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( TOE CUNTON CHBONICLR CUtrrOK SfC. idressed in a vol^intfi^ linen duster >cnd a narrow^ritnmed Stetson fot reasons that make it^-well, .can’t; Jthat’s all." ' just out of it." There was sharp, nfervote "I see,” nodde^ F^niachon, even , hia impatience in i his eyes, thin lips were set. B^ona met him on the ‘ Synopsis^im Loyale is paroled from prjpap. aher serving 18 months for a critoe he did not hommit. He re turns to«his Circle L rahch to find his father dead and sinister forces at noli Work,try in g to make him ^violate his parole so that he ckn again be rail roaded to prison. -^Tbe Brockwells and their gang are plotting to gain possession of Circle L ranch and the property of Mona Hall, a neighbor and life-long friend of Slim Loyale. _ Slim discovers that Sheriff Star- buck has joined the plot against him. With the help of I>akoti^ Blue and his cowboys, Slim Loyale .defies the land- grabbers tordb^Thelr worst. the new ground. We*ve-.got^tO| get control of the Circle L and th^ Dot H Dot, or all our plans and work will go for nothing. We’ve just got to do it, I tell you!” - I Starbuck laughed harshly. “Yuh an’ Brockwell go ahaid an’ get ’em then,” he said ^mockingly. “Me, I’m about through; I sat into this plan in the first place, willin’ to do my part, ’cause I figgered I was sidin’ in with men who had some savvy an’ brains. I found I was mistaken. “I’ll still play the game with yuh, as far as I can. swing it. But “I’m sittin’ back an ’ sayin’ nothin’. The porch, murmuring a perfunctory greeting. Arthi4r'wasted, no time in getting to the purpose of' his visi^ “Miss Hall,” he rsaped, “are you prepared to settle that:''''note I hold against your ranch?” ^ Mona’s heart Sank. She* shook her head. “No, Ibn not, Mr. Arthur— at least not immediately. But with a little more time—” Arthur halted her with uplifted though he didn’t. “Weil, keep a stiff upper lip. Ten days’ time is ten days’ time. Mebbe somethjn’ will turn up.” _ “No, Abe; nothing will. Tl^ats the trouble. I’ve been waiting too long now for some good break to come ^ilong. They, just don’t; that’s all; If I had _ stepped out w<ith ruthless hands and forced my own breaks, things ^would be different now.” “iMebbe,” nodded Forhachon. “Meb be yo’re right. Well,'^ni tell the hand. “Impossible,” he snapped,—“I regret this, of course, but conditions are such that I can e'xtend you no further time, I shall,have to foreclose immediateljr.” “iB-but you said—” ' Mona ! was fencing rather frantically, but Ar thur cut her‘ short again, with al most brutal dilrectness, “What I may have said in the past has absolutely no bearing on the jpres- ent, Miss Hall. Again I am mrry, but business exigencies force this boji*!*. An*" some-^air I’m gonna cook. up a reason to punch that lawyer jasper to a tall, thin peak.” ,, Mona went back to the house. As soon as she disappeared, Abe sad dled a bronco and rode off, appar ently in search of the Dot H Dot punchers, to give ,^them the bad news. But as soon as he was out of sight of the ranch buildings, he headed straight for the Circle L, . * 4 He rode rapidly, and about half way between the two places over- , EIGHTH INSTALLMENT » Starbuck came over and entered. “Well?” he demanded. “What did Loyale an’ Blue want?” - «; The lawyer fumbled nervously for '' a black stogy, snapped the tip off apd lit it. “Loyale tried to get me to sell the H Dot mortff^K^ to him. I’bli.^ afraid they are beginning to get wise, Starbuck.” “I know damned well they ,are,” grunted the sheriff. “They shore hung me over a barrel just now. I got hunch I’m gonna be the final goat in this deal. It won’t be healthy for a lot of folks I can name, if things shape that way too strong.” Arthur looked puzzled. “I don’t exactly understand.” “1 mean that Brockwell is gettin’ too raw,” exploded Starbuck, the anger he had been subduing break ing forth in full fury. “Him an’ his crowd are clumsy as a bunch of oxen. Start from tb*. ^ygjjfitlinVmn’ entimt up took another rider, a tall, keen-eyed step on me. I am giving you ten - — --- finish is up to yuh *n’ Brocl^ell, days* notice. Oirthe twentieth of thts^inan of middle-age, dressed-dn dusty, damn him. He ain’t played fair at ^^onth I Arill take possession. Good worn range _habiliments. The ail. He "Won’t even leave the Vasce'day.” • stranger’s hair was bleached to a stage alone. An’“folks are beginnin’i jje was gone before Mona could straw yellow, as was the long droop to look at me sorts outa the cornersTcollect her wits, leaving her feeling of their eyes, because I ain’t roundin’ j niore desolately beaten than ever be- up the jaspers who are pullin’-them'fore in her life. Jt; wain’t that the hold-ups. inp mustache that bracketed his thin, strong mouth. .At sound ^of Abe’s approach, the We fixed one of: them hold-ups j had. know’n that the ax would fall once on a innocent man. Slim Loy-Sometime, ju.st uis she had intimated ale. But that game ain’t gonna get' ^ct “Stl'm lAivale. But she was human blow was^ entirely unexpected. Mona stranger turned in his saddle and over,, a second time. Nope, I’m keepin’ my coat tails in the clear from now on. Yuh .can tell (Brpek- well that, an’ to hell with both of jmh!” • - the^slips he’s made “Yuh an’ me put Slim Loyale in ' Jarillo, khowin’ Bart Loyale would be daid before SHm got out. Then the question of a parole for Slim came up. Brockwell promised us that-he had influence enough to block that parole. He fell down an* Slim g<^t out. “In the meantime he was gonna see that Dakota Blue was put outa the way.. The best-he could do about that was to miss a good shot at Blue one- day along Nigger Ridge.* Since then Blue’s been too wary to be got. Sarg ain’t been able to pull down the Dot H hentis fast enough to keep the Hall girl 'from payin’ her interest on that note yuh hold. “Why, I hear that he was even dickeria’ to buy up some of her stuff. Course he’d have robbed her, give Tie^r'bnly half what the stock was worth, but had the deal gone thr mgh, ahe’di have ha^ ttore money to stall yuh off. Brockwell is so damned greedy he’s blind! “Anyway, last night he had a chance to get Slim Loyale on the trail between the Circle L and the Doc H Dot. Loyale got through clean with the help of Roy O’Brien. Before the night was over, O’Brien plugged Rango Deale.--- ■ f enough to have hung on to one last thread of hope that .something might turn up to avert the foreclosure. She turned wearily back to the I house, her eyes dimming with tears, stojmyL When Abe came up he n^d stom>yj.. [iedT “Amigo,” he drawled, his voice Saying which. Jigger Starbuck j her throat convulsed with sobs. Two stalked out of the door and crossed hours later she hunted up .Abe For- she choked. to the solitude of his own office. That same morning, Mona Hall had just finished her breakfajtt when Aibe Fornachon clanked into her room. “Mornin’, Miss. Mona,” he drawled, his deep eyes flitting over her wist fully. “I hear there was trouble along the trail last night.” Mona started up, her face white, ber hands going to her throat. “iSJim!” “iSlim’s all right,” broke in Abe gently. “Brockwell’s crowd was lay- in’ for hinj, but-betwixt him an’ Roy foxed ’em. There was Rango Deale got by Royf Shore, there’s bad trouble bowin’.” Mona nodde^her eyes tragic. “I’ve sensed it piling\up on this range, Abe, for a long tiiw^ Ever since they §f,Dt Slim to pri.son-^e felt that sin ister cloud hanging a^ve us all. I’m afraid, Abe—afraid.” Abe stared somberly out of the window. “Don’t go to lobin’ yore courage. Miss Mona. I admit there’s 'a lot of polecats on thi.s range^ but there’s quite a count of white tpen also^ No, I wouldn’t worry too mu^ was I yuh.” - Still -later that morning, almost noon, in fact, a backboard rattled up nachon.’ “.Abe,’ we re all done. The old Dot H Dot Ranch is 'about to change proprietors. .Ar- deep and slow, "mebbe yuh can tell me where I can locate a feller named •Arthur—Giorgc Arthur.” .Abe looked the stranger over keen-1 ly before an.swerirtg. “Yeah, I can. j Yuh’li find him at his office in town.” “Town called Pinnacle?” “Yeah. Over that away, a good two hours’ ride.” “.Shore, I’m off the trail. But 1 understood he owned a ranch here- "A few bagTo’ NATCHEL Sody an’ jes’ watch. dat cot- ton go to town.” ' ' Unde Natchel thur is foreclosing on the twentieth. 1 shouts—the Dot H Ibst.Ranch.” “You’ll have to tell the boys; L Abe stiffened. “There must be a haven’t the heart. Of cour.se, if t>^1TlYtake somewhere. .Arthur don’t want to gamble on Arthur retaining own the Dot H Dot, yet. How long enough money to pay including you. Oh, Abe, it hurts me aa »** She began to sob again,, little choked sobs that set lines of grim, white suffering about Abe Forna- chon’s lips. He laid a big hand on her bowed shoulder. “Don’t yuh worry none about , us, Mias Mona,” he told since was it yuh got th.at word?” ‘-Nigh onto a month. A’uh s<*o, my them after he takes' over the place, they can. But I can’t afford to keep I’ve jut gQl abQUtUame:4. Tisdale. 1 own a purfy good pay them all off, sized spread down in the Big Beni country, but I’m pullin’ out with a lot of other Big Bend ranchers. Too much sheep down there. 'We’re haidin’ up into this new Kicapoo country that’s t.o be opened. Continued Next Week Follow Sonny’s example —say Natural Soda to .ypur dealer. Plenty of nitrogen plus a natural balance of over thirty other, ele-, mems; ~ ■ J hyr gently. “We’ll make out.” “Me, I’ve seen thi? cornin’. an’ I ain’t a mite surprised. For that mat ter, neither Wiill the boys be. O’ course, it ain’t exactly my business, but why don’t you make a dyal with Slim Loyale? He’s got plenty of ready cash. I know Slim would be tickled to death to help yuh out.’’ Mona shook her l^d. “I couldn’t .Abe, I’ve got a Utile pride Idft. I flow Sim wrould help me; he already to the Dot H Dot. ' George Arthur jjhe •iMltli-Wr^^liig FunetloiMl P A I N S/ Severe functional pains of men struation, cramping spells and Jan gled nerves soon rob a woman of her natural, youthful frtehneu. PAIN lines In a woman’s face too often grow Into AOE llnesi Thousands of women have found It helpful to take CarduL They say It seemed to ease thdr ps^ns, and they noticed an tauwease In their appetites and finally a strengthened rcalstanoe to the discomfort of monthly periods. ' Try Ctedul. Of course If it doesn’t help, you, see your dootor. ^TURAL AS THE GROUND IT COMES FROM Subteribe to The Chronicle — 51.50 a Year “Dcale an’ Cinder .Alton w-ere pa!s. So what does that crazy Alten do but "wipe out Loyale agab just now up in the Wild Horse.^ L^ didn’t even hav’e a gun on him. Al ton got upset an’ his guns were taken off him. An’ Loyale an’ Blue are 'all through turnin’ ti ® other cheeky “Loyale’s puttin' on his gun. He told me straight 'that, parole or no parole, he’s gonna start thrdwin’ lead. He also said that if I tried to take him into custody he’d salivate me. An’ Dakota Blue an’ the whole Circle L outfit is backin’ Loyale to a finish. Damn Brockwell an’ his crowd for a bunch of knot-haided fools anyhow!” Starbuck had talked so fast and with so much pent-up anger, that he was breathless when he finished. George Arthur had begun pacing about. his office again, his thin lifMi pursed, his forehead wrinkled with agitated thought.^ “Things have been badly messed,” he agreed jerkily. of''Course, if the worst cosnes to tm worst, we can stage a raid on the Clrele L some night and clean up the whole ^ _.ne8t.” P; iStanbuck laughed acomfnlly. ^ “Yuh gone, crazy too?” he demanded. “Yuh sound like it, talkin’ that way. Listen here, Arthur. Only a idiot underestimates his opponent. Slim Loyale is a scrappin’ fo(d; he comes from that kinda stock. --A*- “Backitt^ him are thraa of the most dangerous ,ii|ra that ever vwung a laig. over a saddle. I’m referrin’ to I I^kota^ Blue, Stoney Sheard an’ Roy O’Brien. 'Wind -them thitee up an’ sret ’em started, an’ they’re better than a dozen'ordinary men. Steve Owens a^ Charley Quinn are young cubs, but not afraid of anythin* un der the sun. ’^An’ me, I’d rather trade wallopa with a grizzly bear than mix it ha^ to hand with that big Swede cook, Oscar. So just kndek the^idee outa yore haid that the iprde'1. spread can be rushed an* wiped out in„a pitched fight.” y “But we’ve got to do something,” snapi>ed the lawyer. “The opening cf the Kkapoo lUrrer^nagc is disr the mkkHe next month. The mi- grStion of ,tbe Big Bend herds will start imrae^Uately. In fact, 1 kno# that seme of. them are ea the move ak^y, intmdi^ to be theXfirst on A fibire yon eipeiieiiMd tiM 'grMteet Mfetjr and eoMyrt iaetor im modern motoring the proved Gliding Knee-Action ftide—pion proved and perCected iy Qnmolet? More dian three miUion Kne^Action lisert will tell yon that Knee-Aetion gives the safest gnd most comfort^le ride of all... that it mjfces mottning tar more satisfying as well at far more seeore than it can ever he in old-type cars. 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