A MENACE APPEARS
Sheriff Moreton waited for Warden to act, as he had promised. And the
sheriff continued to wait. For Warden did not appear with his evidence.
It seemed that the power behind Warden had called a truce; that it had
been disconcerted by its failures, and was waiting--slowly marshaling
its forces for another assault. But the power was working secretly, if
it worked at all, for during the winter there were no visible signs
which would indicate activity on the part of Lawler's enemies.
Nature seemed to wait, also. The country, between storms, lay bare and
naked, bleakly barren where the winds swept; somber in the valleys, with
desolation reigning on the coldly gleaming peaks of the hills and the
distant mountains.
Willets was somnolent, lethargic. Occasionally a canvas-covered wagon
rumbled over the frozen windrows of the town's one street, and rumbled
out again, loaded with supplies for a distant ranch; or a group of
cowboys, in search of diversion, came into town for a night. But these
visitations were so infrequent as to create no disturbance in the dull,
slumberous routine of Willets' citizens.
Warden and Della Wharton, accompanied by Aunt Hannah, had taken a
west-bound train shortly after Miss Wharton's adventure in the Circle L
line cabin. It was whispered they had gone to the capital for the
winter.
Sheriff Moreton had ridden over to the Circle L, to quiz Lawler about
the killing of Link and Givens.
"The coroner's verdict didn't incriminate no one," said Moreton. "I told
him some Two Diamond men had found the bodies down south a ways, an'
that they wasn't no evidence to show who'd done for 'em. Now, Lawler, if
you'd give me a straight story I'd be obliged to you."
Lawler gave him a "straight" story, merely omitting mention of Miss
Wharton.
"Cut your fence, eh?" muttered the sheriff, gruffly; "well, I reckon
they got what was comin' to 'em!"
Lawler had ridden over to the Hamlin cabin twice, making his visits
short, for he saw the embarrassment in Ruth's eyes, over what he had
done for Hamlin.
A change had come over Hamlin. His eyes held a straightforward gleam
that had not been in them for a long time; he held his head erect, his
step was springy and full of reliance. He seemed rejuvenated, imbued
with a new spirit. Several times Lawler saw Ruth's eyes following him
with pleasure; though she blushed when she caught Lawler watching her.
When the mild winds of spring began to sweep across the wide levels, and
the sun began to shed its welcome warmth over the land, Lawler rode
again to the Hamlin cabin. This time there was an anxious light in
Hamlin's eyes; and Ruth was pale and worried.
"There's been strange doin's around here, lately, Lawler," Hamlin said
when Lawler questioned him. "If you hadn't rode over today, I was
intendin' to sneak over to the Circle L an' tell you about it.
"The other night I was ridin' north--near Bolton's Shallow--where the
old trail crosses, leadin' to Kinney's cañon. There's some new grass
there, an' my cattle is dead set on gettin' it. I'd got 'em, an' started
back with 'em--easin' 'em down that little gully near the river--an'
bein' plumb out of sight from the shallow--when I seen a trail herd
comin'--_west_!
"Lawler, I watched 'em. I seen 'em cross the river, still headin' west,
easin' off a little to the south. They was above me, an' they was a glow
in the north, behind 'em--an' they stood out plain an' clear. An' so did
the men that was with 'em, drivin'.
"Lawler, they was more'n fifty men drivin' them cattle--mebbe five
hundred head. An' they had three wagons, an' a _remuda_ with about a
hundred head in it!
"They was takin' their time. I rode back a ways, an' then got off my
horse an' sneaked up close to the shallow. An' I seen all the men,
clear. I waited until they got a good start, an' then I trailed 'em.
They brought up at the Rabbit Ear, at that old house of Rud
Dickman's--who cashed in three or four years ago, leavin' nobody behind
him."
Lawler nodded. He knew the place. Dickman had been a nester, and since
his death no one had occupied the house, and no one had come to claim
his land.
"Well?" said Lawler, as Hamlin paused.
"Lawler," said Hamlin, gravely; "there's goin' to be hell to pay in this
section. Them men turned their cattle into the grass around there, an'
put a night guard over them. They emptied their wagons and toted the
stuff into the house. They fixed up the corral fence an' turned their
horses into it. They brought lamps an' stoves for the bunkhouse an' the
cabin--an' bunk stuff an' tables an' such. They're figurin' to stay
there. An', Lawler--they're _Blondy Antrim an' his gang of
cutthroats_!"