Brand Blotters

All this time he had seen nobody at whom he could fire. Not a shot had

come from his revolver. He sank behind a rock for shelter. The ping of a

bullet on the shale beside him brought the tortured man to his feet. He

looked wildly about him, the moon shining on his bare head, and plunged up

the cañon.

And now it appeared his unseen tormentors were afraid he might escape

them. Half a dozen shots came close together. Boone sank to the ground,

writhed like a crushed worm, and twisted over so that his face was to the

moonlight.

Melissy ran forward and knelt beside him.

"They've got me ... in half a dozen places.... I'm going fast."

"Oh, no ... no," the girl protested.

"Yep.... Surest thing you know.... I did you dirt onct, girl. And I've

been a bad lot--a wolf, a killer."

"Never mind that now. You died to save me. Always I'll remember that."

"Onct you 'most loved me.... But it wouldn't have done. I'm a wolf and

you're a little white lamb. Is Flatray the man?"

"Yes."

"Thought so. Well, he's square. I rigged it up on him about the rustling.

I was the man you liked to 'a' caught that day years ago."

"You!"

"Yep." He broke off abruptly. "I'm going, girl.... It's gittin' black.

Hold my hand till--till----"

He gave a shudder and seemed to fall together. He was dead.

Melissy heard the sound of rubble slipping. Some one was lowering himself

cautiously down the side of the cañon. A man dropped to the wash and

strutted toward her. He kept his eyes fixed on the lifeless form, rifle

ready for action at an instant's notice. When he reached his victim he

pushed the body with his foot, made sure of no trap, and relaxed his

alertness.

"Dead as a hammer."

The man was MacQueen. He turned to Melissy and nodded jauntily.

"Good evening, my dear. Just taking a little stroll?" he asked

ironically.

The girl leaned against the cold wall and covered her face with her arm.

She was sobbing hysterically.

The outlaw seized her by the shoulders and swung her round. "Cut that out,

girl," he ordered roughly.

Melissy caught at her sobs and tried to check them.

"He got what was coming to him, what he's been playing for a long time. I

warned him, but the fool wouldn't see it."

"How did you know?" she asked, getting out her question a word at a time.