New Britain herald., 1923-06-04
NOW GO oN WITH THE STORY

There followed moment af sic fence. Mallnw and ston"r exchanged glanees. What percentage Of that goes'' the former finally inquired.
 "ona hundred"
 fall, But there's no harm done nobodys hurt"
 Tt is lucky, indeed-for me, I'd have felt bound 10 make good his loss. fl you had hooked him pre-. sume l ought 10 expose this swindle,"
 Expose Jackson ?" Stoner in- quired. quickly. When Gray nodded. there was another brief silence before the speaker ventured to say; ''I know this bird Nelson, and, take 1t from me. you're giving him the best Of 1t. If hadn't known him as well as do. I wouldn't Of put ia with you 10 break him, Now abois this Jackson: you can land him, l s'pose, if you try. but 1t would be lower than a frogs foot, after him blazing square with you"
 What do you mean by that?"
 He could have stung you. easy, couldn't he? You surged out here on purpose 10 buy the lease. but he hid out all afternoon to avoid you"
 'um.m! Suppose we leave 1t for the present"
 Mallow, who had remained silent during his friends argument, greeted this suggestion with relief. He was glad to change the subject. Good" he cried, heartily. "T'd about as soon face Old Tom Parker, like that fellow in the restaurant did, as to face Jackson. He'd sink a stillson in my head, sure. if--'
 Parker? Was that old man Miss Parker's father?"
 Certainly. What d'you think ailed that gunman? D'you think he got the flu or something, all of a sudden? There ain't anybody left tough enough to banker for Toms scalp. He's pinned rose on all of those old-timers, and he's deadly poison to the new crop
 For the first time Calvin Gray un- derstood clearly the reason for the unexpected outcome of that encounter in the cafe. No wonder the stran- gers trigger finger had been para lvzed. Barbara's father, indeed! How stupid of him not to guess
 'I must find him, quickly" Gray declared, "Perhaps he'll ride back to town with us
 |. was not a difficult task to locate the veteran officer, and Tom was de- lighted at the chance to ride home with his new acquaintance.
 unique and an engaging person h m rn- hound of gentleness and acerhity, of kindliness and rancor; quiet, guile less. stubborn, violent old man-at- arms, who would not be interrupted while he was eating. He was both scornful and contemptuous of evil i doers. All needed killing.
 Hard luck, I call it, for bud ding desperado to wreck career of promise the way that wretched fello" did" Gray told him with laugh. "Out of all the men in Texas, to DICK you"
 killer"
 "Indeed?"
 ..He kills Mexicans and niggers and I folks without guns, mostly. Low down stuff. He's got three or four, ' believe I never could see why the Nelsons kep' him."
 There was brief silence. T beg pardon" said Gray, He's been on the Nelson pay roll for years-doing odd jobs that wasn't At to be done. But l guess they got tired of him, anyhow he's been hang ing around Wichita for the last two or three weeks. He's been in an out of our office quite bit
 Later, when the journey was over and Tom Parker had been dropped at his gate, Gray spoke to his two com panions. ,,,
 "Did you hear what he said"
 we did"
 "Do you believe I was framed Roth Mallow and St0ner nodded.