Old Cap. Collier Library No. 379: The Lawyer Detective — page 27: what you’re looking at

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THE LAWYER DETECTIVE. 27 ‘‘ Wal, dod blamed ef I don't want to git even with that sneak who said he was a de- tective.” — ‘You can go after him if you like, but I ropose to look out for number one hereafter. Monve been altogether too kind in the past, colonel.” ‘“‘Don’t mention it, youngster; it’s a way I have.” ‘“T suppose so. Will you oblige me by telling me who this man calling himself Shade is, Colonel Redhart ?” Again the young lawyer pierced the Mis- sourian with a penetrating glance. His distrust of the colonel now amounted to belief that he was in league with his— Ragsdale’s—enemies. ‘““Wal, now you’ve got me, youngster.” “Got you ?” ‘“‘Dod blamed ef you hain’t. I sent out to Cheyenne fur a detective, and this man Shade came. Ef he’s an impostor, as you think, I didn’t know it, I'll sw’ar to that.” The colonel spoke with seeming earnest- ness. ‘* See here, colonel,” cried Ragsdale, severe- ly. ‘‘ You induced me to take a ride with you last night, promising to lead me to Evard Demming, the presumed murderer of my cousin, Olive Chester. I went with you, hon- estly, blindly. You know what happened.” ‘“T do.” “You fell from your horse, crying out, ‘I am shot!’ Now here you are, at home and un- harmed, only a few hours later. What am I to think of such things °” ‘‘T gee. You’re mad ‘cos I left ye in the lurch. Wal,I don’t blame ye one bit. Ye see, a bullet jest grazed my cheek, and I dodged and fell. Tlsw’ar to yer, youngster, ’at I thought I was shot. BeIto blame ef it didn’t turn out a fact? Jest yer show me the men ’at got up therrumpus last night, and ef I don’t skin ’em alive, then call me a dum liar and a traitor!” Colonel Redhart seemed terribly in earnest, and doubt once more held sway in the mind of the self-constituted detective from Den- ver, ‘*T don’t know that we need quarrel,” said Ragsdale finally. ‘‘I should like right well to know why so many men in this country are anxious tohave my life. I wasastranger here till a very short time since. In what have I offended? Can you tell me that, col- onel ?” ‘“*Dumed ef I kin, Hilton.” “T can, though,” put in Sid Gidley, who, up to this time, had been an interested listen- er to the confab between his friend and the Missouri colonel. “Well, Sid >” ‘It’s the durn horse-thieves.” ‘“ Horse-thieves ?” ‘“‘ An’ cattle-stealers, too,” declared the boy. ‘‘There’s a hull gang on ’em, and when they’re hunted to ther holes there’ll be some folks’at will besurprised. Mr. Stoneset won't take a back seat for no man, Mr. Ragsdale, and he says ’at something’s goin’ to drop, and that mighty heavy, before many days.” ‘** Pooh!” This from the colonel. ‘You needn’t pooh; kunnel,” cried the boy angrily. ‘‘I know what Im talking about, and a good many folks thought to be honest will go up to the limb of a tree when the vigilantes strike, as they mean ter do in a few days.” x You dum leetle weazen,” snarled the colonel, catching Sid by the arm and shaking him fiercely. ‘‘ You kerry the idee ’at folks ‘at’s present may be no better’n horse-thieves. Yer insult Mr. Ragsdale an’ me!” ‘‘Let me go, kunnel—let me alone,” yelled Sid, struggling in the Missourian’s clutch. He could not escape, however, and, bend- ing down over the bony hand that held him, the boy inserted his white teeth in the yellow thumb. Colonel Redhart uttered a yell and dropped the boy, who darted down the steps, not halt- ing till he thought himself at a safe distance from the irate colonel, who danced about, wringing his bleeding hand, and howled with rage. The whole scene rather amused the man on the sorrel mare. -‘ Confounded little snipe!’ roared Colonel Redhart. ‘‘ Ef I had ver here I'd wring yer neck!” ‘‘Ha, ha!” laughed the boy. ‘‘ Got yer dander up jest *cos I said some high-toned folks was hoss-thieves.. Wal, mebbe the kun- nel’s one of ’em—who knows ?” Then the boy danced out of sight toward the rear of the house. ‘‘T believe I will stop long enough to get some of this stain off my face and hands,” said Ragsdale, after the colonel had cooled down somewhat. ‘‘ All right. Yer allus welcome, young: ster.” Securing his horse, the Denverite dismount- ed and entered the house. An hour’s work failed to fully remove the color from Ragsdale’s hands and face, yet the young lawyer looked a little more like himself when he once more appeared on the porch, where the colonel sat smoking. ‘-Some one’s a-comin,” said the colonel the moment the young lawyer appeared. A horseman was seen approaching. He was riding at a furious pace, nor did he halt till he had drawn rein at the foot of the steps, within a few feet of the colonel and his companion. The new-comer was no less a personage than Tribune Tripp. His face was more ru- bicund than usual, and his whole manner in- dicated a disturbed state of mind. ‘* You infernal old villain!” yelled Tripp, his face almost bursting. ‘‘ It’s your doings, and I’m going to make you smart for it! Do you hear me, you yellow-faced Missouri ape? Stand up—stand up and die like a man! for I’m going to have your life!” With the words, Tribune Tripp thrust for- ward a revolver and fired full in Colonel Red- hart’s face. —-— CHAPTER XXVII. AN ARREST. CRACK! crack! crack! Colonel Redhart was on his feet now, ex- changing shots with Tribune Tripp, and the deadly leaden pellets were flying too near the head of our friend Ragsdale to prove com- fortable. Since the young Denver lawyer was not particularly interested in the duel between these-two Western cattlemen, he concluded to retire till the conflict was over. He therefore glided into the house. The conflict was all over in a very short minute. Mrs. Redhart came rushing to the front of the house, no doubt expecting to find her liege dead or dying. She carried a huge iron poker, with which she thought to take part in the conflict. The sounds of strife suddenly ceased, and an ominous silence reigned. ‘*Got enough ?” ‘“‘Treckon. Hev you ?” éc¢ Yes.” ‘‘Wal, let’s talk this ’ere over. mad about, anyhow ?” Ragsdale now ventured to look forth upon the scene of strife. Both men were there, apparently unharmed. There was something strange about this, thought Ragsdale. “You know what I’m here for, ‘Colonel Redhart. My wife was the apple of:my eye.” ‘*Oh, yes, of course,” and the Missourian indulged a coarse laugh. ‘‘Don’t you laugh at the misfortunes of a devoted husband, Colonel Redhart, or Tl make you swallow teeth.” *“ Wal, git off’n yer hoss and come in and take sumthin’. You’n J hes been friends in the past; I don’t reckon I’ve did anything to change the aspect of affairs.” ‘* You hev, though.” “Explain.” ‘‘ Julia’s gone.” ‘* Gone ?” “* Yes,” ‘*‘When did she go?” ‘‘ Not two hours since.” ‘* Dead ?” ‘No, worse than that.” ‘¢ How could it be wuss, Tripp?” ‘* Well, it could be. Honor’s worth more than life—a woman’s honor especially,” said What. yer Tripp. ‘‘You know well enough what I mean. My wife has been taken forcibly from home.” “Yer don’t say ?” ‘‘She has been arrested,” ‘* Arrested ?” ‘“ Yes.” “Fur what ?” ‘* For murder.” ‘> Great Jehosephat! yer don’t tell me!” ex- claimed the colonel, in a voice of astonish- ment. i a Didn't you know all about it, Colonel Red art ?” ‘* Not a thing.” “Truly ?” ‘*True’s gospel, Trib.” ‘‘ Shake!” The two clasped hands. “I’m sorry I got mad at you, Colonel Red- hart; but as your man, Flash, was along, and the chap that has been staying here with you for the past week made the arrest, I naturally thought it was you who had put up the dirty job. I’m glad to hear it wasn’t.” ‘I never knew a thing about it,” answered the colonel. ‘‘So Nat Shade’s made an ar- rest. Wasitfurthe murder of Olive Chester, Trib ?” * Yes.” “ Awful!” “My wife a murderess! It makes ine mad clear through.” ‘‘For once I honor you, Tribune Tripp,” said Ragsdale, now stepping forward. ‘If my aunt has been arrested by Nat Shade, a most villainous crime has been committed. He had no authority to arrest any one. Have they taken Aunt Julia from home?” ‘* Yes.” ‘* Where will they take her ?” ‘‘To the county seat, I suppose.” ‘* Where's that ?” ‘‘ Forty miles south, on the Sweetwater,” said Tripp. ‘‘The name of the town ?” “ Atlantic City.” ‘‘Have these men already gone with my ” aunt?” ‘“‘ They have.” ; ‘‘Tt was an outrage. Why did you permit it, Tribune Tripp ?” ‘“‘T wasn’t at home at the time. When I heard that Benay Flash was one of the men that made the arrest, I at once set it down that the colonel here was at the bottom of the whole thing, and it male me mad clear through. If I hadn't been so excited I should have aimed better, and the colonel would now be a dead man.” ‘* No doubt.” There was something in the glance that the speaker gave Redhart that set the young law- yer to’thinking. It did not seem possible that two such ex- perienced plainsmen could fire at each other half a dozen times, at point blank range, and neither receive a wound. When he had more time to think the young lawyer was sure all was not on the square. Without waiting to discuss the situation with the two men further, Ragsdale hurried from the house, and mounting the sorrel mare, he galloped rapidly away toward the Tripp ranch. ; ‘“There goes a tenderfoot idiot,” sneered Tripp, as he gazed after the Denver lawyer. ‘“Come, Tribby, let’s take sumthin’ on the strength o’ this last,” said Colonel Redhart, thrusting his thumb between his visitor's short ribs. The two adjourned to the wineroom, where they had a jolly time for the rest of the day. No one was at home when Ragsdale ar- rived at his aunt’s ranch save Rena Tripp. Her eyes were red from recent weeping, and she seemed in distress. The young lawyer had never seen her Jook- ing more beautiful before. ‘It’s a wicked thing,” declared the girl. ‘“ Poor mamma, it will kill her, I am afraid.” ‘‘Tt is true, then, that she has been taken 7 *« Quite true.” ‘¢ Arrested for murder ?” ‘‘ Yes, Mr. Ragsdale.” She did not seem to notice the young law- yer’s altered looks, so deeply was she affected by what had 80 recently occurred. Ragsdale stabled his horse, then returned to the house and sat long in conversation with the beautiful Rena. He realized that it would be useléis & at- CORNICE OOO S