The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-09-06

81 do not"
Gordon nodded to Small.
Langford was most unsatisfac-
tory under cross-examination. He
never contradicted himself. and
was trifle 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 weighty voice, you travel a
great deal. l believes?
4 do"
For pleasure, maybe?" with a
mysterious infection.
Partly"
Business as well?"
Business as we'll"
Just prior to the arrest Of the
defendant" insinuatingly, you
were away?"
Yes"
you had been away some
timer"
THE better part of a year."
confessed Langford. with engag-
ing candor.
Yes. Now. Mr.. Langford, I
should like you to tell me 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 sworn word
You have been out of the country
a year. Don't you think you are
asking this jury to swallow a
pretty big mothful when you ask
them to believe that you could so
Enthusiastically distinguish this one
poor ornery steer, of others?"
l have owned that spotted
steer for years." said Langford,
composedly. Il have never sold
him because he was rather an odd
creature, and so cantankerous
that we dubbed him the Three
Bars mascot"
Gordon called Jim Munson.
What is your manner"
"Gosh!"
The question was unexpected.
Was there any one in the county
who did not know Jim Munson?
And Dick Gordon of all people!
Then he remembered 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 oftimes
foolish.
Jim Munson. Jim Muson's my
name-yep.
Gordon smiled.
you needn't insist on 1t, Mr..
Munson," he advised. We know
it now. Where do you live?"
"Hellity damn! I live at the
Three Bars ranch"
I'm Kemah county?"
"It sure is"
What is your business. Mr..
Munson?"
"Jim's shorter, Dick. Well, l
work for the boss, Mr.. Paul Lang
ford"
In what capacity?"
"If you mean what do I do,
why, l ride the range, l punch
cows, l always go on the round
up, Pm a fair broneho-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 a gale of laughter in
the bar. Even the court smiled.
"Oh, Jim! Jim! You have per-
jured yourself already" MUIR
INJURED 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 McAllister's.
But something in Gordon's steady
though seemingly careless gaze
brought him back to the serious
ness of the scene they were play
ing.
The examination proceeded.
The air was getting sitting. Win
dows we're thrown open. Damp
looking clouds had arisen from
nowhere, seemingly, and spread
over the little prairie town.
The state proceeded to Num-
sons Identification 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 yard 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. would know that cuss eff I
met him on the golden streets of
the eternal city or of my eyes was
full o. soundin' cataracts Yep!"
Billy Brown was called. After
the preliminary questions, Gordon
said to him:
Now, Mr.. Brown, please tell
the jury how you came into pos
session of the steer"
We'll, l was shippin' a couple
o. car loads to Sioux City, and n
was drivin' the bunch myself with
a couple o. hands when I meets
up with Jesse Black here. He was
herdin' a likely little bunch o. a
half dozen or so-among 'em this
spotted Teller. He said he wasn't
shippin' any this fall, but these
were for sale-part of a lot he