Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-04-09

there in front. He did NOS seem TO
care so much now. A great medicine
is a womanly and an understanding
smile. 1t flushed his face bit too.
Langford was most unsatisfactory
under cross-examination. He never
contradicted himself, and was a trile
contemptuous of any effort to tangle
him up In threads of his own weaving
The little man touched Small on the
arm and whispered to him.
"Mr. Langford," said Small, in a
deal ! believe"
Il do"
For pleasure maybe?" with a mys.
ferrous infection
Partly"
business as well?"
Business as we'll"
Gust prior to the arrest of the de.
PENDANT" insinuatingly, you were
away
How long prior do you mean
"Say week"
"No."
Two weeks?"
Eyes"
"You had been away some time?"
THE better part of a year." con-
fessed Langford, with engaging can
dor.
Yes. Now. Mr. Langford, should
like you to tell me about how many
cattle you range-in round numbers ?"
About 5000 head"
Eyes Now, Mr.. Langford, you who
count your cattle by the thousands,
on your own sworn word you have
been out Of the country year. Don't
you think you are asking this jury to
swallow a pretty big mouthful when
you ask them to believe that you could
so Enthusiastically distinguish this one
poor ornery steer, who has so little to
distinguish him from thousands of
others"
Il have owned that spotted steer for
years, said Langford, composedly. Il
have neve' sold him because he was
rather an odd creature and so can
tankerous that we dubbed him the
Three Bars mascot"
NCiubf 'tliNt jim M uUSOu'
What Is your nance
Gosh"
The question was unexpected Was
| there any one in the county who did
not know Jim Munson? And Dick Cor
don of all people, Then ne remem-
bered that the boss had been asked
the same question, so it must be all
{ isTh ly.-t
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. I'VE know 1t now
Where do you live?'
"Hellity damn! | live at the Three
Bars ranch"
In Kemah county?"
1T sure is
What is your business, Mr.. Mum
SOM"
"Jim's shorter. Dick, Well, work
for the boss, Mr.. Paul Langford"
| IN what capacity"
III you mean what do l do why,
ride the range, punch cows, / always
go On the roundup, I'm fair bronco
breaker and 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 a 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!"
well. grin away exploded Jim,
his quick ire rising. He had forgotten
that Judge Dale's court was not like
Justice McAllisters. His fingers fair.
ly itched to draw a pistol and make
the scoffers laugh and dance to a little
music Of his own, But something IN
Gordon's steady though seemingly
careless gaze brought him back to the
seriousness Of the scene they were
playing-wthout guns.
The examination proceeded. The
air was getting sitting, Windows
were thrown open. Damp-looking
clouds had arisen from nowhere seem.
insly 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 II
was sorry day for the cattle whom
the river was running In December.
Others had said so and 80 believed.
but people were not thinking OF the
cattle now. One big-boned long horned
steer held the stage alone.
Tho state proceeded to Munson's
Identification Of the steer In question
After many and searching questions,
Gordon asked the witness:
YIN, would you he willing to swear
that the steer you had held over at
1 tAa stask .xS<dx Vaa tia xarx SANE