Page:Ritchie - Trails to Two Moons.djvu/182

 minute boldly riding up Main Street. Besides, the range inspector was jarred far off his usual balance by the unexpected spectacle of this outlaw and bitter enemy of the whole cattle clan coolly cantering through town.

As for Von Tromp, Original's announcement that it was the Killer who was prisoner between the riders appeared to sweep him into a flurry of excitement. He whirled upon the inspector.

"You say that fellow who 's tied to his horse is the man who 's been sniping unpopular sheepmen and marking their bodies with a pebble between the eyes? Good Lord, man, I must see him—must get to him before the district attorney begins to question him. It 's tremendously fortunate I happen to be in town just the time he 's captured. Blunt, you must fix it for me to see this man at once."

Original, busy strapping his holster in place over his left breast, paused to shoot a searching look Von Tromp's way.

"Why do you want to see this stinging lizard so bad? Lots of other men in this town want to see him, too—lookin' up to a cottonwood limb from the end of a rope."

"I 'm not in the habit of explaining my