W. C. Tuttle

“ Mary got little view of Oreana City, as she was entirely occupied in clinging to the seat of the open buggy. The road was far from smooth, and they went bouncing off the street into a wide sweep of low hills, gray and blue in the starlight. Klondike clung to the frail lines, content to keep the running team in the road.
The light buggy meant nothing to the broncos; running, wild, cold-jawed. A mile or more reeled out behind them. Klondike knew of a bad spot in the road, where a washout had cut a deep furrow across the highway. To go into this at top speed would mean a smashup. ”

“ At any rate, Jud Ault and Eph Wheeler had been bunkies before this trouble, but had not met, face to face, in over twenty years.
Jud Ault, even before his injury, which finally killed him, was a grim, sour-faced old man, quick of temper. He hated mankind, and did not hesitate to say it. The Lazy A made Ault rich. Mining engineers had urged the old man to lease or sell part of his ranch, which was rich enough to make him a millionaire. ”

“ On the same day that Lane brought the letter from Dude Wheeler, Cultus rode in at the tumbledown Cross Arrow, and met Badger and Shif'less Hill. The old man was sitting on his little porch, clad in a sleeveless undershirt, faded pair of overalls, without boots or socks—his bare feet resting on the porch-rail, while he slumped back in a rickety chair, smoking his pipe. ”

“ I was afraid Loring might send a hard-boiled female."
"Yuh can't tell by the label," laughed Idaho.
"That's true." Lane moved closer to Mary and lowered his voice. "I don't know how much Loring told you, but you don't need to know very much. What you don't know won't hurt you. Just do as we say, and you'll get your money. Is that plain?"
Mary nodded, not trusting her voice.
"All right. We'll read that will, as soon as the men get here, and then you'll go out to the Lazy A. And remember—you are Mary Ault as long as you are here. You play square with us, and you'll get your profit." ”

“ But perhaps Shif'less Hill felt differently about it. He untied his horse at the New York Store hitch-rack, mounted and rode toward home. He had not stopped in front of Miles Lane's office with the intention of listening. In fact, he had heard only the dull mumble of conversation, until Lane had raised his voice slightly and said:
"Just forget those cow-hides. What do we care? Rustling is petty larceny beside what we'll get." ”

“ How could the Lazy A find those hides? Is there any way to get down there?"
"Not unless they go down on a rope."
"Which they won't do," said Cultus. "Where'd they ever find a two hundred foot rope? Lane thinks you don't know he saw yuh; so we'll just heave them two beeves down the shaft, which will destroy all the evidence. What little blood is scattered around won't convict anybody. C'mon, let's get busy."
"What's yore game?" queried Shif'less.
"Helpin' out a damn' fool."
The Lazy A was at breakfast, when Miles Lane rode in. Breen left the table and met him at the front door. ”

“ No head waiter met them. In fact they were almost knocked down by a hurrying waiter, carrying a tray of dishes; a short-haired, broken-nosed individual; a one-time artist in the manly art of scrambling ears.
It was warm up there amid all those smells. The tall man led the girl to a vacant booth, which an anemic-looking waiter was cleaning up, and they sat down opposite each other. The tall man had placed his suitcase beside the entrance, where he could watch it. ”

“ How can yuh prove who shot a beef? They've all been shot."
"Then drop the subject until you've got proof, Idaho. There's no use starting a battle with the Star X."
"Just let 'em keep on eatin' our meat, eh?"
"Have you ever eaten any Star X beef?"
"Yo're damn' well right, I have! But not that much."
"The amount doesn't matter. What I want you to do is to forget those hides. If you can get the goods on the Star X, I'm for it. But right now we don't want to stir up any war. Get this girl established out at the Lazy A, Breen. I suppose every cowpuncher in the country will want to marry her." ”

“ IT WAS early the following morning when Idaho Breen and his three cowboys rode in to Oreana City. Each man carried a rifle in a scabbard, and an extra belt of cartridges. The Lazy A was prepared for war. Cleve Sears, the pudgy sheriff, sighed mournfully when he saw them. He wanted to be fair with both sides, even if Joe Chevrier did try to kill him the evening previous. Idaho briskly stated his intentions of going out to the Star X and demanding the girl and an explanation.
"And you better come along, Cleve," he said. "It's yore place to see that we get a square deal." ”

“ Mex stuck his head around the corner of the doorway. "But you've got my consent to kill him, Omaha."
"Some of you damn' fools are goin' to kill each other one of these days," declared Idaho. "Why don'tcha ever grow up?"
Omaha tossed the gun to the bunk, and turned to the broken mirror to examine his injury. The nose was swelling, and was tinged with purple across the bridge. Idaho grunted disgustedly and walked out, while Pie crawled from beneath the bunk and advised Omaha to hold his breath and stop the bleeding. ”

“ I haven't any interest in your affairs, except as they affect the Lazy A. I have been attorney for Ault for years, and naturally I am interested in anything affecting the Lazy A ranch. Idaho Breen wants you to clean up this rustling. Why, I'd be the last person on earth to seek to injure you, Jones."
"Well, that's fine of yuh," drawled Cultus. He shook hands with Lane and sauntered out. Dude Wheeler was just going into the post office, and waved a salute to Cultus, who walked up and met him. ”

“ His hand trembled slightly and he spilled a little of the liniment.
"Do all men carry guns out here?" she asked. Dude looked up at her, his eyes serious.
"Most of 'em do."
"Tell me about Jud Ault turning his daughter out."
"It's true." Dude did not look up at her. "She married a gambler. Some say he was also a lawyer, but he didn't practice law here. Old Jud Ault wouldn't speak to her again. She lives in Oreana City, with her little boy."
"And he didn't leave her anything when he died?"
"A dollar."
"And the ranch is worth a million, they say," growled the old man. "Yo're sure lucky." ”

“ The only thing that worries me is that Loring is in a position to demand more money. He knows too much."
"Let him try anything like that, and I'll send him to the penitentiary for life," growled Lane. "Here comes the rig."
They helped Mary into the buggy, while one of the boys got her suitcase from the hotel. She gave Lane the check for the trunk, and Idaho promised to send a wagon after it. Cultus came from the store, carrying a bundle, and Idaho motioned for him to take the lines. Lane hastened to introduce Mary, and Cultus smiled. ”

“ The big living-room was much the same as that of the Star X, which was of decidedly masculine flavor.
Old Wang Lung, a wizen- faced old Celestial, presided over the culinary end of the Lazy A. He had been with the Lazy A for many years, and was known as "Hop," for no reason at all. He had accepted both Mary and Cultus without comment. He was jealous of his kitchen, and woe to anyone who intruded.
Idaho Breen had told the boys confidentially that Bill Jones, of Oklahoma, was an Association detective. Cowboys, as a rule, do not care much for a range detective ”

“ Idaho leaned against a buggy wheel and pondered over the telegram.
"Sendin' you best man for job," he muttered. "What job? A telegram to a dead man! And Al Traynor is secretary of the Association. I wonder jist what job they had in mind."
He folded up the telegram and went back up the street. The sheriff was sitting in front of the New York Store, whittling, his eyes scanning the front of the Oreana saloon. Idaho spoke to him, and the sheriff moved over to give him a seat.
"Yore gang and the Star X gang are over there in the Oreana," offered the sheriff, pointing with his pocket-knife. ”

“ Cultus had never been to Welcome Creek, but he knew it was not over fifteen miles east of the Lazy A, and that by traveling past where Idaho Breen had found the Lazy A hides in the prospect hole, he would strike the wagon road, which led from Oreana City to the Welcome Creek. ”

“ I'm as old as hell, and they say I'm as bitter as gall. Maybe I am. I haven't a kindly feeling towards anyone. You don't know how it is, Al; to be old, crippled, nothing to look forward to. I can't get around. ”

“ They looked at each other for several moments.
"That might be the best thing to do," said Dude slowly then. "I'll hitch up the team."
He went out, softly closing the door behind him. Mary curled up on the big chair, her chin in her hand. She did not like the old man, who filled his pipe and smoked noisily.
"You'll sell the Lazy A, won't yuh?" he asked, not unkindly.
Mary shook her head. "I'm sure I don't know, Mr. Wheeler."
"Runnin' a cow-ranch ain't no woman's job," he sucked heavily on his pipe. "Of course, you might marry a cow-man." ”

“ Jack Keene was the man who was sending the woman to pose as the niece of Jud Ault, and it was very evident to Cultus that Keene, or Loring, as was known in San Francisco, was in the plot to loot the Lazy A. But Keene was dead, and Cultus did not think that either Lane or Breen knew of the shooting. The girl, Janice Lee, was probably dead or in a hospital, and possibly she did not know enough about the details of the plot to ever let Lane and Breen know what happened. ”

“ But she won't prosecute me, because she owns the Lazy A now."
"We do, Shif'less," corrected Faith. "Or soon will."
Cultus laughed softly. "I'm glad. I'm sorry for Breen and Lane, but there's enough happiness to more than balance it. Is that doctor ever goin' to quit foolin' around and do somethin' for my shoulder? I'm sure gettin' weak in the knees."
"You're all fixed up," said Faith. "This is the first time you've been rational since the shooting, three days ago. You'll be as good as new in a few days. You'll have to be, because you are going to be best man at a double wedding." ”

“ So, as long as there was no Ault family to fight, it seemed that the feud would, or had, died. No one considered that Faith Keene was an Ault.
The Lazy A was in the hands of "Idaho" Breen, who had been Ault's foreman for years. Idaho was small of stature, as gray as a badger and with about the same disposition. Perhaps association with Jud Ault had caused Breen to become cynical, never smiling.
Cleve Sears, the sheriff, had well described Idaho Breen, when he said. "If I was goin' to pick out a man to do a first-class job of murderin' somebody, I'd pick Idaho Breen ”

“ Miles Lane cleared his throat softly. "If I were in your place, Idaho, I'd go home and sleep on it. I don't think that girl is in any danger of being hurt, and you can't do a thing tonight."
"That's good advice," nodded the sheriff. "Tomorrow mornin', if the girl ain't showed up, I'll go with yuh to the Star X."
"Yeah, and I'll take my whole gang," flared Idaho. "I've got to hire a horse to ride home on." He stamped out of the saloon, and they heard him going down the rickety sidewalk, heading for the livery stable.
Cultus went back to the hotel, puzzling over what had become of Mary. ”

“ Last night yore outfit staged a battle with the Star X, which wasn't noways decisive. If yuh go out there, all heeled for a scrap—you'll git it, Idaho. And I'm not goin' to back yore play. And I just want ynh to know that the law ain't back yuh. If yuh kill some, of the Star X, set to kill somebody. That's ag'in the law. If you go out there and git some of yore men killed, yuh ain't got no law to back yuh. If yuh kill some of the Star X, all hell can't save yuh from bein' tried for murder. ”