Middletown transcript., 1921-03-26

he hated the buzzard that would claim
him in the end, and tried to hide his
apprehension.
"Go on. Blat it out" Cranstop or
dered. "Or else go away and let me
Sleep"
It was bluff; but 1t worked. IT
Gibbs had gone without speaking,
Cranston would have known no sleep
that night. But the man became more
fawning.
I'm tellin' you, fast as can." he
went on, almost whining. II went to
the cabin, just as you said. But l
didn't get Mance to search it"
"Why not? Cranston thundered.
His voice re-echoed among the snow
wet pines.
"rll tell you why! Because some
one else-evidently cop-was al
ready searchin' 1t. Both Of us know
there's nothin' there, anyway. We've
gone over it too many times. After
while he went away-but l didn't
turn back yet. That wouldn't be Jim
Gibbs. I shadowed him, just as you'd
want me to. And he went straight
back to the body"
"Yes?" Cranston had hard work
curbing his impatience. Again Gibbs
eyes were full of ominous specula'
tions.
''He stopped at the body, and it was
plain he'd been there before. He went
crawling through the thickets, lOOkin
for clues. He done what you and me
never thought to do-lookin' all the
way between the trail and the body
He'd already found the brass shell you
told me to get. At least, 1t WASN'T
there when looked, after he'd gone
You should've thought Of it before
But he found somethin' else whole
lot more important-a roll of papers
that Hildreth had chucked into an old
pine stump when he was dyin'. 1t was
your fault, Cranston, for not gettin
them that night. This detective stood
and read 'em on the trail. And you
know-just as well as I do-wha1
they were."
"D-n you, I went back the next
morning, as soon as I could see. Ant
the mountain lion had already beer
there. l went back lots of times since
And that shell amt nothing-but al
the time I supposed l put it in my
pocket. You know how it is-a fellow
throws his empty shell out by habit"
Gibbs eyes grew more intent. What
was this thing? Cranston's tone, in
stead of commanding, was almos
pleading. BIT the leader caught him
self at once.
Il don't see why I need to explain
any of that to you. What I want tt
know is this: why you didn't shoo
and get those papers away from him?'
For an instant their eyes battled
But Gibbs had never the strength o1
his leader. If he had, it would have
been asserted long since. He sucked
in his breath, and his gaze fell away
1t rested on Cranston's rifle, that IL
some manner had been pulled uI
across his knees. And at once he wa!
cowed. He was never so fast with {
gun as CranstOn.
"Blood on my hands, eh-same a!
on yours?" he mumbled, looking down
"What do you think want, rop'
around my neck? These hills are big
but the arm Of the law has reached >ul
before, and it might again. You nigh
as well know first as last I'm not goin
to do any killin's to cover up you
murders"
"That comes Of not going myself
You fool-if he gets that evidence
down to the courts you're broken tn
same as me-"
"But l wouldn't get more'n yea
or so, at most-and that's heap diff
ferent from the gallows. l did aim a
him"
"But you just lacked the CUTS to pul
the trigger!"
Il did, and I amt ashamed of il
But besides-the SHOWS are here now
and he won't be able to even get WOr'
to the valleys for six months. If yO1
want him killed so bad, do it your
self"
This was a thought indeed. On tn
other hand, another murder might no
be necessary. Months would pass be
fore the road would be opened, and Il
the meantime Cranston would have
thousand chances to steal back tn
accusing letters. He didn't believe 70
an instant that the man Gibbs ha
seen was detective. He had KEEP
too close watch over the roads TO
that.
"A tall chap, in outing clothes
dark-haired and clean-shaven"
"YeSY
"Wears tan hat?"
"That's the man."
II know him-and I wish you
punctured him. That's Failing-th
tenderfoot that's been staying at Ler
nox's He's lunger."
"He didn't look like no lunger t
me"
"But no matter about that-it's jus
as I thought. And I'll get 'em back
mark my little words"
In the meantime the best thing t
do was to move at once to his winte
trapping grounds-a certain neglecte
region on the lower levels Of the Mort
: Fork. If at any time within the mex
| few weeks, Dan should attempt
: carry word down to the settlement
: he would be certain to pass With