The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1908-04-24


try TO buy 3 few head g. cattle, I
trade considerable with the half
breeds around Grow creek and Lower
Brule. They're always for sellin' and
if it comes to a showdown never bag
gle much about the lucre-it all goes
for snake-juice anyway Well, I landed
at John Yellow VOLTS shanty along
about noon and found there was 9TH
ers ahead of me. Yellow Wolf always
was popular cuss. There was Char
lie Nightbird, Pete Monroe, Jesse Big
Cloud and two or three others whose
mugs I did not happen to be onto.
After our feed, we all strolled out to
the corral. Yellow Wolf said he had
bought likely little bunch from some
English Teller who was skipping the
country-starved out and homesick-
and hadn't put 'em on the range yet
He said R was the English fellers
brand. I didn't suspicion no under
hand dealin's. Yellow VOLTS always
treated me white before, so I bar
gained for this here chap and three or
four others and then pulled out for
home driving the bunch. They fed at
home for spell and then 1 decided to
put 'em on the range. On the way
fell in with Billy Brown here He
was dead set on havin' the lot to fill in
the chinks of the two car loads he was
shippin', so up and lets him have
'em. 1 showed him this here bill-o'-
sale from Yellow Wolf and made him
out one from me, and that was all
there was to it. He rode to Velpen
and I turned on my TRAIL"
1t was straight story, and appar-
emily damaging for the prosecution. 1t
corroborated the attestations of other
witnesses many others. It had a
plausible ring to it. Two bills of sale
radiated atmospheric legality If there
had been dirty work it must have orig
inted with that renegade half-breed,
Yellow Wolf. And Yellow Wolf was
dead He had died while serving a
term in the penitentiary for cattle
rustling Uncle Sam himself had set
the seal upon him-and now he was
dead. This insinuated charge he
could not answer. The finality of it
seemed to set it's stamp upon the peo-
pie gathered there-upon the IL good
men and true, as we'll as upon others.
Yellow Wolf was dead. George Will
liston was dead. Their secrets had
died with them. An inscrutable fate
had lowered the VEIL Who could
pierce it? One might believe but who
could know? And the law required
knowledge.
eve will call Charlie Nightbird,"
said Small, complacently.
There was little waiting silence
1breathless, palpitating silence.
us Charlie Nightbird present ?"
asked Small, casting rather anxious
eyes over the packed, intent faces.
Charlie Nightbird was not present. At
least he made no sign of coming for
ward. The face of the young counsel
for the state was immobile during the
brief time they waited for Charlie
ightbird-whose dark, frozen face
at that moment turned toward the
cold, sparkling sky, and who would
never come, not if they waited for
him till the last dread trump of the
last dread day.
There was some mistake Counsel
had been misinformed. Nightbird
was an important witness. He had
been reported present. Never mind.
He was probably unavoidably detained
by the storm. They would call Jesse
Big Cloud and others to corroborate
the defendants statements - which
they did, and the story was sustained
In all its parts, major and minor. Then
the defense rested.
Richard Gordon arose from his
chair. His face was white. His lean
jaws were set. His eyes were steel.
He was anything but a lover now, this
man Gordon. Yet the slim little court
reporter with dark circles of home.
sickness under her eyes had never
loved him half so we'll as at this mo.
ment. His voice was clear and de.
liberate
"Your honor, I ask permission of
the court to call witness in direct
testimony. l assure your honor that
Iu0 oIdIc udu uSeU all GuOrLS In Its
power to obtain the presence of this
witness before resting it's case, but
had failed and believed at the time
that he could not be produced. The
witness is now here and I consider
his testimony of the utmost impor.
lance in this case"
Counsel for the defendant objected
strenuously, but the court granted the
petition. He wanted to hear every.
thing that might throw some light on
the dark places in the evidence.
Il call Mr.. George Williston," said
Gordon.
Had the strain crazed him? Louise
covered her eyes with her hands,
Men sat is if dazed. And thus. the
cynosure of all eyes-stupefied eyes
Wil1iston of the ravaged Lazy S, thin
and worn but calm, natural and schol
arly'lookfng as of old-walked from
the little ante-room at the side into
the light and knowledge of men once
more and raised his hand for the oath
Not until this was taken and he haf