Outlaws of Palouse by Zane Grey

Author:Zane Grey [Zane Grey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-83-8136-772-1
Publisher: Ktoczyta.pl

CHAPTER III

DALE was the first to recover from the swift raw shock of the situation. All around him milled an excited crowd. Most of them did not grasp the significance of the sudden exodus of the horse dealers until they were out of sight. Dale, nearly frantic, lost no time in finding Strickland.

“Reckon-I needn’t waste time now convincin’ you there are some horse thieves in this neck of the woods,” he spat out sarcastically.

“Brittenham, I’m plumb beat,” replied the rancher, and he looked it. “In my ten years on this range I never saw the like of that…My Gawd! What an impudent rascal! To grab the Watrous girl right under our noses! Not a shot fired!”

“Don’t rub it in,” growled Dale. “I had to watch Reed. His man got the drop on me. A lot of slick hombres. An’ that’s not sayin’ half.”

“We’ll hang every damn one of them,” shouted Strickland harshly.

“Yes. After we save the girl…Step aside here with me. Fetch those men you had…Come, both of you…Now, Strickland, this is stern business. We’ve not a minute to waste. I want a bunch of hard-ridin’ cowboys here pronto. Figure quick now, while I get my horse an’ find that Indian.”

Dale ran into the lithe, dark, buckskin-clad Nalook as he raced for his horse. This Indian had no equal as a tracker in Idaho.

“Boss, you go me,” Nalook said in his low voice, with a jerk of his thumb toward the foothills. Apparently the Indian had witnessed the whole action.

“Rustle, Nalook. Borrow a horse an’ guns. I’ve got grub.”

Dale hurried back, leading Hoofs. Reaching Strickland and his friends, he halted with them and waited, meanwhile taking his extra guns out of his pack.

“I can have a posse right here in thirty minutes,” declared the rancher.

“Good. But I won’t wait. The Indian here will go with me. We’ll leave a trail they can follow on the run. Tracks an’ broken brush.”

“I can get thirty or more cowboys here in six hours.”

“Better. Tell them the same.”

Nalook appeared at his elbow. “Boss, me no find hoss.”

“Strickland, borrow a horse for this Indian. I’ll need him.”

“Joe, go with the Indian,” said Strickland. “Get him horse and outfit if you have to buy it.”

“You men listen and hold your breath,” whispered Dale. “This Reed outfit is only one of several. Their boss is Big Bill Mason.”

The ranchers were beyond surprise or shock. Strickland snapped his fingers.

“That accounts. Dale, I’ll tell you something. Mason got back to Halsey last night from Bannock, he said. He was not himself. This morning he sold his ranch–gave it away, almost–to Jeff Wheaton. He told Wheaton he was leaving Montana.”

“Where is he now?”

“Must have left early. You can bet something was up for him to miss a horse sale.”

“When did Reed’s outfit arrive?”

“Just before noon.”

“Here’s what has happened,” Dale calculated audibly. “Mason must have learned that Stafford an’ Watrous was sendin’ a big posse out on the trail of Mason’s Idaho outfit.”

“Brittenham, if this Ed Reed didn’t call Hildrith to show his hand for or against that outfit, then I’m plumb deaf.

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