The Lamar register., 1908-02-26
CHAPTER VII.
The Preliminary.

Very early in the morning OF the
day set for the preliminary hearing Of
Jesse Black the young owner Of the
Three Bars rode over to Velpen. He
identified and claimed the animal
held over from shipment by Jim's per
suasion. Brown gave possession with
a rueful countenance.
First time Billy Brown ever was
taken in." he said. with great disgust.
Langford met with no Interrupt
tion to his journey. either going or
coming. although that good cow-punch-
err of his. Jim Munson, had warned
him tt look sharp to his pistols and
tons story verified. The county at
torney, Richard Gordon. had consid-
cred Williston's story. coupled with
his reputation for strict honesty.
strong and SUFFICIENT enough to bind
Jesse Black over to appear at the
next regular term of the circuit court.
Under ordinary circumstances the
state really had an excellent chance
of binding over; but 1t had to deal
with Jesse Black, and Jesse Black
had hourished for many years west OF
the river with an unsavory character.
but with an almost awesome reputa-
tion for the phenomenal facility with
which he slipped out Of the net in
which the lawn the person of its
unpopular exponent. Richard Gordon
was SO indefatigably endeavoring to
enmesh him. The state was prepared
for a hard fight But nowhere was
the very steer Williston saw on the
island with its Three Bars brand un-
der Blacks surveillance. Williston
would identify it as the same. He,
Langferd, would swear to his own anil
NAL.
Williston drove in from the Lazy
8 in ample time for the midday din
ner at the hotel-the hearing was set
for o'clock-but his little party con-
tented itself with luncheon pre-
pared at home and packed neatly and
appetizingly in a tin bucket. 1t was
not likely there would be repetition
of bad meat. 1t would be poor policy
Still, one could not be sure, and 1t
was most important that Williston ate
no bad meat that day.
Gordon met them in the hot. stuffy
little parlor of the hotel.
ut was good of you to come" he
Il didn't want to-" confessed Louise.
honestly. Pm afraid it is too big and
lonesome for me. / am sure / should
have gone back to Velpen last night
to catch the early train had it not
been for Mary. She is so-good."
THE worst is over now that you
have conquered your first impulse to
fly" he said.
Il cried, though. l hated myself
for it. but l couldn't help it. You see
l never was SO far from home before"
He was an absorbed. handwriting
lawyer. Years of contact with the
plain, hard realities of rough living
in a new country had dried up. some
what, his stream of sentiment. Maybe
the source was only blocked with
debris, but certainly the stream was
running dry. He could not help
thinking that girl who cries be-
. cause she is far from home had much
better stay at home and leave the
grave things which are mems work to
men. But he was a gentleman and a
kindly one. SO he answered quietly.
81 trust you will like us better when
you know us better" and after a few
more commonplaces. went his way.
There's man." said Louise,
thoughtfully, on the way to McAllis-
ter's ONCE. Il like him, Mary"
And yet there are men in this coun
try who would kill him II they dared"
Mary! what do you mean? Are
there then SO many cut-throats in this
awful country"
Il think there are many desperate
men among the rustlers who would
not hesitate to kill either Paul Lang
ford or Richard Gordon since these
prosecutions have begun. There are
also many good people who think Mr..
Gordon is Just stirring up trouble and
putting the county to expense when
he can have no hope Of conviction.
They say that his failures encourage
the rustlers more than an inactive
/ policy would"