Old Cap. Collier Library No. 379: The Lawyer Detective — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

11 THE LAWYER DETECTIVE. In less than three minutes thn young home- steader was back again. ‘“My horse is sick or dead!” he explained, as he entered the house and procured a lan- tern. The two now hurried to the stable to find the worst fears of Sid Gidley realized. His horse, the only one on the homestead, lay dead on the floor of the stable, froth and blood oozing from his mouth. Bending down, the boy examined the horse closely. When at length he rose to his feet, his freckled features were distorted with rage. nail “It’s as I thought!” exclaimed the young homesteader, ‘‘ the horse has been poisoned!” ‘‘ Poisoned!” exclaimed Ragsdale. ‘‘ Why should any one wish to destroy the stock of a widow ?” ‘¢ Dogoned ef I know, but Ill bet a farm ’at old Jack has been duped.” Going outside with his lantern, Sid exam- ined the ground closely. He was not long in finding footprints in the soil near the barn. These he examined closely, and bending down, measured with a small rule he took from his pocket. ‘“*-You see,” said the boy, ‘‘ there’s been a man here besides ourselves, and he’s left his mark behind him,” ‘It seems so,” returned Ragsdale, noting with surprise the keenness of the boy. ‘‘ Do ee ae the least suspicion of who it could , i ?”? ‘© No, I hain’t; but I'll make it a p’int to find out who the sneakin’ ape is, then let him look to himself,” cried the lad, springing to his feet. He at once made his way back to the front of the house, where the tracks of the maraud- er were plainly marked. He seemed not to try to conceal his move- ments in the least. ‘‘What can you do now 2” queried Rags- dale. ‘‘ Nothin’.” The boy returned to the house, followed by the man from Denver. The calamity that had befallen each, made them less communicative than formerly. Ragsdale was puzzled and chagrined at the way he had been robbed. How could he account for the loss of the sorrel mare to Rena Tripp? It would not be pleasant to face the beauti- ful girl after what had happened. And yet was he in the least blameworthy ? It did not seem so to the young man. Meantime Sid rattled about the house in a mood bordering on distraction. ‘‘T]] tell you what I’m going to do, Mr. Ragsdale,” said the boy at length, standing before his visitor. ‘‘ I’m going to take the trail to-night.” ‘‘Take the trail ?” ‘* Yes.” ‘ What do you mean ?” ‘‘Why, the trail of the skunk ’at murdered old Jack and stole your horse, sir. I reckon you'll be willin’ to keep house till I come back ?” ‘“‘Surely you do not mean this!” cried the lawyer. ‘‘ You have no horse. It would be simply nonsense to think of trailing a mount- ed man on foot; at any rate it seerns so to me.” ‘‘I can get a horse a mile down the Dead- water, and then there’l] be no trouble.” “But you don’t know which way the thief went.” ‘Leave that tome. Thar’sa gang of ’em, and it’s high time sumthin’ was done. All I’ve got to do is to rouse the settlers. You won’t be afeared to stay here till I return ?” ‘““ No, but——” ‘*You may look for me in the mornin’.” Taking a Winchester rifle from tbe wall, the young homesteader walked to the door. Ragsdale could see that the boy was deeply worked up over the death of his horse. The lawyer, however, believed it the height of folly to look for a trail in the night, and again so expressed himself. ‘‘ Wal, you may be right. mister,” agreed the boy; ‘‘ but I can’t rest till I let the people | know what’s been did. Tl only go over to Catamount Ranch and iet the fellows know. Tl come back inside of two hours,” And without waiting to argue the point further, the lad hurried out into the night. Ragsdale was thus left alone. He had ample Sppenenally to meditate on the situation, whic peculiar one. Why had the sorrel mare been taken, and who was the man who had peered into the window ? ‘*T would give half my prospects in life to meet this strange man ana learn all that he knows regarding the taking off of poor Olive.” In the meantime Sid Gidley hurried as fast as his legs would carry him down the Dead- water. He had no fear, since he carried in his hands a weapon that he knew as well how to use aS any man in Wyoming. The night was not dark, so that he had no trouble in following the trail, which led along a high bluff most of the distance to Catamount Ranch. The proprietor of the ranch so weirldly named was seated at a table engaged in a game of cards with two young cowboys when Sid burst in upon them. ‘‘Hello, Sid, me boy, what’s in the wind now ?” Jack Stoneset dropped his cards and stared at the new arrival in a manner that was as- surance that the lad was an unexpected vis- itor, ‘* Horse thieves!” ‘* Hoss thieves ?” The three inmates of the ranch sprung to their feet simultaneously. A dozen questions were hurled at the lad in less than half as many minutes, ‘Go a little slow and I'll try and answer some of them questions,” said the young home- steader. ‘‘ My horse, old Jack, was poisoned by some one not an hour ago, and the horse of a gent who had come to stop with me for the night was stole right from in front of the door. Now, what do you fellows think of that?” ‘‘Qutrageous!” exclaimed the rancher. “Git yer gun, Bill, and let’s go back ‘long of the boy an’ investigate,” said one of the cowboys, turning to his companion. ‘I reckon the gang’s at work agin’.” “You came down a-foot, Sid?’ queried Stoneset. ‘*T couldn’t come no other way, consider- in’,” returned the boy, trying to laugh. ‘‘T s’pose not. Wal, you jest ride one o’ my hosses, boy; I sha’n’t need him till you git back.” The two cowboys had mustangs picketed outside, and soon they were riding back to- He the Deadwater in company with young idley. On reaching the house, Sid alone dismount- ed, and went in to get his lantern. The light was burning brightly, but Mr. Ragsdale did not seem to be present. However, this seemed of no consequence at the time, and after obtaining his lantern, the ree hurried outside and led the way to the arn. One of the cowboys examined the dead horse closely. He pronounced the manner of death poison, then went with Sid to look at the footprints made by the marauder. ‘‘Ha! here’s somethin young cowboy. ‘¢ What now, Ellis?” ‘*T’ve seen this track afore.” ‘“Who owns ther boots?” ‘‘ One o’ the gang.” ‘*Then, by thunder! we’ll rouse the lads, and make araid. This thing's gone about fur enough, pard.” ‘** So I say.” The cowboys seemed deeply excited. ‘‘You know the man that stole the gentle- man’s horse, and poisoned mine, Ellis?” ques- tioned Sid eagerly. ‘*T do.” ‘¢ Who is it ?”’ ‘‘T darsen’t whisper his name just now, lad,” said the cowboy; ‘‘ but you kin jest rest easy, we'll make the kentry too hot to hold these scoundrels afore another day passes.” After a little further conversation on the part of the three, the cowboys departed, agree- ing to return in the morning and take the trail of the thieves A little later the boy found himself alone in his home. He had returned the borrowed horse, by the two cowboys to Catamount Ranch, he began to realize was a 2999 e exclaimed the ‘* Wal, I wonder where Ragsdale is gone. He hain’t shown his head since I got back.” The boy finally called the name of the Denver lawyer. He received no answer. ‘Good gracious, I wonder if somethin’s happened to him, too 2” At this moment the lad chanced to glance toward the table on which stood the lamp. A bit of folded paper caught his eye. Going forward, the lad at once seized the paper, and opened it. Although an indifferent scholar, the lad made out to decipher the few words the paper contained: **Srr,—Don’t worry. I have gone back to Three Oaks Ranch, Will see you again soon. | ‘* RAGSDALE,” CHAPTER X. WORK OF THE LARIAT. ‘* WELL, now,” mused the young home- steader, ‘‘it seems to me this ’ere’s a mighty sudden move for Ragsdale to make. By jiminy! I’ve almost a notion to believe the fellow was a snide, a horse thief, himself, like enough.” The lad was almost convinced that he had hit upon the right solution of the stranger's visit and sudden departure. The night passed uneventfully, and at early morning Sid Gidley was up and on the lookout for the promised visit of the cow- boys. They did not disappoint him. A dozen of them galloped up to the door of Deadwater Ranch about the middle of the forenoon. After examining the tracks of the horse thief the whole party hurried away on the trail, Sid remaining behind, since he had no animal to ride. After seeing to his few chores, the boy sat down on the door-stone and mused over the situation. ‘‘ By thunder!” he exclaimed, after a short time, ‘“‘I can’t stand this, I must see that man agin who acted so awful kind of good last night. I’m going over to Three Oaks.” It was a good ten miles to the colonel’s ranch, however, not an enviable trip to com- pass on foot. After a little debate the lad hurried his steps down the Deadwater, and soon stood before the proprietor of Catamount Ranch. ‘“Yes, of course you kin take one o’ my hosses, an’ keep him a week or longer ef you like, Sid, my boy,” returned the honest ranch owner, ‘but, mind you, don’t let anybody steal or pizen him.” The lad made the desired promise, and was soon mounted and speeding across the prairie in the direction of Colonel Rechart’s ranch. The first man to meet Sid on his entrance upon the colonel’s grounds was the old Mis- sourian’s factotum, Benay Flash. “‘ Well, it seems to me you’re a long way from home, youngster,” said the half-breed in greeting. ‘¢T want to see the kunnel.” ‘You can’t see him to-day.” “Why not?” ‘* He’s off.” ‘Where to?” ‘‘Don’t know. Cheyenne, like enough.” The lad’s face clouded. ‘‘ Was it important, Sidney ?” ‘Yes and no. It will doas well ef I can see Mr. Ragsdale.” ‘* Ah, then you know that gentleman ?” “Yes.” ‘¢Do you know any good of him ?”’ ‘“ That’s what I’m trying to find out,” said the boy. ‘‘Is the gent about ?”’ ‘‘T haven’t seen him to-day—in fact, not since last night, just after the inquest.” ‘¢ Where was he then?” ‘¢ Over to the shanty where the body of Miss Chester was found.” ‘‘Exactly. You know Mr. Ragsdale, I reckon ?” ‘¢ Yes, quite well.” ‘« Where’s he from ?” ‘¢ Denver.” ‘‘What’s he up this way fer ?”’ ‘‘ Well, he came because I sent for him.” ‘* You sent for him?” ‘‘Yes, The murdered girl was Ragsdale’s cousin, and I thought he ought to know that the body had been found. The colonel thought so, too.” ‘* And so you two got yer heads together and sent clear to Denver fe: the gent ?” JOO Co AMC SS