Evening star., 1928-05-20

the bankin' business. Let's go back t
my office: it's a whole lot safer"
| I FOLLOWED the colonel into small
back room that looked out on 6
| the waterleSS bed of wide. sandy
creek. In a southeasterly direction
from those rear windows the southern
| road into town led over a culvert
| Desert vegetation grew up to the edge
of the hamlet.
The Office was furnished with a desk
three chairs, battered green safe
The walls were dotted with maps.
/ accepted the chair the colonel in
dicated and he sat down in cane
bottomed swivel. He laid the SIX
| shooter on the desk. My eye followed
| it; at once saw two similar weapons
! the document-padded pigeon holes.
| You seem to be equipped to receive
| boiSterouS visitors" ventured.
What did you want 10 see me
about?"
las understand it, some years age
Judge Farmers bank had to take over
the assets of certain estate that owned
much mining stock. The judge told me
he'd correSponded with you over Its
value at the time"
II know-the Batson property. That S
| 1.-THE roofs you see rearin' over be-
yond the culvert."
We'll. the judge said
! stopped. The blond had appeared
in the doorway, Col, Stedman instinc-
lively turned the swivel so as to COM
mand a full view of this door.
WAL, Jessie?"
"Pres KelSey's out here to see you"
The girl said this in whisper.
Pres Kelsey. eh?"
The girl stepped farther into the
room. Please, colonel, don't see him.
why not? Amt he Sober?"
Hes sober all right. But-Iny Curt
claimed that he saw the Stranger boys
horses tied in Kelsey's yard"
shouldn't wonder. Birds OF a
feather"
and Mrs. Kelsey stayed in town
last night. That means what it means.
She always comes in when Pres isis
misbehaving."
What does Pres claim he wants?"
"He says it's about his mortgage.
But If he's really scouting for Hal
II was findin' my way around safely
long while fore yo' was born, Jessie.
Tell Kelsey I'll see him"
I arose, saying: IF I'm interrupting
important business, I'll wait outside"
mo. son: you Siddown. That's JUS
why I'll see Pres now. You'll make a
good witness"
THE blond bit her lip and returned
out front. Instantly the banker
reached for the Six-shooter. Another
motion pulled out his handkerchief.
With deft twirl he covered the weapon.
His right hand. with the gun barrel
trained toward the door. had the aspect
of injury, the huge bandanna wrapped
about il in consequence.
A shutting step approached the door
way. Then a mans bulk filled 1t. He
was an evil-looking creature.
He paused on the threshold. some
what embarrassed at seeing stranger
in an Office and not afar on a trackless
desert
"Howdy. colonel?" he said with a nod.
"Howdy. Kelsey?"
Hurt your hand, colonel?"
81 got lots o. things worse'n my hand
hurtin' me these days. Kelsey"
'Meanin' the death o. your boy. I
s'pose. waal, things happen like that"
"Mebbe they do-an' mebbe they
don't. Sometimes they're made to hap
pen"
Kelsey's eyelid fickered. He ran the
brim of his hat through his fingers,
turning it around and around.
I'D sort o. like to talk to you private,
If it's all the same to you. colonel"
After what happened Thursday, I'd
=, TsAf fr| F1aS
Kelsey"
"Colonel-you don't connect me with
that"
What was it yo' wanted to see me
about. Kelsey?"
"oh. yeah-my mortgage-in man
ner o. speakin'"
"Au right. talk up. This young fell
ler's all right. Friend o. mine-from
back East"
Can / shet-to the door?"
"I'd JUS as soon have 1t open"
Folks out front might hear us"
Reckon they might. So the door
stays open"
Kelsey was fighting a battle with his
temper. But at length he controlled
IT, Mind II siddown?"
IF the chair kin stand 1t. reckon I'll
have to-"
"Pshaw. coIonel-aint no bad blood
tween you an me, Is they?"
Whats wrong with yore mortgage?
Amt heard nothin' from us about 1t.
hev you?"
Nav, butt sort o. thought-N I
could do you little real service at the
present ime-you--aw-Fnight md 1t
in you TO cancel 1t, colonel"
1t was plain TO be seen that the vis-
itor had not meant TO come TO the
point Of his business with such blunt
ness. The disclosure having been made,
however, there was nothing left for him
to do but shamble forward and drop
into chair.
what sort o. service would you do
me. Pres Kelsey?"
A worried moment on Kelsey's part,
then: Hal Strangers out o. Leaven-
worth. ! reckon you know that?"
MY Darry's dead-that's answer
enough"
WAL, Tn certainly glad to hear
you low that a Stranger done IT,
Thought for minute you was charg-
In II 10 me"
II amt committed myself on that