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' 1 V- 4^. ■ 1! THCltWAY ,/k\T IS, •% V 1987 I' J N CHRONICLE, CLINTON. ■M' Jr !fc / PACE SETiK F ■* ■ V ffonr his “Okay, Roy,” he iseid, his voice drove ihe.fuhsus of T’ steady once more. "Some day mebbe ril .be able to pay yuh boys back for stickin’ with me like yo’re doin’.” Roy snorted; “ Tis nothin’ at all that we do, lad, exceptin’ to be shore yuh irit a square deal from now on out. Off with yuh.” “Don’t take any fool chances, Roy,” said Slim over * his shblilder as he aa’ the Dot H Dot are tw only ones that have been inixed"in tiouble? “Here' yuh jot railroaded 6n a ^me-uii. I Mona’s been losin’ a lot of up,; stock sbq cain’t afford to. Was I crdbked'inr’-wantin’ to. jet my hooks on these two spreads, dike as not I’d use^thtrsaiiW tactics to jet hold of ’em. - . “I always will think that, the real purpose of G^rge Arthur pn that visit to yore 'daddy was to put the -rf SSmopais: Slim Loyale is paroled from prison after 'servinj. 18 months for a crime he did not commit. He re turns to his Circle L ranch to find his father dead and sinister forces* at workjtrjrin j to make him violate his parole so that he caq ajain be rail roaded to prisoii. ' The Brockwells and their janj are plotting to gain poaaeasion of t^irele L ,yaaeh—and the property of Mom Hall, a. neighbor and life-lonj friend of Slim Loyale. ^im discovers that Sheriff Stat* buck has' joined the plot against him. With the help of Dakota Blue and his cowboys, Slim Loyale defiea the land- grabbers to do their worst. with thoughts and plans concei4iing Mona, when, out of nowhere, it seem ed, a mounted figure rose before him in the trail. Slim jerked 'erect, wary • ‘ V proposition up to him of soilin’. But mned .w.y. “Should th«y get yuh, blew up in' gave him the run before he could gel fai;, I’m cornin’ after ’em with hot lead. parole or no parole.” Slim, .shrugged. ’iMay be logic to thv/mp bf presently gray broiico =F ing hoofs soundedl nnd e pale shape of^ Pirn’s showed through the darkness. Slim stood up with a sigh of .relief. “Roy,” hflLexclaimed. “Thank heavens.” j “Roy it be,” came the jaunty ‘an swer. “^Hm, yuh’lK have to be after buyih’ a new hat, begqrra. This ’un has got a hole through it.. But the spalpeen who ruint#it ind J »nj But Roy was not listening. He was j what yuh say, Dakota^ But why climbing into Slim’s saddle and urg-j should anybody want the Circle L an' suspicious. Unconciously ' he{ingP the gray mare away into the the Dot H Dot especially? There’s . - ! ^ ^- - viic A/vw V5p«9i;imiiy ; meres reached to his thigh, only to realize darkness. God old Roy! What a faith-1 plenty of other good outfits in this that he had left his guns at home. \“Pull down. Slim,” <came a husky undertone. “Shore an* tl&ere’s dirty work abroad tonight. Not another stop unless yuh’ll be after wantfn’ a coward slug in the ribs.” Roy!” exclaimed Loyale. “Roy SIXTH INSTALLMENT “Did you ever stop to figure what the interest on five thousand dollars at seven per cent amounted to? Add why of my stock.” ^ - The note of tearfu^ misery in her voice made Slim quite humble and contrite. “I’nT'fOfry, Mona; I’m on edge. Shore, yuh did right all along. But listen to me; don’t yuh go to Bellin’ anotJher haid of yore cattle. I’m gonna see George'* Arthur tomor row an” I’m payin’ liirh every cent yuh owe him. Yes, sir. I’m takin’ over that mortgage myself. An’ if yuh every try an’ pay me one cent of in terest, I’ll—I’ll—why. I’ll cuff yore ears for yuh.” He grinned boyishly. ' Mona smiled in return, but shook her head at the same time. “That’s dear of you. Slim. But you mustn’t do it. I’d feel terrible, owing money lo you. And I’ll make out some way or other. I feel pretty confident of that.” Mona’s niore spirited tone did not fool SHm a bit. He iaw through it and understood the valiant courage of this slip of. a Western girl. With out kith or kin she wae waging a lone-handed, losing battle against big odds, and she was courageously fat ting the ultihiate. Slim’s eyes softened as he watched her. Little Spartan, that’s what she was.. “We won’t talk about that any more,” he drawled. “One thing is plumb certarn-,-though; yuh ain’t ever gonna lose^yore ranch. Whether s^ih like it or not, Mona, I shore won’t stand, for some slick 'jasper like George Arthur foreclosin’ on yuh. That’s final.^^l^ow gl^r up; let’s 3# happy for a change.^ He gave her a comforting pat on the arm. Strangely enough, they did fall into channels of easy range gossip. There was much that had happened while O’Brien, what in blakes are yuh ridin’ i^ound at.this time of night fdr?” >- Roy swung his mount close beside Slim’s, “,Divil a bit do yuh worry about the why an’ wherefore, lad,” he hats an answered. “I’m swappin hrdnes^with yuh now.’V Without waiting for the amazed Slim’s consent, Roy reached over and ful, fire-eating fighting rhachine the jolly Irishman was. yiewing the affair calmly. Slim knew thak there wm little chance of Roy getting the worst of the deal. „He could be as wary and cunning as an Indian when the occasion required. Tonight, forewarned of" what to ex pect ,the odds were greatly in favor of Roy coming through with flying colors. —So—SUm—rode home,- taking the neck of the woods.” “Don’t savvy quite yet,” admitted Dakota, “but I aim to find out one of these days., An’ when I dp. I’ll shore be in dh“the ground floor. I’ll roundabout route Roy had suggested, and arrived at the Circle L ranch buildings without seeing ^ a soul. As he drew up at the corrals and dis mounted, a dark figure sauntered have somebody on my hip that I’ll shore pile up.” Slim did not ^answer. He was star ing off into the night towards the Dot H -Dot. He stirred restlessly. ‘^Dammit,” he snapped, “I wish Roy would show up.” As if in answer to the wish, the low lad. He”Il never need a hat ag’in his- self.” > • Roy reined in and dismounted. Slim caught him by the arm. “Yuh m€an there was shootin’ Roy?” Roy laughed. “A little. ThiW shots^ to be exact, lad. When I left yuh. Slim, I eased along slow fer a time, givin’ yuh a chance to get well on yore way. Then I struck straight fer home, singin’ with all my, lung power. I guess the Hquid purity of my voice JI!lMta_chftrmi^mQat,uf them-ptfle- cats hidin’ along the trail, fer I got by all but the last one. He sapped me, with a gun pointed at me midle. “I asked him, polite-like, what the hell he wanted an’ what he meant by holdin’ up a pore harmless cow-punch, who was after lurin’ of his soul with song. He called me a low-down, trieky real gentlemi^ an* told him the to him. He yanted to know wbatihiid become of yuh, Slfm. I toM him ynli'd decided to go home another , wag aft* was aafe in yore little downy by that tim^. . ^ (Continui»d Next lague). I WHAT DO ign me 9fti<rpl«trtyr4nj!. O, JEftnCSi a hat aar’in bis- ^ . DOT sidewinder. So I thanked him like for bilioumm, loar ftomacli*' bilious indkesdou, flatu* 1 bemdach( lence and headache, due to consdpadon* 10c and 25c at dealaca. ^ . ,. . J swept off Slim’s cream sombrero, re- iiiuum,w, « uimv ukuiv .'^«luln,cIcu that to my other^expervs^ and Ypu owtr roH«brimmed-i over'from'the- btmkhouse. It was Da- <m(te«und why 1 want to sell some Then he swung to the ■ - ' ground. • “Git offn that gray boss of yores,” he ordered. “Off, I say, an’ scramble up on this bay o’ mine. Then do yuh turn north off the trail a bit an’ be after join’ home in a roundabout way.” Still bewildered, Slim slid to- the ground, but he did not relax his grip on the, reins of, his grfy gelding. ■‘What’s the meanin’‘of all this hocus- pocus, Roy?” he insisted. “Open up or I don’t move a step.’ ’ Roy. swore softly. "T tell yuh there be polecats an^* jdirty spalpeens ridip’ tonight, lad. ’Tis yuh they are after. iiiiiaii liiiaiBriBiiiii kota Blue again. ^ “Roy,” Dakota citlled out tersely. ‘‘\\Tiere’s'SlMl_ Why—what the hell! Is that yuh. Slim? How come yo’re ridin’ Roy’s bronc?” Slim told him of mee-ting Roy and the subsequent changing of mounts and hats. Dakota grunted with ap-1 P5;oval. “Roy’s usin’ his haid all the j time,” he added. ' j “But ‘I’m gettin’ to the narrow | edge, Dakota,” said Slim wearily.' “This ain’t life; this is hell, pure an’' unsweetened. It’s almost as bad as! bein’ in prison. On the dodge all the j time, afraid to call my soul m>\own-; hidin’ behind- ~yuh’ fellerii—if^ makes Unless’yuh'listen to old Roy, yuh'll!"* » damned worm. Fot^i, never git home.alive. But j.e'11 be af-l', R»y n>»y “k'" • ter foolin’ them. “Do as r say. Go north to the town trail an’ then home. I’ll wai^ here hour to give ypu j)linty of tihue. Then I’ll start "home myself.^ut 1^1 drunk an’ singin’ loud, so it’ll seem. They’ll know who I be an’ they won’t be after bothei^in’ me.” “But why can’t we both ride a cir cle home?” demanded Slim. j “Because of this divil of a light- colored boss an’ hat of ypres„.,^uh loom up like a lighthouse, lad. Do as yo’re told. Or dooa olfi Ro^^ave to akevvi muscle yuh down an’ make'yuh?” At last Slim was beginning to real right now that was meant for me. Dakota’s speculative gaze he^ a queer light in it. “I reckon I savvy ju.st how yuh feel, Slim. Shore, it’s a Tight ah*~a ‘tough biie. It takes a lot more nerve to handle this kind of a ruckUs that it does to hit the ground with a gun in each fist an’ talk it out throi\gh smoke. That-away yuh ^ean let yoreself go—^jest be darn good and! mad an’ let that piad run Ioom. | “Yuh caih*t do that. Yuh gotta keep yore feelin’s bottled up an’ sidestep trouble every time yuh m^t it. That takes . spine an’ plenty of it. Any danged fool can fight. It tak^ a real iiu what wa, up. Sumawhuiw along • the home trtir men were hidden out, waiUng to/throW a alug through him We fellers appreciate how Slim had been away; Folks had died; others had married; babies bad been ushered into the world—ju.st homely gossip that did a lot for them both in easing them and cheering them up. When Slim squeezed Mona’s hand and left, some two hours later, he was bumming happily to himself. It was good to be back again. As Slim Loyale headod homeward through the velvet night, he had al ready made up his mind as to how he would ward off the cloud, that was hanging over Mona Hall’s. headT- The first thing on .t;he following morning, he promised himself, .he- would ride .into Pinnacle and hunt up George Ar thur. J Then he would buy up" tfte mort gage on the Dot H Dot if it cost him a thousand dollars more than the amount of the nole. He’d say nothing to Mona about it When she finally did learn what had < happened, there would be nothing she cquld do. Slim grinned to himself. He knew Mona would be as ma|d as hops, but she’d get over it A couple of miles drifted back un der the steadily thrumming hoofs of as h^ rode by. Roy had found it out, ancT the fafthful Irishman was going to take Slim’s risk upon bis own will ing shoulders. ' ' “Damn it all, Roy, I-cain’t let yuh do it,” objected Slim huskily. “They’ll plug yuh for me .sure.” “Not if I sing loud enough,” stated Roy. “i sing like nothin’ el'se in the wide world. Besides, I’ve got my guns an’ I can use ’em without worryirf* about bustin’ no parole. Now do as I say like a good lad. Yo’re wastin’ time argyin*;” > The irony’of hi.s position *dug deep into Slim. It was maddening to be placed always thus, .on the defensive with no way of fighting back. Hia pride was quick and fierce, more so perhaps because of the wrong which had been done him by the niiscar- riage of justice. • Blind, primal fury pricked'at' his brain. He did T>ot want to run, He wanted to stand and fight, to rip and tear, to pour hot lead into the vitals, of those who were persecuting him- Yet his hands were tiejl. Once in volved in a gunfight, ,regar(lle8S of whose making it might be, Slim knew that it would mean going back to that hell on earth. . It meant being enclosed "between drab, gray walls of stone, away from the sky, from the warm stars,, away from everything worth while. Real his broncoc He was still mgrossed ization of this steadisd.. him, and COCOASUT CUSTARD tough, it isi. Slim. But if .we’re. wUlm to see yub through,. yuh oughta be willin’ tp do yore part.” Slim put his hand on Dakota’.s arm. ■ “I savvy, ole-timer. 1 promise, yi|h I won’t *go muffin’ around any more.- ItV my f ighj^ -air* 1 gotta make it. One thing, I got some of the poison outa me tonight. '1 “Leo Brockwell was at the I>ot H Dot, talkin’ oWr a cattle deal With Abe Forhachon. He butte<l into my visitin’ with '*Mona an’ got na.sty. I saw red an’ beat the daylights outa him.' “I don’t reckon me dares make a complaint to Jigger Starbuck about that. Brockweil had a gun an’ me only my fists. But man, what' a .satisfac tion it was to feel that polecat’s jaw under my kcuckles!” Dakota; stared gravely into the darkness. “If young Brockwell was half a man, I’d say he’d be a.shanied to go to ^arbuck with that yam. But he’s low enough to do anythin’ to gain his. ends. Slim. Trouble’s liable to coma of that.” “Don’t think so,” demurred Slim. “Abe Fomacjhon toljl Leo if he went to StJirbuck about it he'd swear he did the fist-slingin’ himself.’1 . Dakota chuckled with relief. “Abe’^ lilumb white. Looks like, Starbuck is gonna have a very devil of a time t^h’ anything’ against yuh. Slim, bad as 1 figger he’d like to." I savvy Tjow why Roy ran into them dry- gulchers along the trail. Leo Brock well eyiderdly skinned out fast from the Dot^^H'I^ an’ rounded up some of his crowd to ambush yuh on yore way home. We41, he’ll be dirappointed again.” ' SHm turned the bronco into the corrals, then rolled and lit a cigar- Citte. He souatted on his heels Leside the gate. “No ose me go^n* to b^ un til Roy gets back,” he announced. “I couldn’t sleep anyhow.” Dakota nodded, manipulated the' makins himself and -hunched down beside Slim. “Mona say anythin’ to yuh about losin’ cattle?” he inquired presently. Slim nodded, “^h-huh. Said Flash Ck>urtney an’ his gang had been workin’ on her herd, I didn’t tell her so, but that don’t sound reasonable to me. Far as I know, Courtney has alius hung out around Battle Moun tain, an’ that’s fifty-sixty miles from here. “No call for him to come clear over here to rustle stock when he’s got all of Murgatroyd Valley right a. his front door to op^te in. I aim te find out of course, but somethin* tells me the real rustlers are a lot closer to home than Battle Mountain.” Dakota Blue frowned thoughtful!^. 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