The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1924-05-08

| - VI anu bthl Sl AlktLll ulON
the dead face. slowly shook his head.
Course. l don't low In names Hop
kins. n more'n mine L." he muttered,
but it's the best ! can do"
The woodsman stopped; raked the
mass Of hair down; brought the red
lock Into view; spread his hand over
the lower part Of the face to hide the
beard
by the lord-Ken Colin"
Jack took his hand away from oves
the beard; scraped the hair carefully
back into place.
They say that red lock comes down
from oil Red Colin, q sea pirate hun
dreds Of years ago. that II shows up
every three r four generations. al
w'ys bringin' along with IL drop =
two OF bad blood. IL shore played the
devil with Ken"
Didn't It'll" was Uncle Nlck's
thoughtful comment-"robbed and
murdered is oil man, an then
preached is funeral-Lord r.
A short silence fell.
II could "a killed i'm there at the
safe" the woodsman unused. half to
himself. but didn't. l only shot
away is gun and fought i'm fair.
When he was down. with rs hair all
mussed up and the red lock worked
out in sight. that was the first time /
knowed i'm. After that l tried t.
save i'm and let I'm Kit away, not
KNOWN he had another pistol hid on
i'm. When he thought e had me OF
guard, he turned around quick and
shot; missed me-and hit-her."
He stood a long time silent. his head
half bent aside. his thoughts doubtless
back where hapless sufferer lay
moaning; turned AT last: gazed at the
knife, buried 10 gruesome depth In
the blood-mussed shlrt-front OF the
fallen man; glanced up at his old
friend and found the deep-set eyes
studying him in thoughtful RETROSPECT
ton.
uncle Nick, what sort OF a lock
have y'u got on y'ur jaw7'
Tight as a clam shell, II you say
So" was the ready answer.
I'm askin' y'u T. lock this words
were serious and slow. ut amt no use
{ worry-her"- jerked his head
down the gulch-"by lettln 'er find
out IL was--him-"
He gazed down at the sprawled body.
"rm askln' you 4 tend Z layin' I'm
out and buryin' I'm; and be p'inted
ptlclar T. keep is hair combed SOS the
red lock don't show. Nobody would
know I'm only by that The way he
had 'imself cobbled up-them clothes
and specs and whlskers, and the way
e talked, and lis face puckered up the
way e KEEP 1.-THE didn't look bit
more like Ken Colin than you do. Stay
here. and I'll send AL up with Doctor
Arnold's stretcher Z hep y carry I'm
in"
He stopped 10 stralghten the dead |
man and-a subconscious act OF com
passion. perhaps-to get the cramped
arm out from under him. As he moved !
the arm, the frock coat fell open and a
piece OF soiled white paper stuck Ia
pocket Of the vest caught his eye.
He drew II forth. glanced over the
iozen or so scrawled words and passed
he paper TO Uncle Nick. The old man,
something about not having
iis glasses along. passed II back and
he woodsman read aloud:
This man amt no preacher. Hes
Slim Finger Dooiln. Hes the sllckast
orger and counterfitter that ever lived
md devilish light fingered with six
,un. He ruined my sister. That's why
les dead. He alnt no human. Hes got
he CUTS OF snake and the devils
Hood. That's why knitted i'm Std Nv
hootin I'm white. II wont De no use
ollerin me cause yu wont ketch me.
"LoGE BELDEN."
A long silence followed the reading
( the note. The woodsman was the
rst 10 break II.
Il amt amin Z follow I'm" he said,
Thile a spark OF flint narrowed his
yes-"s man thatrn back his sister
ke-that"
Il low he's about as black as the
evil makes EN-" was the old hunters
loughtful comment, as he slowly
raCneu IVf MS pipe "but wen mar
Onsalt i'm one white feather"
He kicked Black Bogus box 10 the
pen door. stood IL on end. sat down
nd scraped his match on the door
lmb.
With a final word Of caution TO keep
,cret the Identity Of the dead man.
le woodsman hurried away.
At the inquest an hour or 80 later
lck merely repeated the statement he
I'D made the night before. OF Loge
eden and his sister-knowlng az last
r. pltifnl secret, he let fall no word. q
he house-boat. when he went 10 It's d
dlngpIace days later. had disap-
AIRED. They had PROBABLY gone with
They were never followed. 4