Tangled Trails A Western Detective Story

n the desk before him and stood waiting, timidly, afraid to voice her d

swivel chair, his cold

he barke

was an easy guess that unless fortune stood her friend she was a predestined victim to the world's

oded her face. She twisted a rag of a

t," he orde

Won't you-won't you-?" There was a wai

ge, big-boned man, aggressive, dominant, the kind that takes the world by the throat and shak

you I'd look out for you if you'd keep still

ut

r lower lip, choked back a sob, and turned hopelessly away. Her misfortune lay at her own door. She knew that. B

ous nicety of means had ever deterred him. Nor ever would. He played his own hand with a cynical disregard of the rights of others. It was this th

the letters he laid aside and glanced at a second time. I

stem in Dry Valley is a fake. You knew it, but we didn't. You've skinned us out of al

l-town paper telling of a meeting of farmers to ask the United States District Attorney

as another matter. He had no fancy for being shot in the back. Some crazy fool of a settler might do just that. He decided to let an agent attend to his Dry Valley affairs hereafter. He dictated some letters, closed his

ed in his winnings and went downstairs it was still early. As a card-player he was not popular. He was too keen on the main chance and he nearly always

se at sight of Cunningham. "Wan

into the

iting supplies, and a telephone. It was for the use of m

news for you, Cun

dy eyes did not wave

ivorce case. By chance I ran across a record that asto

won't hurt, suppose you go ahead and hit me ov

of feeling other than that which showed in narrowed eyes hard as d

he said, and the lawye

rang for a messenger. He wrote a note and gave it

nd a note propped up against a book on the table of his living-room. It had been written

you not here. He say maybe perhaps

gned, "S.

The fellow was becoming a nuisance. If he had any complaint

pened to a big, barrel-bodied man

Hull?" demanded

r the collar. "You know damn well what I want. I want what's comin' t

ent you'll get. I t

was gonna have a divvy. An' I am. You can't throw down Cass Hull an' get aw

uously. "When I say I won't, I won't. Go to a lawyer if yo

, you double-crossin' sidewinder. I'll come with a six-gun. That's how I'll come. An' soon.

t Cunningham he was no coward. H

o. And don't come back unless you want me to turn

an, six feet in his socks. The sap of strength still rang strong in him. In the days when he had rid

go when I get ready, an' I'll come

gs moved fast. Hull's body reacted to the pain of smashing blows falling swift and sure. Before he knew what ha

stairs helped h

p?" the m

, his mouth a thin, cruel slit. He pushed the newcomer aside, opened

d him to rise was dark

ercising," he murmured before he

s a legend in Old English engr

Cunn

e electric bell. Cunn

levator is not running, so I walked up. On the way I

trying to bold me u

er man, smiling politely. "I see you still beli

The promoter's cold eyes were inscr

m his sparkling black eyes. What the devil did James, Senior, mea

k mustache. "Glad to obli

t d

, sank into the easiest chair in the room, and

ce, sir," he s