The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-05-04

WsSsinr rsnsh IN Paradise valley. natss
TIE bomb With which the nasSnss hiow
sp = dam built ~ piek Aekiia. big boss
az me Double A ranch. Acklln. heArinr
81 thiA leads = lynehing parry 90 no.
oinss place. he flnds dead man on
the fleor and Mercedes Arrascada. beau.
tifal RAsQus. IN tears kildare. one OF
Aeklius men. secretlY sends for ths
sheriff who arrives shortly Rflsr Aekila-
NOW co OK WITH STORY
Mercedes placed hor hands on the
shoulders OF the two men. She
seemed 90 gain strength from tho
very nearneSs OF Kent and her
uncle.
-You better 80 with Peter. too. =
Tuscarora advised -wa'n get YOU
home In a FEW lie stopped as he
caught sight Of the grisly object in
the corner. "Landl- he cried. look
here!~
The sheriff called In several OF his
deputies before he moved cut OF the
kitchen.
"You know what the law ls.- he
warned them You're here TO de-
fend it,
HIS shrowd eyes scanned Ackiln's
face. The Biz Boss scowled darkly.
As Land was about To step past him.
the caitle-man spoke.
There's a dead man In the next
room. That little pouter. pigeon who
came In with you has found him.
You'd hotter Let the coroner take
care OF this
The sherifrs mussaehe began to
hris,ie.
According 90 last reports. the
county Is payin' me my wages: not
you. Don't you be 40 hostile"
Bodine Erinned az this speech. Ills
respect for the law Increased a hun
dredfold
Land hastily examined the dead
man.
Everybody step IN here he or
dered. He got 20 his feet and wiped
his hands on his trousers who
knows about thisg~ he continued.
-He amt been dead long"
Bodine answered him Had not
this good sheriff saved his necks
Il reckon can tell you about e."
he said "Acklin ksUws. too. Me and
Kildare and the girl were here when
1t happened She killed him."
mo" Land groaned. unable 10 BE-
iieve his ears mot that little girl
there
That's who mean. she pulled
my gun out OF my holster and fired
from the doorway"
The sheriff shook his head uucas-
fly. His depufies-ail Paradise men
caught their breath. Acklin giared
az Bodine.
Kent placed his arm abou, Mer-
cedes' shoulders.
You didn't do this. honey. did
your he murmured
II I I don't i.
don't know she sobbed. II came to
get Baltic. Bodine had him He
would not ie, me 70. He said mug,
70 away with him. would
not do that. He made the other man
hurt the baby. He was - A
sob ehol<ed her.
Lands basque deputies rnuttsred
angrily and the Double A men
scowied al Bodlne- Before Mercedes
could 30 on. Ackiln got the Eheritrs
attention.
'-she don't know what she's say
Ing" he cried shes In no condi-
ton 10 know wfa. she did You can't
take the word OF historical girl I
know what happened. Kildare was
here; he knows also Bodine's trying
TO save his own skin. / amt going
TO see this girl thrown into jail I
tell you. Bodine did IT.
The Big Boss turned until his eyes
met Kildare's. They stared at each
other for a fun second before Acklin
continued The crowd caught the
deadly intentness OF that glance. II
held its breath again The Big Boss
turned back 10 the sheriff.
You ask Kildare II what I say
isn't So" Tho words clicked off his
tongue.
Land arched his eyebrows
weir he demanded
II grew quiet The crowd waited
for kiidare's answer. He began TO
shake his head He was speaking.
The crowd strained it's ears
That's not what happened they
heard him say.
He was about 10 20 on when the
kitchen door flew open and Big Ho-
ner. Adkins Kelly creek foreman.