Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-06-25

I've found that the body's been I'M
coVered-and men are already search
IN for clues And moreover think
they've found them" He paused.
weighing the effect Of his words. His
eyes glittered with cunning. Rat that
he was, he was wondering whether the
time had arrived to leave the shin. He
had no intention of continuing to give
his services to a man with a rope
moose closing about him. And Grams
ton, knowing this fact. hated him as
ne hated the huzzard that would claim
hitn IN the end, and tried to hide his
apprehension.
go on. Blat it out" Cranston or
dered. "Or else go away and let me
sleep"
1t was bluff; but it worked. II
Gibbs had gone without speaking.
Cranston wound have known no sleep
that night. But the man became more
fawning.
I'm telin' you, fast as I can" he
went on, almost whining. II went to
the cabin, just as you said But l
didn't get a chance TO search it"
"Why not?" Cranston Numbered
His voice re-echoed among the snow
wet pines.
I'll tell you why! Because some
one else-evidently cop-was al
ready searchin' it, Both of us know
there's nothin' there anyway. We've
gone over it too many times. After
a while he went away-but I didn't
turn back vet That wouldn't be Jim
Gibbs. I Swallowed him, just as you'd
want ne to. And he went straight
back to the body"
Yes" Cranston had hard work
curbing his Impotence. Again Gibbs
eyes We're full of ominous specua-
TONS
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 she'll YOU
told me 10 get At least. it wasn't
there when l looked. after he'd gone.
on 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'. Ii was
your fault. Cranston, for not gettin
them that night. This detective stood
and read EN- on the trail. And You
know-just as well as | dO-vhat
they were"
"D-n YOU, went back the next
morning. as soon as l could see. And
the mountain lion had already been
there. ! went back lots Of times since.
And that shell amt nothing-hut all
the time I supposed | put it in my
pocket. You know how it is-a fellow
throws HIS empty she'll out by habit"
Gibbs eyes grew more intent. What
was this thing? Cranston's rome in
stead of commanding, was almost
pleading. But the leader caught him
self at once.
4 don't see why l need TO explain
any Of that to you. What l want to
know is this: why you didn't shoot
and get those papers away from him?"
For an instant their eyes battled.
But Gibbs had never the strength Of
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 in
some manner had been pulled up
across his knees. And at once he was
c0wed. He was never so fast with a
gun as CranstOn.
Blood on my hands, eh-same as
on yours?" he mumbled, looking down.
~ hat do you think l want, a rope
around my neck? These hills are big,
but the arm of the law has reached up
before, and it might again. You might
as well know first as last I'm not goin'
to do any killin's to cover UP your
murders
THAT comes Of not going myself
You fool--if he gets that evidence
down to the courts you're broken the
same as me-
But | wouldn't get more'n q year
or 50, at most--and that's a heap diff
ferent from the gallows, do aln at
hlai--"
"Bct you Just lacked the CUTS to pun
the trigger g"
u did, and ! amt ashamed Of it.
But besides-the SHOWS are here now.
and he won't be able to even get word
to the valleys for six months. II y9u
vans him killed so bad, DO it your
self"
This was 81 thought indeed. on the
other hand. amor Aar murder might not
BE necessary. Months would pass bee
fore the road would he opened and To
ne meantime Crau.t0n would hay
Thousand chances 10 steal Iaes the
accusing letters. He didn't believe for
an instant chat the man Gibbs had
seen was q detective. He had kept
foo close watch over the roads fol
that
"a tall chap In outing clothes
.a,.-e. b.. ~.9 ami .f.a-- ..Es...r. gv