The Trail Horde

hook, on the wall and descended the stairs. At the street door he glanced swiftly around, saw Red King standing at the hitching rail in

station building, where a few minutes later he was talking with Simm

"I'm glad it's over. I've been dreadin' it. He's the only one in the whole bunch that I was afraid of. There'll be hell to pay in this section, now-pure, unadulterated hell, an' no mistake!" And t

ou're told-that's all. And keep your mouth shut. Just keep on telling them th

ned glad of it-the sagebrush rummie! We'll m

ly disliked Lawler, aware of the latent strength of him, his rugged manliness, and his quiet confidence. All those evidences of character had irritated him, for they had brought an inevitable contrast between hi

tand, Simmons? No cars-you can't get them! No mat

illets Hotel he saw Lawler and his friends inside; but Lawler had his back t

t the bar for a drink, and the barkeeper told him, in r

th a glass in front of him, and he was staring abstractedly a

he looked closely at Singleton's face and saw the gash on his left cheek. The wound

s happened to you?

take the kid's part, he walloped me, too." He grinned lugubriously. "I didn't know the cuss could hit so

s malignant. "What do you carry those two guns for, Singleton?

Warden's, his eyes gleaming with resentme

him, Sin

didn't feel like takin' a chance on slingin' 'em. I ain't tryin' to explain nothin'-I just couldn't make my hands go for 'em, that's all. Hell! I reckon the man who

n. Lawler will have to trail his c

th venomous satisfaction.

I met him an' had a long talk with him. He's keen for it-says he admires any guy which can plan a thing that big. Grinned like a hyena when I told him the big guys back o

s lips as he grinne

rail, Singleton-you

The devil himself couldn't find

t there came a confidence that had not been there before-bold, arrogant.

ame into his eyes-something abysmal, causing

oard of education appointed me to succeed Lefingwell as school commissioner for Willets. It strikes me that

me in. I ain't admirin' Ruth Hamlin none, but I reckon she wasn't to blame for that. If you was figgerin' to se

n. If he tries to 'wallop' me as he wallop

aph to the cuss," gri

past him. He took leave of Singleton and walked to the front of the saloon, where he

n long, and the light from the sun was mellowing when Warden wal

ere and there, but there was no human being in sight. The quiet peace of the wanin

ts of Ruth Hamlin had brought to him. He had seen the girl a number of times; he had talked with her twice. Each time when he had talked with h

ver the incident of the fluttering handkerchief, had gripped him. But he was aware that just at this time he was risking much-risking his life and jeopardizing the business venture in which he was engaged. Yet the impulse which was driving him had made hi

rectly east, bearing a little south after he had traveled some distance fro

hool commissioner; he assured himself that she must be made to understand that the forcible disciplining of her pupils would not be tolerated. Yet as

sdom of returning. And twice he rode on again telling himself

had felt upon the other occasions he had talked with her. And when at dusk he cam

corner of the corral, where she had left him when sh

left shortly after breakfast-for the dishes were unwashed and the floor unswept-two duties t

n a chair near the front door, thinking of what had happened in the schoolhouse-of what she had heard-t

she was convinced that he would think no less of her, no matter what her father had done, the fact that Lawler was tryin

r father returning, and she got up and went to the stove, where

me wood in the stove, deliberately keeping her back to the door, trying to think of somethi

rned, her eyes flashing with accusation, she saw Warden standing in t

that came over her face-the astonishment that i

be, after what happened at the schoolhouse today.

Warden had come to tell her she had been discharged; but that made little difference to her. She felt that she

ldly. "I am not sorry for what I did. I suppo

hat I would have done," smiled Warden. "The only criticism I have is that you sho

inside and walk

th you, Miss Hamlin; you

t meant at least her independence from her father, that she could support herself without depending upon the money he gained

g it pale, when Warden continued to hold the hand, gripping it so hard that she could not withdraw it. She looked intently at him, over the few feet of space

he girl had brought his passions to life again. They had overwhelmed him, had sent his g

he Hamlin cabin; his fears had been swallowed by the oblivion of mental irresponsib

ll go," he said. "I can keep you on the job in spite of them, my

p. The open hand landed on the side of his face with a smack that resounde

edulous. For an instant only, however, he stood, trying to wipe the sting of the blow away. Then he laughed throatily and

there; saw her fingers grip the edge of the table; noted that her

as he did so his profile was brought toward the door. He saw a shadow at his feet-a shadow cas

ugh he was convinced of it, he was a long time lifting his head and in turning it the merest trifle toward the door. And when he saw that the dread apparition was indeed Lawler, and that Lawler's heavy pistol was extend

d, pregnant with the promise of tragedy. Then the sile

a quarter of an inch

Ruth, took her by the sh

looked at him dazedly. Then, as she seemed to recognize him, to become convinced that it was really Lawler whom she had seen in the door

ly to him; and then she released herself, ste

d. "Why, Kane! that man-" She shuddere

a cold, bitter grin on his lips as he stepped

with you. We're going right no

old Ruth of a thing that, plainly, Warden had already seen-that though

He understood, and his breath was labored, his flesh palsied-and still he was going to obey. For Ruth saw him move; saw him sway toward the

is legs bending at the knees-when Ruth moved. She ran around the table and got between Lawler and W

ow what you mean to do. Please, Kane; let him go-al

sist when he drew her gently away from the door. Standing just inside, she saw him go out to where Ward

teaching it. The schoolhouse is your deadline-the same as this cabin. Whenever y

oved. And when he did re-enter the

o one of the rooms that ran from the big room was open. The other was closed. He walk

he calle

called. This time a smothered voic

e; I don't want to s

watching the door, now smiling faintly, understan

t and with the fingers of one hand c

finally; "where

know. And I d

suspicion as he looked at the door-it see

use through the broken window, after I hit Singleton the sec

verything." The sob

ing which his eyes glowed savagely.

it for a lon

she

's fault. He won'

brooding silence came

"Ruth, I'm asking you a

you, now, Kane-nev

ow; but the voice was

I'll ask you again, sometime. And

the saddle he sent Red King thundering away from the

River valley when Lawler dismounted from Red King and strode to the big Circle L

to their feet, looking at Lawler wonderingly, for on his face

u seen Joe Haml

and pointed eloquently toward a bunk, where a

', sayin' you'd hired him, an' that he was standin' straight up on h

ed the blankets, seized Hamlin by the middle and

pen, and he blinked in bewilderment at the faces of th

zes is the matter-I

led him outside. At an end of the corral fence, where no one could hear, Lawler talked lo

awler gravely, as Hamlin rode away; "a

r," answered Hamlin. "