The Winslow mail., 1923-08-24

breast-that live pain which so
shamed her. But almost instantly, as
a second glance showed an agony in
Bonita's face, her bruised arms where
the rope bit deep into the flesh, her
little brown hands stained with blood,
Madeline was overcome by pity for
the unfortunate girl and a woman's
righteous passion at such barbarous
treatment of one of her own sex.
The man holding the bride of the
horse on which Bonita had been bound
was at once recognized by Madeline
as the big-bodied, bullet-headed guer-
rilla who had found the basket of wine
in the spring at camp. Redder of
| face, blacker of beard, coarser of as
pect, evidently under the influence of
liquor, he was as fiercelooking as q
gorilla and as repulSiVe. Besides him
| there were three other men present,
all mounted on weary horses. The
one in the foreground, gaunt, sharp
featured, red-eyed, with a pointed
beard she recognized as the sheriff of
Ell Cajon.
Stillwell saw Madeline, and, throw
ing up his hands, roared to be heard.
| This Quieted the gesticulating, quar-
reling men.
'Wal now, Pat Howe, what's drivin'
you like loc0ed steer on the ram
pager demanded Stillwell.
Keep in the traces, Bill" replied
Have. you savvy what l come fer.
IN pIt M
ready now. I'm hyar to arrest a Grim
| inal."
The huge frame of the old cattle
man jerked as if he had been stabbed.
His face turned purple.
What criminal?" he shouted,
| hoarsely.
The sheriff flicked his quirt against
his dirty boot, and he twisted his thin
lips into leer.
"Why, Bill, knowed you he'd no
good outfit ridin' this range; but l
wasn't wise thet you he'd more'n one
criminal"
''Cut that talk! Which cowboy are
you wantin' to arrestY'
Hawe's manner altered.
"Gene Stewart" he replied, curtly.
"On what charger
"Fer KILN a Greaser one night last
fall"
$50 you're still harpin' on that?
Pat, you're on the wrong trail. You
can't lay that killin' onto Stewart.
The things ancient by now. But If
you insist on bringin' him to court, let
the arrest go today-we're havin'
some fiesta hyar-an' I'll fetch Gene
in to Ell Cajon."
"Nope. 1 reckon I'll take him when
1 got the chance, before he slopes"
"Im givin' you my word" thun-
dered Stillwell.
II reckon 1 don't hev to take your
word, Bill, or anybody else's."
Stillwelrs great bulk quivered with
his rage, yet he made successful eff
fort to control it.
"See hyar, Pat Have, know what's
reasonable. Law is law. But in this
country there always has been an is
now a safe an sane way to proceed
with the law. Mebbe you've forgot
that. I'm a-goin' to give you a hunch.
Pat, you're not overliked in these
parts. You've rid too much with a
high hand. Some of your deals hev
been shady, an don't you overlook
what I'm sayin'. But you're the sher-
iff, an Pm respectin' your Office. I'm
respectin' 1t this much. If the milk
Of human decency is so soured in your
breast that you can't hev a kind feel
in, then try to avoid the unpleasant
ness that'll result from any contrary
move on your part today. Do you get
that hunch?"
"Stillwell, you're threatenin' an Of
f1cer," replied Have, angrily. II come
to arrest him, an I'm goin' to-"
$50 that's your camel" shouted
Stillwell. "We-al are glad to get you
straight, Pat. Now listen, you cheap,
red-eyed coyote of a sheriff You don't
care how many enemies you make.
You know you'll never get office again
| in this county. What do you care
now? It's amazin' strange how earn
est you are to hunt down the man who
killed that particular Greaser.
reckon there's been some dozen or
more killin's Of Greasers in the last
year. Why don't you take to trailin'
some of them killin's? I'll tell you
why. You're afraid to go near the
| border An your hate of Gene Stew
art makes you want to hound him an
put him where he's never been yet
in Jail. You want to spite his friends.
Wal, listen, you lean-jawed, skunk
bitten coyote! Go ahead an try to
arrest him!'
Stillwell took one mighty stride off
the porch. His last words had been
cold. His rage appeared to have been
transferred to Have. The sheriff
had begun to stutter and shake a
| lanky red hand at the cattleman when
| Stewart stepped out.
"Here, you fellows, give me a
chance to say a word"