Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-08-20
SHERIFF
OF YUMA
COUNTY
By JACK WooDFORD
o. 1928. western Newspaper Union)

NNCK MANGRONE, sheriff Of
Yuma county, sat very erect
IL and silent on stool in the
railroad eating house at Mus
cary. He was waiting with cold
impotence, until the crowd who be-
longed to the painting train outside
should finish their twenty-minute
lunch and go back aboard the through
train, which they finally did, leaving
him alone In the little station lunch
room with Molly The instant they
had gone he went right on with his
argument with the llght-halred, blue
eyed waitress as II only a second,
rather than twenty minutes had in
tervened since he made his last point.
"But l tell you. Molly, I'm slated
for big things around these parts"
His chest swelled unconsclously, and
he reached up, without knowing that
he did so, to see whether or not his
Stetson was sitting at just the right
angle; 1t was, and Molly could not
help admlring his ensemble as she
swiftly gathered into q neat pyramid
the heavy dishes which the travellers
had cleaned Of all food. aust think"
reminded Dick, chow l cleaned out
that gang of rustlers down at Ford's
crossing; remember how l captured
those four train robbers down the
line last fall don't forget the way
|, slngle-handed, crept up on that
loco guy who barrlcaded himself in
the old Harvey house and was shoot
in at everyone who passed. Why there
amt never been a sheriff Of Yuma
county that showed the speed | have
| got an awful drag with the voters !;
they might even send me to the
state senate-cOme on now, Molly,
won't you"
Molly was just starting for the
swinging door which led into the
kitchen; she turned, with her back
against It as she edged through with
an immense pile OF dishes I'm her
arms and shot out an irritating little
word Of one syllable-"Now
Dick waited until she had re-en-
tered the room.
"But why won't your l amt such a
bad catch, am why every girl in
the country would be glad to.
Is It that amt good looking enough
or that you don't loye me; or that
you want a guy with lots of dough, or
what Is it2'
The girl glowered at him. She was
dlminuitlve and pretty, with the
healthy, cleareyed, deep-chested, fair
gL
with the red sunsets and open space
Of the great West. She also had n
very firm, rcd little mouth. She
walked slowly over to where the man
sat, cycling her like small boy who
just been denied jam. He was slumped
down upon one of the stools, his ell
bows upon the counter his cheeks
held In the palms of his hand; he
looked very unhappy. Molly glanced
out through the windows there was
no one to be seen. Calmly and de-
liberntely she removed his hat, put
her arm around his neck, and kissed
him convinclngly, full upon the lips.
81 won't marry you, Dick" she
said firmly mot that I don't think
cause you're not good looking for
you certainly are, you devil Neither
Is 1t because | don't love yOu-who
could help IL? And II isn't because
you're not rich; I'd love you just
the same IL you didn't have Job or Il
dlme-Pd work for you;
But there Is another reason. | won't
tell you what II Is and you may never
know; but as long as that reason eX-
istB-I'll never marry you. Now get
out, and be after that Long person
before he gets clear out Of the cOun-
try, or your chance at the reward Is
gone forever"
He started to protest, but she placed
her hand over his mouth.
"On your way, officer, or I'll call n
cop" she laughed.
"But Molly"
"No butts about it-thats my last
word. what do you mean sitting here
anyway with Jim Long known to be
in the vlclnityT
up In my sleep"
'But they say he killed deputy
over IN Usage"
"Sure he did, but he won't kill
me-they Just lay down and hand
over their guns when I come along.
Molly, my girl. I'll be in some time
tomorrow morning with Jim Long
rldln' his pony I'm front Of me, and hi
guns In my belt-that's Just little
routlne-to go out and round him
up"
81 see" said Molly "but | should
think you'd be a little more anxious
to be at It, seeing there's a thousand
In 1t for the man who captures him"
1.-THE thousands as good as de
posted to my credit down at the Apex
National right now"
81 saw his photograph when was
over to your office yesterday-he
looked like mean bird"
"The meaner they come the meaner
talk to em Molly. Don't worry about
me; never nunked anything like
that did /? Why do you remember
the time"
"On your way" insisted Molly
sharply. ITS getting dark"
Dick rolled dejectedly out, and
presently Molly heard his pony's hoof
beats grow fainter and then cease
altogether.
The seyen-forty-n from the East
rolled In and the hungry passengers
made another raid on the little lunch
room. After the seyen-forty five had
left, Molly settled down TO the most