Gunnison news-champion., 1908-03-13

him us IN threads of kix osa weaving
TAe bstse man seScAed small "a the
arm and Sesssered to Ain
Mr. LAaxford said SuaaIl. N q
Sel<hiy voice. xos travel . gz~ax
deal | believe"
Il 60
For pleasure. maybe .nh a nys-
i.riors Infection
Partly
Bssiaess a. we'll
business a. ~cii
just prior 10 the arrest of Ii. de-
fenaaHi." insiauatiHsly -yoa ~ere
sssx
How hong PRIOR do yos mean
say a week
Ne
Tive weeks
Yes"
You had been away some time"
The better part of a year con.
fesssa Langiord. with engaging can
dot
Yes. Nov. Mr. Lanxford 1 should
like Yog to tell me about ho~ MANY
cattl. YOU raage-in round numbers ,"
About 5000 head
Yes Now Mr. Langfurd. you who
count your cattle by the thousands.
on youf own sworn word you have
been ogi of the country wear Don't
yoa think you arr asking this jury 10
sSsiic~ a pretty big mauthfm when
vua ash them 90 believe that you could
so 81 mistakahly distinguish this one
us,sar 1ru.Tx gs..r -. -. -. nj a.
distinguish him frum thousands of
others"
\ have owned that spotted steer for
years. said l.angford. composedly. 4
have never sold him because h. was
rather an odd creature and so can
tankerous that We dubbed him the
Three Bars mascot"
Gordon called Jim Munson.
What is your name
Gosh"
The question was unexpected. Was
there any one in the county who did
not know Jim Munson9 And Dick Cor
don of all people, Then he remem.
bered that the boss had been asked
the same question. so IL must be all
right. But the ways of the court
were surely mysterious and ofttimes
foolish
Jim Munson. Jim Munson's my
name-yep"
Gordon smiled
You needn't insist on It. Mr. Mum
son, he advised. We know II now
Where do you live?"
"Hellity damn, | live at the Three
Bars ranch"
In Kemah county,"
1t sure is"
What is your business. Mr.. Nun
SOM"
"Jim's shorter, Dick. Well, l work
for the boss, Mr.. Paul Langford"
In what capacity"
If yOu mean what do / do, Why, l
ride the range. I punch cows. 1 always
go on the roundup, I'm a fair bronco
breaker and l make up hunks and
clean lamp chimblies between times"
he recited. glibly, bound to be terse yet
explicit, by advice OF the boss.
There was q gale OF laughter In the
bar. Even the court smiled.
oh. Jim Jim. You have perjured
yourself already" murmured the boss
Clean lamp chimneys-ye gods"
We'll. grin away" exploded jim
his quick ire rising. He had forgotten
that Judge Dale's court was not like
Justice McAllister's. His fingers fair.
ly ttched to draw q pistol and make
the scoffers laugh and dance to a little
music OF his own. But something in
GnrAnn's Stnady
careless gaze brought him back to the
seriousness of the scene they were
playing-without guns.
The examination proceeded The
air was getting sitting. Windows
were thrown open. Damp-looking
clouds had arisen from nowhere seem.
ingly and spread over the little prairie
town. over the river and the hills. 1t
was very warm. Weather-seasoned
inhabitants would have predicted
storm had they not been otherwise en-.
gagged. There was no breath OF air
stirring. Mrs. Higgins had said il
was sorry day for the cattle when
the river was running in December.
Others had said SO and SO believed
but people were not thinking of the
cattle now. One big boned. long horned
steer held the stage alone
The state proceeded to Munson's
ideat-@ea,ion Of the steer in question
After many and searching questions
Gordon asked the witness:
Jim, would you be willing to swear
that the steer you had held over at
the stock yards was the very same
steer that was the mascot OF the
Three Bars ranch?''
This was Jim's big opportunity.
Know Mag? Swear to Mag? Dick.
l would know Mag ef l met him on the
golden streets of the eternal city OF
ef my eyes was full o. soundin' cat.
aracts, Yep"
Il am not asking such an impossible
feat. Mr.. Munson." cut in Gordon. net