The Bossier banner., 1922-07-06
CHAPTER XIII.

AN INoUEsT-AND SOME EXPLANATIONS.
The inquest party consisted OF the
coroner. who was the doctor that had
already attended Allan; Sergeant Grey,
six jurors. selected from the townspeo-
pic; the manager Of the bank. whose
suspicious had first been cOmmunica-
ted TO Grey; Travers. and Gardiner.
In the early morning the policeman
had ridden out to the ranch for Gardi-
uer, hut 'hdd met him on his way to
town. News Of the tragedy had.
reached him. he said. and he was hur-
rying In to see IL he could be Of some
assistance to Trayers In arranging Tor
a lawyer. or in any way TINT might he
practicable. Grey told him that as
vet no formal charge had been laid
against Trnvers !: that he was merely
held pending the finding of the coron-
er's jury. and suggested that II Gardi-
ner would accompany him to the In
quest he might be able, not only to
throw some light on Travers' charac-
ter. hut also on his whereabouts on the
night Of the tragedy. To this Gardi-
ner readily agreed.
1t was noon when the party reached
the .Arthurs' ranch. They swung into
the yard amid a cloud Of dust, the jim
gle of trappings. and the hearty ex-
change of greetings between Artliurs
and his acIuaintances from town.
Gardiner was introduced to Arthurs,
and shook hands without removing his
gnuntlets. Then the rancher walked
over ana shook hands with Travers.
There were no signs Of hardcuffs now.
and an outsider would not have known
that the young mans position differed
from that Of the others present.
After the meal Gardiner joined
them again. and the partx, which now
included Arthurs and Harris. proceed
ed mp the valley to the scene of the
tragedy. 1t was a great shock to Har-
ris to find TINT the victim of Allan's
gun was his old neighbor. Rifles. He
stood for a long time az one dazed by
the discovery. but gradually out Of the
confusion a horrible fear took shape
in his mind. Allan had shot this man.
with whom they had an appointment
,at this sp0t; had shot him down. as far
as could he shown. without excuse or
prOvocatioll, Iefore he had SO much as
entered the door. The body proved to
lie nni,rnled and from its position had
receiving the fatal charge.
Harris' evidence was first received
He. found it difficult to give his story
!. connectedly, hut item by, item he told
Of his acquaintance with Rifles in the
eastern province: Of their decision to
come west and take MP more land: Of
the chance by which they had fallen in
with Gardiner. and the prospect he had
laid hefore them Of more, profitable re-
turns from another form Of invest
ment of how his hesitation had finally
been overcome by the assurance that
NIL lie need do was have his money
ready-he was to he under no 'Olliga-
ton to go any further In the transac-
tion unless entirely satisfied; of the
offer wired by the New York capital
lists: of the sale of his farm for a disal,-
pointing sum, and their Journey with
the money to the old sllanty up the val
ley. where they were to he met by
Rifles and Gardiner, and also, as they
expected. by the owner Of the mine,
with whom they would open direct ne.
gotiations, producing the money as
proof OF their desire and ability to car
ry out their undertaking: Of how they
hoped the owner would he Induced to
accept a deposit and accompany them
back to town, where an option would he
secured from him for a period sufficient
to enable them to turn the property
over to the New York investors at a
handsome profit: of how he--Harris-
wearied by the long ride in the bright,
thin air. had gone to sleep confidently
with Allan at his side. and Of how he
had suddenly been awakened by shot
and heard Allan spring to his feet and
rush across the floor Of the old build.
ing. Then there had been another
shot-a revolver shot this time-anfl
everything was darkness, and he could
hear only something struggling at the
door. Then he told Of his own fight :
OF how they had fallen and rolled about
on the rotten floor. and how. in desper-
alton. he had not hesitated to use his
teeth on the hand OF his ass,,ilant. who
had finally broken away and disap-
peared in the darkness. Then he told
the rest of his story; OF his vigil with
Allan. of the loss of the money. of the
capture Of Travers. and finally of the
arrival of the policeman ON the scene.
Didn't it Seem to you a foolish
thing to go into the hills with all that
money to meet a man YOU had never
seen. and buy property you had never
examined!' asked the coroner.
1T wasn't foolishness: it was stark.
raying madness, az see 1t now" Har-
ris admitted. .Rut l didn't see It
that way then. It looked IKE Il lot Of