the Rustlers Of West Fork (1951) by Louis - Hopalong 03 L'amour Read Free Book Online Page B

question, they would live. If not, they could die. Alone, he hinted to Pamela that her help in his plan would insure her father's safety. To Jordan, Sparr promised protection for Pamela if he would agree to everything. Yet Sparr was well aware that Jordan had powerful friends. At first he considered merely selling off the stock and taking the money, but the ranch tempted him, and he decided gradually to take over the whole place. But he wanted no investigation later. He wanted to give the whole procedure the appearance of legality so his future ownership could never be questioned. He let word go out that Jordan was giving him a working partnership and might latex sell out to him. He kept reports of Jordan's poor health circulating in the right quarters, and holding off carefully, he wore Jordan down with threats, pressure, and bullying until the man was almost willing to agree, just to be free once more. It was a lonely country with few white men about. All was serene and smiling on the surface at the Circle J. Few passers-by noticed anything unusual about the place. Dick Jordan was very ill and not seeing visitors. His daughter was nursing him and rarely left his side.
    Avery Sparr walked back into the main room of the ranch house and seated himself. Cassidy would surely come by Clifton House, and Goff would spot him at once. Still, he had better get word to Goff.
    Johnny Rebb drifted back to the ranch at noon and hung up his saddle. He was thinking of the man named Tuck. Sparr had some tough jobs planned, for Sparr wanted money. Rebb gathered that Sparr intended to buy the ranch, or a larger piece of it than he was said to have. He wanted to do this for a reason. Maybe this man Tuck would be a help.
    Avery Sparr looked up when the buck-toothed gunman came into the room. "Boss," he said, "hombre sprung one on me t'day. I figger he was feelin' aroun' to suggest the two of us stick up the McClellan Bank. Tough-lookin' blister, packin' two guns."
    Sparr shook his head. "We don't need any more men." An idea came to him, and he looked up sharply, his eyes pinpoints of steel. "What was his name? What did he look like?"
    "His name was Tuck," he said. "Silver hair, blue eyes that git so cold you figger they'd bore right through you if you looked at him long, an'-was Sparr was on his feet. "Did you say silver hair? A slopeshouldered hombre?" Sparr's eyes narrowed at Rebb's puzzled nod. Then he said swiftly, "Get Bizco, an' keep him out of sight, but let him git a look at this hombre!
    An' do it right now!"
    "Sure, boss." Rebb shifted his hat in his fingers. "You figger he's the law?"
    "Law?" Avery Sparr spun on his heel.
    "I only wished he was. I figger that hombre is Hopalong Cassidy!"

    Chapter 4
    HOPALONG GOES WHOLE HOG
    The gelding was feeling the corn Hopalong had fed him and wanted to get out and go. With Horse Springs behind him before the first light began to gray the eastern rim of the mountains, Hopalong had taken a dim trail north, then cut over to the old Mangas Trail, and after a careful check to see if he was followed, he headed south until he reached the old stage road. Careful study of that trail for several minutes of riding found an outcropping of sandstone in the middle of the trail, and Hopalong used this as a bridge to cross without leaving tracks.
    Once beyond the stage road he let Topper out to a fast trot and worked his way swiftly through the rocks and trees.
    The ride to the Circle J was a long one, and he hoped to make it without discovery, yet he had an idea that Avery Sparr welcomed no visitors and had the trails carefully watched. The route across the wide plain south of Horse Springs would have been much easier and faster going, but Hopalong preferred the relative security of the mountainside, where his passage would be shel- tered by the towering trees.
    The morning air was clear and pleasant, and every breath was like a long swallow of fresh, cool mountain water. As he rode, there returned to his mind