Cajon foothills and Slim knew that -Cook's horse would soon commence to slow down under the pace, which was -gruelling for the average range horse. - -In desperation Cook dismounted and unlimbered his rifle but Slim, -sensing the move before the rustler had found cover, dropped out of his -saddle and fired rapidly at the Diamond Dot man. Cook was beaten at his -own game and he leaped back into the saddle to continue the race against -certain capture. - -If he could only hold out until nightfall there was just a chance that -he could escape, but Slim had no intention of allowing the rustler to do -that. He was closing the gap steadily when the trail opened into a long, -narrow defile in the mountains. - -Cook spurred his tiring horse madly, while Slim gave Lightning her head. -It was a good place to end the chase. He slipped his rifle out of the -scabbard and lined up the sights. Before he could raise the weapon to -his shoulder he saw Cook topple from his saddle to lie motionless along -the trail. - -Slim pulled Lightning up sharply. Perhaps it was a trick of the -rustler's, a ruse to bring him within sure range. - -Slim dismounted and moved forward warily, his rifle ready for instant -use. Then the echo of hoofs warned him of the approach of another rider -and up ahead Chuck burst into view on his calico cayuse. It was then -that Slim knew Cook's fall from the saddle was no ruse. He had been shot -down by Chuck, who had suddenly voted himself a hand in the play. - -The Flying Arrow cowboy was the first to reach the wounded rustler. Cook -was still dazed from the shock of the wound and the fall, but he was not -seriously injured. Relieving him of his weapons, Slim looked up just as -Chuck arrived in a thunder of drumming hoofs and a cloud of dust. - -"Where under the sun did you come from?" demanded the astonished Slim. - -"I'll tell you all about that later. Did I get that skunk?" Chuck -pointed toward the rustler. - -"Through the right shoulder," nodded Slim. "If you hadn't cut in on the -play when you did, I was figuring on stopping his travels in about -another second." - -"Yeh, but I owed him a little more than you did. What's happened since I -did the disappearing act?" - -"We had a little fireworks along the railroad this afternoon," smiled -Slim. "Seemed a half dozen hombres were shipping some Box B cattle under -another name and we put a stop to it." - -"Did you get them all?" - -"Counting Cook here, they're all in the bag." - -"That must just about clean out the gang," said Chuck. - -"There's a few more, but we'll round them up in time." - -"I've got a score to settle with one of them," said Chuck, relating -briefly how he had been held captive. He was especially incensed at his -treatment at the hands of the masked man who had accompanied Hack Cook -on the visit of the Diamond Dot owner to the hideout where he had been -held captive. - -"I'm going to find out who that fellow was," went on Chuck. - -"I think I know," put in Slim, "but if you can get Cook to tell you, so -much the better." - -They bent over the rustler, who was now thoroughly aware of his -dangerous situation. Slim tore off a piece of Cook's shirt and bound up -the shoulder wound. - -"Give me a drink of water," the rustler begged. - -"Not on your life," snapped Chuck. "You fellows didn't treat me any too -well. I want to know the name of the hombre that was with you." - -Cook's face whitened, but his lips tensed and he only shook his head. - -"So that's the way it is," said Chuck grimly. "Believe me, you're going -to talk." - -The Circle Four cowboy took the rope off his saddle and deftly slipped a -noose around Cook's shoulders. - -"What are you going to do?" demanded Slim, who wasn't sure whether Chuck -was in earnest or was merely trying to scare the rustler. - -"I'm going to drag the information I want out of this cheap desperado," -replied the cowboy detective. - -Chuck walked toward his horse, straightened the rope out after him. Cook -attempted to free himself, but Chuck had done a neat job. - -The Circle Four cowboy mounted his cayuse and turned back to Cook. - -"There's one more chance. Who was with you?" - -Still the rustler's lips were sealed and with a warning glance at Slim -not to interfere, Chuck spoke to his horse. The cayuse moved ahead and -the rope tightened. - -A startled cry broke from Cook's lips. - -"I'll talk!" he screamed, "I'll talk! Don't drag me over these rocks." - -Chuck dismounted. - -"I thought it would work," he grinned at Slim. "This fellow's yellow -clear through." - -The cowboy detectives bent over Cook. - -"Talk fast," Chuck warned him. "If you don't I'll take you for a real -ride." - -Cook moistened his lips. It was plain that he was reluctant to talk and -only Chuck's threat of a terrible punishment had loosened his tongue. - -"It was Titzell," he muttered. "Titzell got us into this jam. He was too -greedy. He wanted everything." - -Slim looked at Chuck. He had been right. Titzell was the leader of the -rustlers. Disguised as a cattle buyer, he had ridden the length and -breadth of the valley, spotting choice stock to be run off by the gang -later. - -"Who else is in the gang?" insisted the relentless Chuck. - -"They'll kill me if they learn I've squealed," begged Cook. - -"If you don't talk, they'll never see you again," promised Slim. - -"There's Maxie Denkman and Leo Kovec and Newt Bemis, besides the boys on -my own place." - -"How many have you got there?" - -"Ten altogether, but you got four of them and Newt Bemis when you jumped -us at the train." - -"That leaves six more Diamond Dot riders, plus Maxie Denkman and the -marshal at Dirty Water," said Slim. "Maxie's out of the way, because I -put a slug in his elbow when he tried that ambush on the Sky High -trail." - -"Where's the other six?" demanded Chuck. - -"Two of the boys are watching the Sky High trail, two of them are over -on the trail through the Three Soldiers and the last two are on the -trail from the valley south." - -"Think he's telling the truth?" Chuck asked. - -The tall cowboy nodded and walked over and picked up Cook's rifle. -Calmly he fired a bullet into the ground and then picked up the spent -shell. He produced another cartridge from an inner pocket and compared -the firing pin marks on the base of the shell. - -"I guess your days are numbered," he told Cook when he turned back. "The -shell from your gun corresponds exactly with one I found at the scene of -the ambush of Adam Marks and your horse has the same V-shaped nick on -the left rear shoe." - -"There's marks like that all over the range. That don't prove anything." - -"Oh yes, it does. Remember that I'll testify I heard you and Titzell -talking about that in the cabin and you figured you were pretty smart to -file marks like that on a number of shoes." - -Chuck's words crushed the last resistance in the rustler. - -It was twilight when the first of the Box B riders came up the trail. -Pat Beals was ahead and the cowboy detectives placed Hack Cook in his -hands for safekeeping. - -"Where you going?" Pat demanded. - -"To finish the job of cleaning up this gang of rustlers," said Slim. -"We'll see you tomorrow sometime at the ranch." - -Before Pat could protest, Slim and Chuck spurred away up the trail, -determined to strike fast and hard at the rest of the rustlers. - - - - - Chapter Twenty-Four - - Showdown - - -The sky was clear that night and the trail through the Cajons was easy -to follow. They stopped at the rustlers' hideout and cooked a late -supper. - -"I've got a little errand to do," said Chuck, leaving the campfire. He -mounted and disappeared up the sidetrail. A few minutes later Slim saw -tongues of flame licking above the tree tops. Chuck had set fire to the -cabin where he had been held captive. - -Before they left, they got an axe from the main cabin and chopped away -the main poles of the corral. Then, fastening ropes on the other poles, -they pulled the whole structure down. Again a match was touched to the -corral and cabin and flames licked hungrily at the dry wood. - -"There'll be no more use of this layout by rustlers," said Chuck grimly. - -From then on they rode at an easy pace for it was useless to attempt to -reach Dirty Water before morning. Stopping at the line camp, they found -Lee Wu keeping guard and the cook rustled them an early breakfast. - -They told him briefly of what had happened at the railroad and how they -had set fire to the rustlers' hideout. - -"Plenty good," the Chinaman grinned, giving them extra portions of -bacon. "Plenty good." - -Before they left the line camp, Slim wrote a note to Joe Haines. He had -slipped badly, having forgotten to tell Pat Beals that rustlers were -still stationed on three trails leading out of the valley. - -It was this information he left in the note, urging Joe to send riders -out at once to capture the other rustlers. - -Then Slim and Chuck pressed on. Dawn found them nearing Dirty Water and -the village was just beginning to show signs of life when they rode -across the creek and tied their horses at the rail in front of the -Palace Hotel. - -"They eat early here," said Slim. "You stay outside and be ready to take -care of any of the boys who decide to get away in a hurry." - -"You're not going into the hotel alone," protested Chuck. - -"I'm going to do that very thing," said Slim with a definiteness that -Chuck knew was final. "I'm counting on you to discourage them if they -get outside. Remember, we want Hal Titzell, Leo Kovec and Maxie -Denkman." - -"I'll remember," promised Chuck. - -Slim looked up and down the street. Pike Carberry and Jim Ferris were -coming down from Carberry's store for breakfast at the hotel. They -greeted Slim cordially. - -"Better not go in to breakfast just yet," said Slim. - -"Why not?" asked Carberry. - -"There may be trouble," replied the cowboy detective. "Just wait a bit." - -Jim Ferris looked around at Chuck, who was lounging nearby with his -rifle in his hands. - -"He's right," he advised the storekeeper. "I'll be satisfied with cheese -and crackers. Come on." - -They turned and hurried back to the store and Slim stepped into the -small lobby of the hotel. Sounds from the dining room indicated that -breakfast was in progress. - -Slim took off his hat and pinned the small shield that had been hidden -there on his vest. Then he walked into the dining room. There were four -men at the long table, the hotel owner at the head with Hal Titzell at -his right. On the other side were Leo Kovec and Maxie Denkman and Maxie, -with his wounded arm, was making a poor job of eating the hot cereal. - -Titzell looked up as Slim entered. - -"Hello, there. What's the news from the wide open spaces?" - -"Plenty," said Slim easily. Then Titzell's eyes caught the gleam of the -small shield on Slim's vest and the smile vanished. In its place came an -expression of repressed fury and alarm. - -"Seems as though some of the Diamond Dot boys were caught trying to ship -some Box B cattle yesterday afternoon," said Slim. - -Maxie Denkman sneezed into the cereal and Leo Kovec let his fork drop -with a clatter. - -"Anybody hurt?" asked Titzell, his voice low and tense. - -"Plenty of the Diamond Dot boys and it seems as though I recall seeing a -friend of yours being shot out of the saddle." - -"Who was that?" asked Maxie. - -"Newt Bemis." Slim's eyes never left Titzell for he knew that if there -were to be fireworks, Titzell would start the trouble. - -But Titzell never batted an eye and Slim gave him another shock. - -"Hack Cook was taken, too. Hack talked." - -That touched off the fuse. Titzell knew then that Slim had come to take -him. With a leap he was clear of the table, his right hand sweeping -toward the shoulder holster. - -But Slim had anticipated the move. As Titzell clawed the gun from his -holster, the explosion of Slim's gun echoed through the hotel and -Titzell's weapon spun across the room. - -The hotel owner made a dive for safety beneath his table while Leo Kovec -plunged through the window. Only Maxie Denkman remained seated. - -"I know when I've had enough," he said. "You can count me out." - -From outside came the report of a rifle and Slim knew that Chuck had -gone into action. There was no answering shot and Slim figured that -Kovec would cause no more trouble. - -Titzell was holding his right hand, numbed by the shock of Slim's -bullet. - -"Get outside," commanded the cowboy detective and Maxie followed Titzell -out. - -There they found that Chuck was sitting astride Kovec, the marshal -groveling in the sand. - -"I just took one shot at him," Chuck grinned, "and he thought he was hit -sure. Gosh, to think that I missed at only fifty yards!" - -Residents of Dirty Water crowded around them, seeking an explanation, -but Slim refused to tell them what had taken place. Chuck stood guard -over the prisoners, while Slim went around to the stable and ordered the -hostler to saddle three horses. A short time later the three rustlers, -with Slim and Chuck riding close behind, started the journey to the Box -B. - -Titzell and Denkman were silent, but Kovec talked volubly. He was scared -to death and Slim took advantage of this fear. From a saddle bag he -pulled the gun which Chuck had found outside Doc Baldridge's office the -night a second attempt had been made to kill the owner of the Box B. - -"Recognize this gun?" he asked. - -"It belongs to Titzell. He said he lost it." - -"Shut up!" The cattle buyer roared at Kovec, but it was too late. Slim -knew all that was necessary. He had all of the evidence needed to put -Titzell and the Diamond Dot riders behind the bars for a long, long -time. - -When they reached the Box B, they found Bill Needham waiting to greet -them. - -"Great work, boys," he said, as they rode up. "You've certainly cleared -out the rustlers in the Creeping Shadows." - -"We've got the evidence, but you'll have to prove the case in court -against them," said Slim. - -"I'll do that all right," said Old Bill. "I've been talking with Hack -Cook and he's given me a full account under oath. Titzell's the big gun -in this whole thing. He came in when Cook was just about ready to fold -up and between the two of them they figured that if they could steal -enough cattle and get the Double O and the Box B fighting each other, -they'd have a good chance to step in and grab both ranches cheap." - -Joe Haines came down from the ranch house. "The boss wants to see you," -he said. - -"Any of the Box B or Double O boys get hurt much?" asked Slim. - -"Al Bass has a flesh wound and so has another one of the Double O riders -and Doug Huston's disappeared." - -"Yeh, I should think he would," said Chuck. "He was hand in glove with -this outfit. He was the guy who roped Slim that night down at the corral -and left him tied up by the creek. Doug kept the gang tipped off to -everything the Box B was doing." - -"You mean almost everything," put in Slim. - -They found Adam Marks almost recovered and from him they received -heartfelt thanks for their fine work. - -Nels Anderson was waiting for them outside. "By gar, boys," he roared. -"Anytime you need help, just let Nels know. I'll come a-runnin'." - -Box B and Double O riders had gone out to round up the last of the -rustlers who had been guarding the main trails into the valley and the -end was rapidly being written on the feud which had threatened for a -time to disrupt the entire valley. There was nothing more that Slim and -Chuck needed to do and after a hearty dinner at the cookhouse, where Lee -Wu was once more presiding over the pots and pans, they mounted and rode -down the trail toward Dirty Water. Behind them they left the shouted -farewells of the Box B and Double O cowboys and a promise from Bill -Needham that he would call on them again when a knotty mystery -confronted him. - -They circled Dirty Water, for they had no desire to give a long -explanation of their activities, and continued on toward the Sky High -trail. A few miles further on they met Walt Kelly and a Double O rider -coming down with the two rustlers who had been stationed to guard the -trail. The way in and out of the valley was open once more. - -By sundown they were well along the trail. Turning in their saddles they -looked back on the Creeping Shadows country. Night was already stealing -out of the majestic valleys of the Three Soldiers and peace once more -ruled the valley. - -They turned their horses up the trail, wondering what new adventures -might be in store for them with the coming days. - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -Transcriber's note: - - 1. Copyright notice provided as in the original printed - text--this e-text is public domain in the country of - publication. - - 2. Obvious typographical errors were corrected. - - 3. 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