BAD END VALLEY

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13238, 14 January 1941, Page 3

BAD END VALLEY

BY W. B. BANNERMAN

CHAPTER IV. CROOK'S QUEST. • j Bar ker reined in his pony and sat staring ahead where the trail vound its way through Blue Smoke ran He recognised the place, from the description Maloney had given him of it, as the entrance to Bad End Valley. He knew he was near the end of his trail. Barker knew a good deal more about Bad End Valley than he had -riven away to Nosey Martin in the saloon in Los Cibeles. He knew, for instance, all that Martin had told him—twice as much besides. Awa y back in Memphis, Willie Malonev had told him all about it. Six months hack, Maloney himself, following the legend of Seth Seaton's gold, had found his way to the rock-bound valley, intent on discovering just where that gold had been cached. He had gone, relyingi as a matter of course, on the easy hospitality that obtains throughout the West—and he had been disappointed.

King Carrick had asked liim outright what he wanted in the valley, and when he had replied vaguely, •Carrick had observed pointedly that his people had no use for hoboes. Maloney had protested, making the covert accusation that Carrick was not behaving like the perfect host; but King had been unimpressed. Instead, he had deliberately picked a fight with the stranger, beaten him up, and run him out of the valley.

Such had been the story that Maloney had told his fellow-gambler, Cal Barker; and he flung a few tips into the bargain. First, he must have a high-class excuse to offer Carrick for coming to Bad End Valley. Second, he must try any negotiations with Seth Seaton in secret, as King was plainly on the alert to keep strangers out of the old man's way. Thirdly, he must watch out for Joe Mcßann and Bat Culver, Carrick's two gunmen friends, whom Maloney thought to be outlaws using the valley as a hide-out. Fourth—and most important of all —-he must keep on the right side of King Carrick.

Barker did not under-estimate the value of these hints, and his fertile brain had already got busy on thresWg out a means of putting his information to most use. He concentrated on the two "cowboys," Culver arid Mcßann. Malbney had got the impression, from what he had picked up during his brief stay in the valley, that these two were

complete strangers to. the place—were indeed the only strangers who had settled in the valley since the coming, twenty years before, of Seth Seatori and his grandchild.

Barker argued thus: If these two had been able to settle down without hindrance, others could do the same. Well, how had they managed it? They had had the excuse of being on the run from justice—and that had been good enough for Carrick. Evidently then, Carrick did not object to harbouring wanted men.

But it was not to be expected that he would offer hospitality to any man, wanted or otherwise, for himself alone. There would have to be some worth-while inducement. Barker had realised that at the st art, and made plans accordingly. Right now in his saddlebags was that which, he thought, would melt all Carrick's animosity to strangers

The gambler smiled as lie sat gazwg at Blue Smoke Gap—the cold mirthless smile of a man who is supremely confident of his own ability t 0 take care of himself in almost 3ny com Pany. He had ridden far "»search of Seth's gold, and here in r °ot of hi m lay the jack-pot—his 0 if he but played his cards Properly. Cal Barker meant to <*">• that gold with him next time e rode. through Blue Smoke Gap—--llchn S the, other way. He shook his reins, and trotted *n the sunlit trail into the heavy did? f BlUe Smoke G *P- As he of t , *° Ue not «l that the narrowness *m- ! lace was SUCh that the dark f rom t°h SaP r ° Se strai S ht «P and the 6^^ 11 " 8^6 ° n the ° ne Side the oth Slde ° f the roarin]? river on hi m th er * and u was impressed on f or it, *', With such a bottle-neck v ery Z i , approacn ' it would be v allev r? t 0 enter or leave the ey '*A°uldthe inhabitants ob-

ject. Coming through the gap into the valley itself, the first thing he saw was a big ranch-house on his left, and decided that this must be Carrick's place. He noticed promptly how its position dominated the entrance into the gap. Carrick had picked his location well. He rode straight for the ranchhouse, but, before he could arrive there, the figure of a short, dark man appeared hurriedly on the porch and stood there watching, him closely as he swung out of the saddle.

He climbed the steps of the porch but the short man, although he was barring the gambler's way at the top of the steps, did not move to let him pass. "Howdy, friend," Barker greeted him, pausing to stare up at him. The other's acknowledgement was far from gracious or friendly. "What d'yuh want!" he snapped. "Nothing from you, I reckon," Barker answered hardly, his voice dangerously quiet. "Who are yuh, anyhow?" The man on the porch thrust out his blue jowl aggressively. "I'm Bat Culver—what's it to yuh?"

"Darn little. I didn't blow into this neck of the woods to interview you. It's King Carrick I wanna see. Is he around?" "That depends. What's your business?"

"None of yourn. An' see here, stranger, I've a hunch that ypur boss'll be plumb annoyed if he don't see me right soon." Culver's eyes narrowed angrily. "Is that so!" he shouted. "Well, listen here, you !"

His roar was cut short as the ranch-house door was flung open, and a huge, red-haired man strode out.

"What in hell's all this row about!" he demanded furiously. Seeing Barker, he broke off, staring at the gambler with suspicious dislike in his little yellow eyes. "A stranger, huh?" he growled. "What d'yuh aim to find around here, feller?"

"You, Carrick?" Barker inquire'd coolly. "That's right. So what?" "I wanna talk to you, Carrick —

alone." "I'm busy." Barker smiled slowly,

"Whatever it is you're busy at, it ain't so important as seein'- me. Believe me, Carrick, it'll pay yuh to get rid of this watchdog of yourh an' talk to me. You'll miss something pretty big if yuh don't." Carrick still eyed Mm doubtfully. With a contemptuous gesture, Barker drew a long-barrelled Colt -and tossed it on the ground.

"You-all ain't hi any danger, Carrick," he said softly. Carrick flushed and took a step forward as if to strike the speaker, then he checked himself. Barker knew that he had aroused the other's curiosity—that Carrick might suspect the gambler's motives in demanding to see him so confidently, but that he was too keen to know what the latter wanted in the Valley too let him go. without finding out.

King* nodded curtly. "Okay then, feller. But your spiel had better be real important—'cos we reckon to be pretty rough with hombres that l>low in here an' try workin' off gags. Come in. You stay right here, Bat." Barker grinned triumphantly. Turning to his pony, he unhitched his saddle-bag and slung it over his arm. "What d'yuh want with that?" King demanded. "You'll soon know," Barker answered tersely. He strolled up the steps and into the living-room of the ranch-house. Carrick followed him inside, closing the door. "Make it pronto, an' make ■ it good," he growled. "I'll make it so good an' so clear that the dumbest hick can undei--stand," Barker replied. He slammed his saddle-bag on the table, and opened it. From its interior, he drew out ajwad of heavily enscrolled thick papers and dumped it on the table-top. "Look these over, Carrick," he invited. "I guess yuh know negotiable bonds, when yuh see them, don't yuh?"

Carrick snatched up the wad and examined it. closely. . •*■

"They look like bonds all right." "Sure they do," Barker drawled. "They look like twelve thousand dollars' worth of 'em—an' that's what they are. . . " Carrick swung round on him. "|s|ell?" he jerked. "Yuh said yuh'Was gonna do some high-class explainin'. Let's have it." "I ain't explainin' how I got these —JtgV I ain't invitin' yuh to ask. Bl they're sure negotiable bonds. |! Good as gold, an' better than greenbacks, 'cos yuh can't trace 'em so easy. Look pretty nice, don't they?" (To be continued) w