The Rangeland Avenger

keep the whole affair still. It was very possible that the slayer was still in the environs of Sour Creek, and in that case much no

on, carrying two hundred pounds close to the ground, massive of hand and jaw, was a second. After that their choice had fallen on "Judge" Lodge. The judge wore spectacles and a judicial air. He had a keen eye for cows and was rather a s

h grin. Sour Creek had laughed at Oscar for five years, considered him dubiously for five years more, and then suddenly admitted him as a man among men. He was stronger than Buck Mason, quicker than Denver Jim, and shrewder than the judge. Last of all c

s ago. And now it's Ollie Quade. Gents, three murders in two years is too much. Sour Creek'll get a name. The bad ones will begin to drop in on us and use us for headq

ody," said Denver Jim

face, as if he would not have greatly objected t

town?" asked Larsen with h

d in his chair;

iley Sinclair nobody ai

id he c

about

for us. You found Quade

In his joy he could

'll w

," said Larsen and r

-lookin' gent," d

ey's a pile more interesting when

mountains were beginning to roll up out of the night, and one cloud, far away and high in the sky, was turning pink. They found the hotel wakening even at this early hour. At least, t

," whispered

e honest," repl

door of Sinclair's room. Into his left hand slid his .45 and instantly five guns glinted in the hands of the others. With equal caution they ranged th

ong enough to look up into the muzzle of Larsen's gun. Then deliberately he finished drawing on the boot, singing while he did so; and,

but I didn't know they turned out reception commit

, dropped his weapon back in its holster. Sinclair's own gun

l to be straight," s

gure you know w

airs of grim eyes. "But I'm sure obliged to the gent that give me the sendoff. What d'you w

which was so vital to him. If Riley Sinclair did not hang, Sandersen himself was instantl

illed

is chin thoughtfully, l

nk so," he s

hink so? Don

jumped me once. One o

Quade. That who yo

nclair," said Denver Jim. "We mean bus

tie party, maybe?" a

id big Larsen, with

come up to Quade's house. You call him out to talk to you. You're sitting on your horse. All at once you snatch out a gun

of conviction in his voice. The six accusing faces grew hard and s

udge. "Let's take him out and see if a rope means anythi

man-what's his name, Quade?-was killed by a gent that had a reason for killing him. Wanted to get Quade's money, or they was an old grudge. But what could my reason be for wanting to bump off Quade? Can any of you figure that out? There's my things. Lo

y. Moreover he looked them in the eye, one by one. All of this was noted by Sandersen. He saw suddenly a

Bill Sandersen. For a moment he felt his destiny wavering back and forth on a needl

ow it tallies pretty close with the time when Sinclair came down that same trail, because that was the way he rode into Sour Creek. But no matter how facts look, nobody seen that shooting. And I say this g

now he whirled and thrust out his hand. The finger

mes, partner, seems like

ersen. Glad to kn

ted the stranger s

nervelessly from the hand of

an who had just defended him from a terrible charge? It could not be. For the moment, at least, Sandersen felt he was saf

d them that step on my toes is writ down the same way. Sandersen, I got an

ld understand. The others of the self-appointed posse had apparently mad

. "We got to find a gent that had a reason fo

first and find the ma

still

we Quade money, anybody Q

lemn and dry form. Denver Jim declared that to his pe

emies? We know Quade was a fighter. Reco

alked on. Quade beat Penny to a pu

uldn't do

fair fight," b

he was shot from above. No, sir, the way it happened was something like this. The murderin' skunk sat on his hoss saying goodby to Quade, and, while the

s together with a tremendous oath. "Boys, I got it! It'

ed at Buc

in't got the nerve

ght. This wa

schoolteache

nt? Didn't Quade love h

getting! Didn't I see h

back in the evening? Di

ave called

exclamations. "The poisonous little

they started

lled Riley

ig man from up north all during the scene, and he found the stern features u

ir, "I think I'll go along to see justice done. You see,

lder. "You're just the sort o