Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-13
Hardy to play to the gallery in order
to win a right-handed election.

have always had the bullet that killed
Cash and that's been the only clew
I've ever had"
Dryly, Bill interrupted. SIT hasn't
led you very far, Bud
But Bud did not notice Bills re-
mark. Impressively he said: at was
a thirty-two. Now no man in this
country ever carried a toy like that.
That's woman's weapon" Then
slowly pointing to the revolver IN
Bits hand. he said, THAT gun Of
Nat-u-ritch's is thirty-two"
If this was all the evidence that Bud
had, the case was not so serious after
all, so much relieved. Bill said, light.
ly: Bud, you're a joke. Because Nat.
u-rltch happens to own thirty-two-"
Bud maiiciously interposed: Don't
be in such hurry. The last time l
was over to Maverick happens to
ask Nick, the barkeep, for light, and
he let's me help myself from sq,iaw's
beaded match safe But cautiously
drew tiny blue-and-green embroider-
ed bag from his pocket Hello says
1. Where did you get that?' Oh
he says. I've had that for years-ever
since the day Cash Hawkins was
killed. Found it in front of the side
door down there And bought it OF
him then and there Bud looked
straight into Bills eyes as he finished
-'cause | recognized it as one had
tried to buy of Nat-u-ritch.'
But even this statement apparently
did not startle Bill, who met Buds
glance squarely as he said, "And sc
you jump at the conclusion that
"Nat-u-ritch killed Cash Hawkins .
Bud took him up There amt a
doubt about it. You see that thirty
two Is minus just the shot which she
done it with
Bill paled a little. So Bud had
noticed the missing bullet. He knew
that since her marriage Nat-u-ritch
had never carried the revolver. 1t had
been put away on shelf to be out
of the child's way.
Bud reached his hand towards Bill.
I've shown you my hand fair and
is1uare-man to man-now I'll thank
yon for that gun"
But Bill who caught sight of Jim
coming through the corral, said,
That's up to Mr. Carston, and here
he is"
Bud turned sharply He would have
preferred to meet Jim some other
time but 1t was too late to retreat now.
Bill went to Jim. Hello" he said.
He decided to blurt out the whole
effair to Jim at once. He knew then
that the squaw would be safe! the boss
would see to that. MIR. Carston," he
began. "our amusin little friend over
there is a-contemplatin' of arrestin'
Nat-u-ritch for the KILN of Cash Haw-
kins."
"Oh, no; you must be Joking" jim
said to Bud, too worn out to give
vent to the anger that began to surge
through him.
Bill was relieved at the light man
ner in which Jim seemed to take the
news well, that's what I thought,
but he takes himself ind of serious
Furiously came Buds words. "Any-
way, I've got evidence to arrest her.
Showing the revolver to Jim, Bill
contemporary added tAnd which said
Sheriff steals out of the house Of said
trustin' and confiden' riond."
Jim stared in amazement at the re-
volyer. Yes, it was Nat-u-ritch's, He
hand never looked at it since that day
at Maverick when her hand had saved
Fim from the cowardly attack of Cash
Hawkins. He did not speak.
But moved closer to him. He Point.
led to Bill. "And which he said be-
longed to Nat-u-ritch." Triumphantly
Re pointed also to Clarke to Indicate
that he had him as a witness.
Jim motioned Bill to the house.
Put that revolver back where it be.
longs" he said, and Bill obeyed.
Bud darted forward as though to
stop Bill. 81 demand the custody of
that myself, Mr.. Carston."
Let's understand each other,
Sheriff" AS he spoke, Jim deliberate
ly blocked Buds way. Nat-u-ritch is
as innocent of wrong as bird that
flies. 1t wouldn't do to confine her in
that dirty little jail in Jansen. 1t
would be murder"
you're a law-abiding citizen, Mr..
Carston. You amt agoin' to resist the
law"
But Jim stood firm in front of the
cabin door. There are cases. Sheriff,
Where justice is superior to the law,
and the white mans court is a bad
place for justice to the Indian. For
tunately for all Of us, Nat-u-ritch has
disappeared
AS Jim spoke, Bud realized that If
the Indian woman were there Carston
would not be SO calm.
But you couldn't arrest her, Sheriff
not while live. Bill he turned 10
the foreman, who came out of the
honse-"I'm not in mood to discuss
this with Sheriff Hardy, and / don't
want to violate, the laws of hospitality.
But just one word, Sheriff-you'va
eeten my bread, slept under my roof,
and now you sneak into my house to
get evidence against the mother Of
my boy" Jim hesitated, and then as
he left them he quietly finished, Bill.
/ think you'd better see the Sheriff
safely on his way
And Bud knew that for the time be-
ing he had lost his game.
CHAPTER XIV.
"Carstons locoed. He's plumb crazy.
There can't be a Jail for whites and a
palace for Injins. He don't suppose
he can stop me, does he?" Bud began