BUCKY FOLLOWS A HOT TRAIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 March 1939, Page 10

BUCKY FOLLOWS A HOT TRAIL

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

COPYRIGHT.

BY

WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE.

CHAPTER 111. (Continued). “He’s gone, but not with the money. Listen, Mrs Breed. If the robber and his loot aren't found—and if I live —I'll make good your loss out of my own pocket.” Strangely, she was convinced he told the truth. “God bless you if you do, Bucky Cameron,” she prayed.

He left the main business street and walked into the fashionable residence section of the town. As he strolled past a rambling red brick house built in the English style, the crack of a gun sounded. Bucky knew that somebody had fired at him from the sumac bushes across the road. He ran up the winding roadway leading to the house. Again, twice, a revolver roared. Bucky took the porch steps three at a time ,and went through an open French window into a small conservatory opening into the living room. In front of a large alcove window of leaden panes a slender young woman was standing beside a desk reading a a letter. The rays of the sun streamed through the glass and put her in a spotlight. The Bokhara rugs, the upholstery of the comfortable chairs, the whole tone of the farm cheerful room, lent accent to the vividness of the girl. She glanced at Bucky. Instantly her figure stiffened. “What are you doing here, sir?” she asked.

“I’ve been hearing that question all morning,” he answered. “One might almost think I wasn’t welcome.” Light gleamed from the short copper curls crowning her head. “I ask you what you are doing in my father’s house,” she said, her chin lifted.

“Finding sanctuary, lady.” A flicker of sardonic humour sparkled in his eyes. ,

“What do you mean?” “From the town’s enthusiastic welcome to the prodigal. Toltec is getting ready to kill the fatted calf.” . “I suppose you can’t help being a fool,” she said coldly. “You had to come back and get into trouble.” “Am I in trouble? Here in dear old Toltec, where everybody loves me?” He felt beating in his throat the pulse of excitement that danger always started.

She looked at him scornfully, and in her voice was the singing sting of a whil lash. “Not an hour ago I heard a man say you ought to be killed.” “Doesn’t approve of me,” he said with cheerful surprise. “Of course your explained what an estimate character I am.”

“I said what I‘though of you.” She turned to pick up her beret and riding crop from the desk. “Don’t move,” he begged. "You’ve no idea how effective you are in that spotlight. A sort of golden girl tableau vivant.”

The angry colour stormed into her cheeks. They were old enemies, had carried on the family feud in childhood and through their school days. He always knew how to get under her skin.

“I don’t care to listen to your effrontery.” she said. “I asked ’you’what you are doing in this house. Will you please answer or leave” “Thought I did answer. Well, let that go. Mind if I leave by the back door?”

“I don’t care how you go, just so you do,” she retorted sharply. He bowed, with, debonair mockery, turned and walked to the door. Kathleen’s frowning gaze followed him. A doubt disturbed her. He had mentioned sanctuary. Did he mean from • immediate danger? She was given to swift impulse. “He meant what he said- —that man. You’re not safe here.”

“Awfully nice of you to take so much interest in me. Miss Garside,” he said. “Unless you’re trying to get me away before I rob the Valley Bank.”

She answered, her lisssom body straight, “I don’t take any interest in you whatever. All I’m afraid of is that if anything happens to you evilminded people might think we had something to do with it.” “They might,” he agreed. “Especially if it happened in front of your house. Tell your friend I, expect to be around quite a while and he’ll have plenty of chances to shoot me in the back. No use messing up your lawn. “What are you hinting at?” she cried.

He was looking at his hat. There was a small hole in the brim. She remembered the sharp explosions heard a few minutes since—the back-fire of an automobile, she had thought. Her eyes dilated. “Has some one been shooting at you” she demanded. “I got that impression.” he admitted. "It seems your friend did mean what he said.”

“He’s not my friend,” Kathleen protested indignantly. It was that man Dan West. You know how dangerous he is. He said another of his crowd was going to make trouble for you. Brad somebody or other.” “I talked with the gent,” Ducky drawled. “Yes. they’re both more dangerous than rattle snakes. They don’t give warning before they strike.” “Leave these parts at once.” she said peremptorily. “Next time they won’t miss.”

“I was thinking of taking part in the fireworks myself next time.” he suggested with deceptive mildness. “No. Get out. If you don’t you’ll be arrested anyhow." “I’ve already been arrested —and turned loose. A good friend went bail for me —your father.” “Father?”

“Yes. I’m returning the friendly call he made on me a little while ago.” “He doesn’t want your blood on his head,” the girl said coldly in explanation. “If you have any sense you’ll leave.”

“You know I can’t help being a fool.’ he reminded her. “I’m going to stick it.” His grin annoyed her. It was so characteristically impudent. Resentment blazed in her eyes.

“You strut around playing you’re some kind of god who can’t be hurt. All right. You’ve had your warning. We’re not to blame if you get killed.” “I’m sure the coroner’s jury will exonerate you,” he said. Have to go now. Be seeing you again.” “How do you know the men who shot at you are gone?” she asked swiftly. “The kind that fire from ambush

get out in a hurry.” Kathleen thought a moment. “I’ll get father’s gun for you.” A little smile was on his lips as he watched her walk out of the room with the easy rhythm that distinguished her. He resented her as much as she did him, but she entertained him more than any girl he knew. She had a fine animal vigour. There was a swift untamed fire in her always ready to blaze up whenever they met. Usually he could get under her skin because he controlled his temper better. She brought back a loaded .38 army

Colt, and handed it to him. “I’ll always be grateful to you for saving my life,” he said, an imp of ironic mirth dancing in his eye. She said, barely controlling her anger, “You can return it to the bank.” Bucky departed by the same window through which he had entered. He was thinking that the little devil had not got any change out of him this time. From the window Kathleen saw him sauntering down the sidewalk, a picture of a young man of leisure very much at his ease. CHAPTER IV. Tim Murphy was waiting restlessly in front of the Toltec House. At sight

of Bucky he came striding toward him. “Goslemighty, boy, where you been?” he scolded. “Didn’t I tell you this town has got Cameron-phobia? You ought to have stayed indoors. Some of the Red Rock bunch are in town too. For four bits Mex one of them would bump you off.” Bucky laughed as he shook hands with the big weatherbeaten foreman. “I’ve been calling on a lady, Tim.” “Of all the doggoned idots,” Murphy fumed. “What lady?” “Miss Kathleen Garside. I was returning a call her father made on me.” Tim stared at him in surprise. “If you figure you can fix up a deal with Clem Garside and not come out the

little end of the horn you’re ’way off, boy. He’s got you where he. wants you and he’ll sure turn the screws on.” “Do you know, I suspected that, Tim? My call on Miss Kathleen was not exactly a business one.” Bucky took off his hat and looked at the bullet hole in it. “Some one took two —three cracks at me and I jumped for the nearest house like a scared rabbit. It happened to be the Garside place.” “Some one shot at you?” Tim cried. “Who was it?” "I’m not sure.” Bucky’s eyes had drifted across the street and were resting on some men standing in front of the post office. “I reckon I’ll go ask.” He strolled across the road. The foreman called after him, “You damn fool!” and followed at heel. . Bucky touched a black-haired broadshouldered man on the arm. The man turned and gave a sudden start. He was Brad Davis. One of the others with him was Pete Quinn. Jud Richman also was in' the party. “Don’t you owe me a hat, Brad?” said Bucky mildly. “What d’you mean, owe you a hat?” retorted Davis, bristling. Once more Bucky took off his hat and examined the round hole in the

brim. “If you are expecting to be a modern Wild Bill Hicock you've got to do better than that, Brad.” “You’re a liar, if you claim 1 shot at you!” Davis cried. “I don’t say you shot at me,” Bucky answered, his cool eye resting on the man. “All I say is you nearly hit me.” Quinn offered an alibi. “I’ve been with Brad all morning. So he couldn’t I have done it.” Bucky transferred his gaze to the cowpuncher. “Oh, you’ve been with him all morning. Interesting.” “We haven't been off Front Street.” Murphy cut in. “I saw the pair of you sneaking back along Monument avenue not ten minutes ago. 6 I “One CC man supporting another.” Davis jeered, and added belligerently, “Say; what is this? You birds looking for a fight.” “I’m looking for a new hat, but I don’t suppose I get it,” Bucky replied. “Tough luck; boys. You’re not likely to catch me unarmed again.” He and Murphy walked back to the Toltec house. They did it all right,” the foreman said. “When they turned and saw you they gave themselves away.” Ten minutes later they were speeding towards the ranch. “Glad you came back, Bucky,” Tim said. “We’re in for a lot of trouble, but I'd hate to lie down and let these scoundrels wipe us off the map with- | out a fight. This bank robbery has i given them the chance they have been j waiting for a good many years.” “Tell me about that,” Bucky replied. “All I know is what I’ve seen in the papers. Of course I know Uncle Cliff didn't do it. But where is he? What's become of him?” “I wish I knew. He’s never been seen since that night.” “He was trapped and made to bear the blame of the murder. No doubt about that." “The way I figure it,” agreed the foreman. “Trapped and killed.” “When did you see Uncle Cliff last?"

“I saw him in the bank the day of the robbery.” “Did he act normal?” “Same as he always did. Kinda easy-going and slow. We were talking about selling some beef stock. "You didn’t notice anything different at the bank?" “No. The monthly pay roll for the Malpais dam construction gang came in while I was there. I watched him and Buchmann and young Ferrill store it away.” “Could outsiders have known the pay roll for the dam was there?” “They could if they had watched. It comes in about the same time every month. That was no secret.” “A lot of money.” “I don’t know how much. Quite a lot. though. More than eight hundred men are working on the dam.” “Notice any of our enemies hanging around? Or any tough looking strangers?” “No. Might have been some. T couldn’t say. I left town about dark and drove out to the ranch. Cliff called up Miss Julia and told her he wouldn’t be home, but would stay that night at the club. About half past two in the morning I was wakened by my telephone ringing. It was Sheriff Haskell calling me up to tell me the bank had been robbed and Max Buchmann killed. Of course I got right up and went to town. Thought maybe Cliff would need me.” ] (To be Continued).