The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-04-08
CHATTER Mi.
A Now Trail

The next day Pete spent most OF
the time out on the porch with Baby
Ruth. who found him rather alb
sent-minded playfrllow. lie pondered
over what the doctor had told him
about being under arrest. and wished
again that the sheriff would come 90
SEQ him. lie wondered how he could
clear himself OF the charge OF killing
Brent
He thought of the letter from
Bailey. and r~-read n slowly. SO
Steve Gary had survived. only 20
meet tho Inevitable end OF his Kind
Wen. Gary was always hunting trou-
bic. Roth. the storeke~per at
Concho. ought 10 have the number OF
that gun which Pete packed IL tho
sheriff Of sanborn was an oid-,imsr.
hs would know that q man who
PACKED n gun for business rcas-ons
did not 70 round the country srperi-
men,inE with different makes and
cniih<r. Only tho showcase boys
IN the towns svapp~d runs I'd
Br~yoort had always used q Lurer.
Pete wondered n there had been any
evidence % the calib~r Of the bullet
which had killed Brent. II the sheriff
were an old-'imer. such evidence
would not b veriooked.
Pete looked up. Tn. place was de-
serted. He suddenly realized that
thor> who were able had gone 20
their noon meal. He had forgotten
about that. lie walked hack 20 his
room and sat on the edge ~ the col,
He was lonesome and disririted. This
was the first timo that Dori. had al
lowed him To miss n meal. and n was
her fault She Nigh, have called
him. hut what did Hhc oaro-
Pe,e's brooding eyes frightened as
Doris eams In with a tray. sho had
thought that he had rather have his
dinner there. II noticed that you did
not como down with tho others" she
said.
Pets was angry Win himself
Adam-like. he said he wasn't hungry,
anyhow.
Then IN take :, back said Doris.
sveetly.
Adam-lilte. Pete decided that he
was hungry. Miss Gray he hlurt-
81. -I--rm doggono shorthornl I'm
goin' to eat"
There's man In tho reception
room waiting n SEQ you" said Doris
II told him you were having your
dinner
The man who waited for him
downstairs. Pete surniaed, was the
sheriff OF Sanborn county.
IF you don't mind teliin' him I'll
come down "a soon m I eat" said
Pete. as he pulled up a chair.
Doris nodded, and turned 10 leave
Pete glanced up. The letter. the man
downstairs and all that his presence
implied. past and future possibilities,
were forgotten In the brief glance
that Doris gave him as she turned In
the doorway.
Meanwhile "the man downstairs"
was doing some thinking himself
That morning he had visited police
headquarters and inspected Pete'H
gun and MISUNDERSTANDING especial
ly the hand-carved holster and the
heavy caliber gun, the factory num-
Der OF which he jotted down In his
notebook. Incidentally he had Dor
rotYed Luger automatic from the
miscellaneous collection Of weapons
taken from criminals and slipped II
into his coat pocket Later he had
tnlked with the officials. visited the
Mexican lodging house. where he had
obtained description Of the man
who had occupied the room with
Pete. and. stopping at n restaurant
for coffee and doughnuts. had finally
arrived AZ the hospital prepared TO
hear what young Annerslcy had TO
say for himself.
Sheriff Jim Owen. unofficiafly
designated ms sunny Jim" because
Of an amiable disposition. which In
no way affected his official RESPONSE
biIlties. was n dyod-in-the-wool. hair
cinched, range branded. double-fisted
official. who scorned nickel-plated
firearms, hard-boiled hats, fancy
drinks. and smiled his contempt for
the rubber heeled methods OF the city
police. Sheriff owen had no rubber
heeied tendencies He was frank
ness itself. both In peace and In war
The sheriff was thinking. his hands