■ ■>'■■■ v • • —'=••.• ''
Thursday, June 24, 1937
ELEVENTH INSTALMENT
SYNOPSIS: Slim Loyale is pa
roled from prison after serving 18
months for a crime he did not
commit. He returns to his Circle
L ranch to find his father dead
and sinister forces at work, trying
to make him violate his parole so
that he can again be railroaded to
prison.
The Brockwells and their gang
are plotting to gain possession of
Circle L ranch and the property
of Mona Hall, a neighbor and
life-long friend of Slim Loyale.
Slim discovers that Sheriff
Starbuck has joined the plot
against him. With the help of Dar
kota Blue and his cowboys, Slim
Loyale defies the landgrabbers to
do their worst.
Even Starbuck himself began to
realize the futility of things. He
also began to retreat slowly,
throwing lead steadily at those
mocking, fiery flashes. Dakota
singling him out, closed in. At ten
paces, he shouted, "Starbuck, yuh
crooked rat, this way. It's Blue
who's callta' yuh."
Starbuck twisted in his saddle,
snarling and flung two lightning
shots. One drew a crimson brand
across the side of Dakota's neck.
The other socked heavily into one
of the bucking rolls of Dakota's
saddle.
Dakota let loose one careful
shot. Starbuck gasped, his snarl
ing curses cut short abruptly. His
guns thudded to the dusty earth.
He loaded both hands about the
horn of his saddle, his shoulders
hunched, his bitter face draining
white.
He drove home the spurs, trying
to ride past Dakota. But the first
Radio Service
BY AN EXPERT
, RADIO SERVICE MAN
• -
Complete Line of Tubes and Parts
Hayes & Speas
(Incorporated)
PHONE 70 ELKIN, N. G.
PAUL GWYN
PHONE 258
All Lines of
INSURANCE
Representing Strong Stock
Companies Only—No Mutuals
A Fine Farm Offering IT lllOTlfillf
Thurs., July Bth, 2:00 P. M. ||| AlNlllUlli
l-i A n\7 WE ARE SUB-DIVIDING INTO SMALL TRACTS OR FARMS, THE TRACT OP LAND BE- A - . .
KAa Y LONGING TO THE GREENSBORO JOINT STOCK LAND BANK, BUT BETTER KNOWN f. A S H
_ _ AS THE ALEX CHATHAM FARM ON U. S. HIGHWAY 21, EIGHT MILES NORTH OF EL- _ _ _ZL «
TERMS' KIN ' NC - PRIZES
THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST FARMS IN THIS SEC- tori?
n - TION AND YOU ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF BUYING AS
Kanfl MUCH OR AS LITTLE AS YOU WANT OF THIS FARM. * GIVEN
mm IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS LAND WE WILL SHOW IT TO YOU BEFORE «
Concert! THE day OF SALE, THEN BE ON HAND AT THE PLACE AND DATE MENTIONED AWAY!
jfi*
*. •' %
Carolina Realty & Auction Co., Selling Agents
frenzied leap of his mount sent
him swaying. Quite suddenly, he
slithered head foremost from his'
saddle.
Instantly Dakota also swung to
the ground, leaping apart from his
bronco, crouching low. He knew
that a hail of lead would be
searching for him. In that he was
right. The animal he had just left
collapsed in its tracks, shot
through the head. Dakota went
flat on the ground, alert and wait
ing.
Lead whispered over and around
him, one slug kicking his eyes full
of dust. Still he held his fire,
gambling that without Starbuck
to lead them the remaining mem
bers of the posse would break and
run for it.
In this he was also right. Realiz
ing that their leader was down,
the posse gave back faster and
faster then finally turned and
thundered away into the night.
For a time Steve Owens and
Charley Qulnn warmed them on
their way with the Winchesters.
But presently Slim's voice, calling
out, stopped all shooting.
Slim came through the darkness
warily. "Dakota, yuh all right?"
he called.
"Sittin* pretty, Slim," was the
laconic answer. "They've all slop
ed. Bring the boys out, I've got
Starbuck."
Slim exclaimed in surprise "Leo
Brockwell's back in the corral,"
he vouchsafed, as he came up.
"Tisdale stopped a slug some
where, but it caint be very bad;
he's still cussin'," He raised his
voice to a shout. "Hi, gang come
on over. They've pulled out."
Tisdale was the first to reach
them. "Got a furrow from my
THE F.IKIN TRIBUNE!. EMHM. NORTH CAROLINA
wrist plumb to my elbow," he ex
plained with profane punctua
tions. "She's bleedln' some, but
I've got my neckerchief wound
around it. It'll keep for a time."
Steve, Charley and Oscar re
ported, unhurt, except that Oscar
had one boot heel shot off. He
walked with a queer hltchlty-hop
that caused Steve to chuckle,
"Ole step-an'-a-half Oscar."
As Dakota scratched a match
and bent over Starbuck, he was
surprised to see that Starbuck's
eyes were open. The sheriff groan
ed. "Listen close,"v he whispered.
"I'm done for an* I know it. Don't
hold it agin yuh, Blue, yo're a
pretty good man.
"Time was when I was a squaro
shooter myself. But the glitter of
money an' a lot of slick talk made
a sucker outa me. However, I am
to get some of the dirt off my
shriveled soul. I ain't got long
but I'll do my best .
"Loyale, yuh were railroaded
on perjured evidence. Arthur
George Arthur, he's got all the
dope. Get a holt of him an' make
him talk. He's a coward, an' hell
come clean. An' yuh better skin
out to town. Sarg Brockwell an'
some more of his crowd are aim
in' to rob the bank tonight. Ar
thur's idee—to keep yuh from
loanin' money to the Hall girl.
"Arthur an' Brockwell been run
ning this thing. Schemed to make
a cleanup on them Big Bend
herds. But they made a mess of
things, an' got me into it. Leo
Brockwell's the man who's been
holding up the Vasco stage." His
voice turned drowsy and plaintive.
"I'm cold —cold as hell. Get me
a blanket, somebody."
Steve Owens, subdued and a
little awed, ran into the bunk
house. But when he returned
with a blanket, there was no need
for it.
Slim Loyale made swift decision
on the information Starbuck had
given before he died. The bank
hold-up did not exactly surprise
Slim; for that matter, none of
the information did. But it rend
ered his position all the more se
cure, to know that his conjectures
had been right.
He had guessed that an at
tempt might be made to loot the
bank. For that reason he had
detailed Roy O'Brien and Stoney
Sheard to guard it. But he knew
the odds would now be greatly
against them. They would need
help, ferocious fighters though
they were. So Slim turned to
Dakota.
"Yuh an' me go to town, as
quick as we can get there, Dako
ta," he snapped tensely. "Tisdale,
yuh stay here an' let Oscar fix up
that arm of yores. Steve an' Char
ley get some lanterns an' clean
up things around here. But keep
yore guns handy. There's no tell
in' but what that crowd, bein' des
perate, might make, another try.
Grab a bronc, Dakota."
Dakota's own horse was dead,
but he soon secured another, as
there were several riderless ones
stamping and snorting around. In
a fast, ground-eating gallop, he
and Slim headed for town.
Slim knew human nature, and
he knew that unless this full ex
oneration was made, there would
always be some who would believe
his incarceration had been legit
imate. The only way to complete
ly wipe out that stain against him
was to get that confession from
Arthur. Slim's face was grim as
he considered it. He'd get what he
wanted if he had to resort to
Apache tricks to do it.
When Slim and Dakota reach
ed Pinnacle, it was after mid
night. The town seemed quiet
enough. However, they took no
chances, circling well around to
one side and leaving their mounts
ground-reined some two hundred
yards away from the town limits
They went the rest of the way on
foot, stealing in through the
shadows carefully.
"Roy an' Stoney will be some
where close to the bank," but by
this time Brockwell an' his crowd
are in town an' on .the watch.
Best thing we can do Is just lay
out quiet here in this alley and
wait developments. What d'yuh
think?"
Dakota grunted assent. So they
squatted down, their backs against
a friendly wall close to the mouth
of the alley. From time to time
Slim would stick a careful head
around the corner and survey the
street. The bank was some fifty
yards away, on the on the oppo
site side. Two doors from it was a
cantina. The windows of the Mex
ican joint glowed yellow and there
were quite a few broncos slouch
ing at the hitching rail in front.
"Brockwell an' his gang are in
that greaser joint," observed Slim
softly. "I recognize that buckskin
hoss of Cinder Alton's. Hope Roy
an Stoney don't take any chances
with Alton. That crooked little
devil is poison with a gun."
"I wouldn't do any worryin'
about them two," answered Dako
ta. "They know Alton as well as
we do. The first lead they throw
will be haided his way. Wonder
when they'll pull the job?"
" "Most any time now. The town
is pretty daid. I reckon they're
figurin* on doin' it plenty quiet.
They won't have an alibi In the
world, should they get caught at
it. Knowing this, Brockwell will
play his cyards careful."
"Won't do him no good," chuck
led Dakota. "He's gonan get
caught. But somethln' tells me
that he won't have no usei for an
alibi anyhow. Them things don't
mean a darn to a daid man."
"Yuh must expect Roy an'
Stoney to sorte spread a lot of
destruction," observed Slim.
"Roy's good, but Stoney is fork
ed lightnln',". grunted Dakota.
"Yuh've never seen him In action
like I have, Slim. I tell yuh, hes'
a holy terror. He ain't got those
quiet cold eyes for nothin'. Besides
yuh an' me oughta come in handy
ourselves." Dakota yawned and
stretched. "Wish they'd get start
ed," he grumbled. "I'm gettin'
sleepy and cold."
Silence fell and endured un
broken for a long hour. Dakota's
head had sunk upon his chest and
he was snoring softly. Slim was
having trouble in keeping awake
himself. The let-down in nervous
tension, after the long day of mo
mentous happenings, found him
weary. Several times his head be
gan to nod, his eyelids growing
weighty.
And then, like a thunderclap, a
single report echoed down the
street. Following it came a shrill,
yammering, high-pitched yell. A
pair of guns began a staccato
rumbling, in such cadencei that it
was easy to tell that one man with
a practised pair of hands was
wielding them.
Thrump thrump! Thrump
thrump! Thrump-thrump!
Slim and Dakota were on their
feet in a bound, guns drawn, pois
ed in. the alley opening. The
measured roll of those first re
ports was now shattered to bits
by a ragged roar of other gunfire.
Slim shaw shadowy figures dart
ing about the bank in what ap
peared to be aimless confusion.
Then a stentorian yell echoed
in a voice easily distinguishable
as belonging to Sarg Brockwell.
"Close in! Close in! There's only
two of 'em. Close in, I tell yuh!"
By the answering massing of
those shadowy figures, Slim got
Stoney Sheard and Roy O'Brien
located. They were beyond the
bank in the corral of the livery
stable.
"C'mon," he snapped to Dakota.
"They got Stoney an' Roy corner
ed."
Slim and Dakota went up the
street at a run. With half the dis
tance gone, Slim halted and be
gan to shoot. Dakota stepped
apart from him and followed suit.
Someone in Brockwell's crowd
yelled a warning. Immediately
Slim and Dakota became the cen
ter of a lashing hail of lfead. Da
kota Blue grunted, cursed and
went down in a heap.
Behind Slim came a bawl of
warning. "Get him inside! Get
him inside, Slim. I'll help yuh."
The next moment, fat Spud Dil
lon, still encased In white bar
tender's apron, was bending over
Dakota, tugging at his shoulders.
"It's my right lalg," snapped
Dakota through set teeth. "Get
me up, Spud, an' I can hobble in
side. Give 'em hell, Slim, an' back
up with us."
Quick to grasp the idea, Slim
shot with smooth precision, back
ing up a step at a time, just ns
his guns snapped empty, his
shoulders struck the wall of a
building. Then hands grabbed
him, jerked him to one side and
through an open doorway. The
door slammed shut. He and Da
kota were inside the Wild Horse
Saloon. Old Joe Rooney was the
man who had guided Slim to
safety.
As Slim began hurriedly re
loading his guns, Spud barked an
order. "Git my old double-barrel
ed Greener, Joe, an' fasten yore
self to that front window. Spray
those buzzards by the bank with
buckshot. That's keep 'em shuf
fled up."
GET READY TO BUY A
BARGAIN
IN TOWN!
AUCTION
SALE
OF 69 LOTS IN EKIN, N. C.
July 8,10:00 AM.
These are lots in BEAUTIFUL SUNSET PARK, with
water, sewer and lights. This section is building up in a
hurry with! good people and when these are gone it will
be hard to find other lots as good.
Look these lots over and be on hand day of sale and buy
either to build or for an investment.
ONE LOT FREE!
Remember this is an ABSOLUTE SALE at your PRICE
and if you are the last and highest bidder you will get
the property.
MRS. R. G. FRANKLIN, OWNER
CAROLINA REALTY AND AUTION CO.
Selling Agents Salisbury, N. C.
INFORMATION:
PARKS REAL ESTATE CO., ELKIN, N. C.
It did. With the initial bellow
of the shotgun. Brockwell's crowd
scattered wildly. Slim, edging In
beside Rooney, snapped shot after
shot at this one and that. He saw
two of them go down. From the
livery stable corral came a whoop
of triumph and a sputter of words
thick with the brogue of (rid Ire
land.
"Whurroo! Give It to the spal-
PHBBI Away with 'em the robbin'
murderln" devils, smoke 'em out."
Surprised and confused, the
bandit crowd were quick to realize
that there was nothing to be gain
ed by trying to fight matters out
along this line. Any chance of
looting the bank was entirely gone
now.
In another minute or two, the
entire town would be about their
ears. The only thing to do was
ride and ride fast. As the idea
caught hold, they raced for their
horses which were rearing and
plunging with fright. They split,
some riding north, and some
south. 1
In the lead of those passing the
Wild Horse, came Cinder Alton,
crouched low over his buckskin's
neck. Slim tried two shots, but
missed both. Joe Rooney calmly
spat, cradled the Greener against
his shoulder and pulled both trig
gers.
Concluded Next lasne
Read Tribune Advertisements!
p'jgjk