CHAPTER XXVI
A MENACE APPEARS
Sheriff Moreton waited for Warden to act, as he had promised. And thesheriff continued to wait. For Warden did not appear with his evidence.It seemed that the power behind Warden had called a truce; that it hadbeen disconcerted by its failures, and was waiting--slowly marshalingits forces for another assault. But the power was working secretly, ifit worked at all, for during the winter there were no visible signswhich would indicate activity on the part of Lawler's enemies.
Nature seemed to wait, also. The country, between storms, lay bare andnaked, bleakly barren where the winds swept; somber in the valleys, withdesolation reigning on the coldly gleaming peaks of the hills and thedistant mountains.
Willets was somnolent, lethargic. Occasionally a canvas-covered wagonrumbled over the frozen windrows of the town's one street, and rumbledout again, loaded with supplies for a distant ranch; or a group ofcowboys, in search of diversion, came into town for a night. But thesevisitations were so infrequent as to create no disturbance in the dull,slumberous routine of Willets' citizens.
Warden and Della Wharton, accompanied by Aunt Hannah, had taken awest-bound train shortly after Miss Wharton's adventure in the Circle Lline cabin. It was whispered they had gone to the capital for thewinter.
Sheriff Moreton had ridden over to the Circle L, to quiz Lawler aboutthe killing of Link and Givens.
"The coroner's verdict didn't incriminate no one," said Moreton. "I toldhim some Two Diamond men had found the bodies down south a ways, an'that they wasn't no evidence to show who'd done for 'em. Now, Lawler, ifyou'd give me a straight story I'd be obliged to you."
Lawler gave him a "straight" story, merely omitting mention of MissWharton.
"Cut your fence, eh?" muttered the sheriff, gruffly; "well, I reckonthey got what was comin' to 'em!"
Lawler had ridden over to the Hamlin cabin twice, making his visitsshort, for he saw the embarrassment in Ruth's eyes, over what he haddone for Hamlin.
A change had come over Hamlin. His eyes held a straightforward gleamthat had not been in them for a long time; he held his head erect, hisstep was springy and full of reliance. He seemed rejuvenated, imbuedwith a new spirit. Several times Lawler saw Ruth's eyes following himwith pleasure; though she blushed when she caught Lawler watching her.
When the mild winds of spring began to sweep across the wide levels, andthe sun began to shed its welcome warmth over the land, Lawler rodeagain to the Hamlin cabin. This time there was an anxious light inHamlin's eyes; and Ruth was pale and worried.
"There's been strange doin's around here, lately, Lawler," Hamlin saidwhen Lawler questioned him. "If you hadn't rode over today, I wasintendin' to sneak over to the Circle L an' tell you about it.
"The other night I was ridin' north--near Bolton's Shallow--where theold trail crosses, leadin' to Kinney's canon. There's some new grassthere, an' my cattle is dead set on gettin' it. I'd got 'em, an' startedback with 'em--easin' 'em down that little gully near the river--an'bein' plumb out of sight from the shallow--when I seen a trail herdcomin'--_west_!
"Lawler, I watched 'em. I seen 'em cross the river, still headin' west,easin' off a little to the south. They was above me, an' they was a glowin the north, behind 'em--an' they stood out plain an' clear. An' so didthe men that was with 'em, drivin'.
"Lawler, they was more'n fifty men drivin' them cattle--mebbe fivehundred head. An' they had three wagons, an' a _remuda_ with about ahundred head in it!
"They was takin' their time. I rode back a ways, an' then got off myhorse an' sneaked up close to the shallow. An' I seen all the men,clear. I waited until they got a good start, an' then I trailed 'em.They brought up at the Rabbit Ear, at that old house of RudDickman's--who cashed in three or four years ago, leavin' nobody behindhim."
Lawler nodded. He knew the place. Dickman had been a nester, and sincehis death no one had occupied the house, and no one had come to claimhis land.
"Well?" said Lawler, as Hamlin paused.
"Lawler," said Hamlin, gravely; "there's goin' to be hell to pay in thissection. Them men turned their cattle into the grass around there, an'put a night guard over them. They emptied their wagons and toted thestuff into the house. They fixed up the corral fence an' turned theirhorses into it. They brought lamps an' stoves for the bunkhouse an' thecabin--an' bunk stuff an' tables an' such. They're figurin' to staythere. An', Lawler--they're _Blondy Antrim an' his gang ofcutthroats_!"
The Trail Horde Page 27
