Adventure, December 3, 1920 — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Law Comes to Singing River of Drayton, who alers had it in fer Hemp, an’ who was scheming with the rat to get Hemp at the very time you got in on the play. They think you joined the gang and helped pull off the robbery las’ night.” “And so they’re looking for me with the - Hemp gang.” “Ves, but maybe they figure the gang split up.” Lang nodded grimly and glanced at his horses. “Lem, last night I was making it for the ranch down the Teton. You don’t think I was in with Hemp on that bank deal, do you?” “T know well you wasn’t!” exclaimed Robbins quickly. “But it—it looks bad from all sides; an’ yo’re in one of a scrape over shootin’ Drayton. Now last night I crossed yo’re trail up the Teton and I saw another set’ of tracks followin’ yourn.”’ “You think somebody’s tagging me?” asked Lang, startled. “Maybe somebody jest happened along that way, but you know there’ll be one whale of a reward out fer you. I cut across country, ridin’ like mad, figurin’ you’d make up this way an’ maybe lay over till dark here at Sixty- Mile, jest to tip you off. Yore daddy was my friend, an’ by I’m yourn. An’ I was afraid you’d hit straight north to the line.” ‘Not a chance,” scoffed Lang. ‘Too far— too flat.” “An? I was afraid you’d forgotten some- thing. fe ‘cloud oieeicel the sun and both men looked up involuntarily. A freshened breeze whispered in the willows. “What'd you think maybe I’d forgotten, Lem?” “They're using automobiles. round these parts some now,” said Robbins meaningly. VII “BUT they’re not going to chase me ‘with automobiles where I’m _ going,” said Lang at length, although his face was serious. ‘And I’m not afraid of any one trailing me; but thanks for the tip just the same, Lem. I had forgotten about the ma- chines; I'll keep an eye out.” “You figurin’ on startin’ on now, Lang?” “Ves,” said Lang. A shadow fell over the coulée, and both men again glanced instinctively up at the sky. “Let’s take a look around,” said Robbins. They climbed to the rim of the coulée. Clouds were riding in the high skies from the northwest. But on the golden expanse of prairie: no moving thing was in sight. “First clouds that look like they meant busi- ness I seen in a long time,” observed Robbins. “Tell rain now probably ; now that it’s too 13 late to do any good,” said Lang bitterly. They dropped back into the coulée. “Which way you going, Lem?” Robbins kept his eyes upon his’ saddle as he tightened the cinch. “T’ll be hittin’ southeast,” he replied. “Tt wouldn’t be a good thing for us to be seen together,” said Lang. “No—that is, I dunno—no, I guess it wouldn’t.” Something in the other’s tone made Lang look at him sharply. “Say, Lem, look here. Are you gettin’ me pegged wrong? Do you think I’ve gone bad since the days I followed the wagon on roundup?” “No, Lang, no! It ain’t that——” Robbins seemed on the point of saying something more, but desisted. “You don’t think I was with Hemp’s. gang?” “T know you wasn’t, son.” “Then you think I bored that pair in Muddy on purpose and for deviltry?” “No, I don’t—I’m only hoping you get safe out of it, son.” No more was said as they prepared to go; but Lang felt a bitter sorrow in his heart. What did Lem Robbins think? Were the few tried friends he had in doubt about him? The reflection added fire to the flames of anger and strengthened his determination to resist any attempts to deprive him of the free- dom of the open which he loved and to make him atone for a crime he had unwittingly com- . mitted. “The gumbo flats are three miles north of here,” said Robbins as he mounted. ‘There ain’t a shack on ’em.” “T know,” replied Lang. - “I’m heading for em.” “They'll be figurin’ you’d hit for the Mis- souri bad lands-or the line probably.” “T’m banking on their figuring that way,” answered Lang, swinging into the saddle. “Bout forty miles due west and then——” “The Rockies!” supplied Lang. “So-long,”” said Robbins, It was the prairie country’s simple, friendly phrase of parting. © “So-long,” said Lang; but he bit his lip as their hands met. Robbins rode rapidly south, taking the trail by which Lang had come. Shortly, however, he left this trail and rode east. Lang turned his horse north and with the pack-animal following trotted briskly up the narrow, hard-baked floor of the long, winding coulée. The deep gash in the prairie narrowed and — progress had to be made at a slower pace as he proceeded. It was past mid-afternoon when he edged up a narrow shelf of earth and gravel and cautiously emerged upon the gumbo flat Gomichbooks (C@