The Dolores star., 1918-05-31

cred through ths slaek. inert body.
Gordon hoisted Macdonald across
the saddle and led the horse throagh
the ford. He walled beside the animal
to town. and never had two miles
seemed to him % far. With one hand
he steadied the helpless body that lay
ike q sack OF four balanced In the
trough Of the saddle.
Kusiak at last lay below him, and
when he descended the hill to the sub
urbs almost the nrst house was the one
where the Pagets lived.
Elliot threw the body across his
shoulder and walked up the waak to
the porch. He kicked upon the door
with his foot. Sheba answered the
knock. and at sight Of what he car
ried the color faded from her face.
Macdonald has been hurt-badly," !"
he explained quickly.
"This way" the girl cried, and led
him to her own room.
@Get Diane-and q DOCTOR" ordered
Gordon after he had laid the uncon-
scious man on the white sheet.
While he and Diane undressed the
mine owner Sheba got doctor ON the
telephone. The wounded man opened
his eyes after q long time. but there
was In them the glaze Of delirium. He
recognized none Of them. All night
he raved, and his delirious talk went
back 20 the Wild scenes Of his earlier
life. Sometimes he swore savagely :
again he made quiet, deadly threats /;
but always his talk was crisp and
clean and vigorous. Nothing foul OF
slimy came to the surface in those
hours OF unconscious babbling.
The doctor would make no promises.
Hes q mighty DICK man. The cutl
arc deep. and the hammering must
have Jared his brain terribly. II II
was anybody but Macdonald. wouldn't
give him q chance" he told Diane
when he left In the morning to gel
breakfast "But Macdonald has tre'
mendous vitality. OF course II he lives
It will BE- because Mr.. Elliot brought
him In % soon"
Gordon walked with the doctor q
fAf - the hotel. A brown, thin
leathery man undraped himself from
chair In the lobby when Elliot opened
the door. He was oflcially known q
the CHIEF Of police Of Kuslak. Incl.
dentally hs constituted the whole DO
lice force. Generally he was referred
to a. Gopher Jones on account Of hia
habit Of spasmodic prospecting.
Il got to put you under arrest Mr.
Elliot" he explained.
what forr demanded Gordon, sur.
prised.
"Doc thinks It win run 10 murder,
I reckon"
The fleld agent was startled. sYou
mean-Macdonaldf'
The brown man chewed his quid
steadily. You done guessed It"
That's absurd, you know. What
evidence have you got1"
sTirst Oh. you'd had trouble with
him. It was common talk that when
you and Mac met guns were going to
pop. You bought an automatic 70.
volver two days ago. >You was seen
pracucing with It"
He had threatened me"
you want to be careful what you
ny, Mr.. Elliot. It will be used against
you" Gopher shot q squirt Of to.
bacco unerringiy at the open door Of
the stove. you was seen talkins
with Trelawney and Northrup. Money
passed from you to them" -
Il Eave them q loan of ten dollars
each because they were broke. u that
crimlnal1" demanded Gordon angrily.
that's your story. You'll git q
chance to tell It to the Jury, I shouldn't
wonder. Mebbe they'll believe 1t. You
never can tell" ...
Believe It'll Why. you muttonhead,
I found him where he was bleeding to
death and brought him In"
THAT'S what heard say. Kinder
queer. amt 1t, you happened to be the
man that found hinr'
"Nothing queer about It. was rid.
ing in from Seven Mile Creek camp =
Gordon was exasperated, but not at all
alarmed.
$50 you was. While you was out at
the camp you asked one of the boys
how big the pay roll would be-"
"Does that prove I was planning q
hold-upf Isn't that the last thing ]
would have asked II I had intended
robberyf" ...
~Don't ask me. I amt no psycholo.
gist. All know Is You took an inter
est In the bank roll on the way"
TIN here for the government inves
tigating Macdonald. I was getting in.
formation-earning my pay. Can yor
understand thatr'
Gopher chewed his cud impassively
sSure can, and been earning mine
By the way, how come you to be bea,
up 90 bad, Mr.. Elliot3"
II had fight with the roOberas
"Sure 1t wasn't with the robbed,
That split lip Of yours looks to ma
plumb like Macs John hancock"
Elliot flushed angrily. "Of course I,
you intend to believe me guilty
"Now, there amt no manner O. uss
in gettin' het up, young fellow. Meb
be you did it; mebbe you didn't. Any.
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