and many enemies.
Then Sparr had dropped from sight. There had been rumors of him around mining camps in Nevada and Montana, and it was said he had fled Calgary after killing a mounted policeman there. If this was the Sparr the dying outlaw had mentioned, he was a ruthless killer.
Hopalong could not imagine such a man on Jordan's ranch.
Dick was not a man to be frightened of a six-gun reputation, nor were the hands he was accustomed to have around him. Probably he was stewing over nothing.
"Daylight will be the time," Hopalong said at last. "I aim to take it easy this trip and not put in any long rides. There will be some rough country to get over, and I want to make it all by daylight."
Buck Peters stared sourly at his friend. "Ain't sure but what I should saddle up an' ride along," he suggested tentatively, avoiding his wife's eyes. "That's a mighty long ride, Hoppy, and could be the Apaches are off the reservation again."
Cassidy chuckled. "What you think I need, a nursemaid? You stay back here an' run this show.
I'll get this money to Dick, stay a few days to rest up, then be back here before you know I'm gone.
I need a ride anyway. I'm goin' stale with settin' around."
He got up and stretched. "Thanks, Rose.
I sure did enjoy that supper. Last home cooldn' I'll be gettin' for some time, I expect."
He turned toward the door, then stopped.
"Say, Buck, you got that last letter of Pam's around anywheres? I'd like a look at it. Buck Peters's suspicions were not dead. He eyed Hopalong darkly. "Yeah," he said; "it's in my desk. I'll get it for you." He got up and lumbered into the office. "What you want that for? The town you want is Horse Springs. It's a stage stop an' cowtown."
"I know the town. I was there once. All I want to see is that letter. Seems to me I remember Pam sayin' somethin' about where to go if I came out there." "Yeah," Buck admitted grudgingly, "there was something like that." He found the letter at last, and handed it over. Hopalong had seen the letter but once before, and had been told all that was in it. Accordingly, when he glanced at it he had done just thatglanced. Now, with thoroughly aroused suspicions, he looked at it with new eyes.
Instantly he felt his pulse jump.
He read the letter through slowly, and then returned to the part that referred to him.
This was of two paragraphs, and the writing was different, somehow, as though strained.
Remind Hopalong of the games he used to teach me. There was one especially that I used to like to play.
I wish he would think of this as he reads my letter. Dad often refers to that situation in Dry Canyon when Hopalong joined him. It would be wonderful to see Hoppy again now, feeling like that.
Cassidy looked up at Buck's inquiring eyes. All his resolutions about keeping Buck from knowing went by the board, forgotten in his exasperation.
"Buck, we're a couple o' fools! The day this letter came you mentioned it to me, and you said she reminded me of the Dry Canyon affair. When I looked at this letter I was thinkin' about that gelding of mine, down sick with the colic, an' I never paid it no attention."
"What's wrong?" Buck demanded.
Slowly Hopalong read the passage aloud, and then he swore. "Don't you see? She mentions that business in Dry Canyon, an' says she wants to see me again, feelin' like that!"
Rose looked from one to the other. "Dry Canyon? What does that mean?" "Mean?" Buck was genuinely worried now. "Why, four rustlers had Dick Jordan cornered down in Dry Canyon.
He was helpless, an' they were aimin' to kill him.
Then Hopalong showed up. They turned on him, an' Hoppy downed two of them an' the other two throwed up their hands."
"But what is that to worry about?" she protested.
"It's in the past. 11 "Yeah, but she wants to see me again like that! I think they are in trouble, an' need help!"
"Why wouldn't she say so then?" Buck protested.
"Maybe somebody made her write the letter,"
Hopalong said, "but remember what she said about
Then Sparr had dropped from sight. There had been rumors of him around mining camps in Nevada and Montana, and it was said he had fled Calgary after killing a mounted policeman there. If this was the Sparr the dying outlaw had mentioned, he was a ruthless killer.
Hopalong could not imagine such a man on Jordan's ranch.
Dick was not a man to be frightened of a six-gun reputation, nor were the hands he was accustomed to have around him. Probably he was stewing over nothing.
"Daylight will be the time," Hopalong said at last. "I aim to take it easy this trip and not put in any long rides. There will be some rough country to get over, and I want to make it all by daylight."
Buck Peters stared sourly at his friend. "Ain't sure but what I should saddle up an' ride along," he suggested tentatively, avoiding his wife's eyes. "That's a mighty long ride, Hoppy, and could be the Apaches are off the reservation again."
Cassidy chuckled. "What you think I need, a nursemaid? You stay back here an' run this show.
I'll get this money to Dick, stay a few days to rest up, then be back here before you know I'm gone.
I need a ride anyway. I'm goin' stale with settin' around."
He got up and stretched. "Thanks, Rose.
I sure did enjoy that supper. Last home cooldn' I'll be gettin' for some time, I expect."
He turned toward the door, then stopped.
"Say, Buck, you got that last letter of Pam's around anywheres? I'd like a look at it. Buck Peters's suspicions were not dead. He eyed Hopalong darkly. "Yeah," he said; "it's in my desk. I'll get it for you." He got up and lumbered into the office. "What you want that for? The town you want is Horse Springs. It's a stage stop an' cowtown."
"I know the town. I was there once. All I want to see is that letter. Seems to me I remember Pam sayin' somethin' about where to go if I came out there." "Yeah," Buck admitted grudgingly, "there was something like that." He found the letter at last, and handed it over. Hopalong had seen the letter but once before, and had been told all that was in it. Accordingly, when he glanced at it he had done just thatglanced. Now, with thoroughly aroused suspicions, he looked at it with new eyes.
Instantly he felt his pulse jump.
He read the letter through slowly, and then returned to the part that referred to him.
This was of two paragraphs, and the writing was different, somehow, as though strained.
Remind Hopalong of the games he used to teach me. There was one especially that I used to like to play.
I wish he would think of this as he reads my letter. Dad often refers to that situation in Dry Canyon when Hopalong joined him. It would be wonderful to see Hoppy again now, feeling like that.
Cassidy looked up at Buck's inquiring eyes. All his resolutions about keeping Buck from knowing went by the board, forgotten in his exasperation.
"Buck, we're a couple o' fools! The day this letter came you mentioned it to me, and you said she reminded me of the Dry Canyon affair. When I looked at this letter I was thinkin' about that gelding of mine, down sick with the colic, an' I never paid it no attention."
"What's wrong?" Buck demanded.
Slowly Hopalong read the passage aloud, and then he swore. "Don't you see? She mentions that business in Dry Canyon, an' says she wants to see me again, feelin' like that!"
Rose looked from one to the other. "Dry Canyon? What does that mean?" "Mean?" Buck was genuinely worried now. "Why, four rustlers had Dick Jordan cornered down in Dry Canyon.
He was helpless, an' they were aimin' to kill him.
Then Hopalong showed up. They turned on him, an' Hoppy downed two of them an' the other two throwed up their hands."
"But what is that to worry about?" she protested.
"It's in the past. 11 "Yeah, but she wants to see me again like that! I think they are in trouble, an' need help!"
"Why wouldn't she say so then?" Buck protested.
"Maybe somebody made her write the letter,"
Hopalong said, "but remember what she said about
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