The Coolidge examiner., 1930-11-21

NOullIi VI It's ONH hlllu L nat
Shep Sanderson is low-down
killer. You can't judge folks by
him."
Il hope not, though l think you
suggested that some one hired
/ him."
Il don't know whether anyone
did or not" she responded, and he
noticed that at the thought her face
clouded again.
Her next remark seemed to bear
no relation TO what had gone be-
fore
do you know Dave Ingram? Or
my father, Wesley Steelman?"
"NO, miss"
Apparently she was a young per-
son of abrupt transitions. THAT
hogleg you carry. Can you use
it?"
"Hogleg?"
"Six-shoOter," she said impatient
ly. do you carry it for shOw?'
Mostly" he admitted. 81 killed
a rattlesnake with it today"
Can you shoot?"
Il can hit a barn if I am near
enough"
Gould you hit a man who was
firing at you?"
Don't think so. I'd hate to
try"
"Then don't carry it. You'll be
a shinin' mark for some one 10
bump you off"
aDo yrbat to rnacn
"Shoot you. I'd throw it away
and play / was a preacher while I
stayed at Concho. You'll be safe
then. The town is full of hard
men, quick on the shoot. That's
how they settle difficulties"
I'D say what COncho needed was
law" he said dryly.
Don't you understands she
cried. Men make their own law.
They carry it in holster by their
side. Just now trouble is brewing
q lot of it, There's a feud on.
Among such men a lawyers argu-
ments wouldn't last minute. Go
back where you came from"
He shook his head. I'm headed
for Concho, miss"
She threw up hand with ges-
ture that waved aside responsible
ity. "All right. It's none of my
business, anyhow. I'm interferin'
where / shouldn't"
I'm sorry you want to hand me
my hat before I've really started
to call on your country" he said.
Anyway, look the ground over
before you decide to stay. Talk
with Steve Worrall. Say sent you.
He's in the freight business. You'll
find him at the Longhorn corral"
I'll do that" he promised.
Steve has a lot of horse sense,
and you can trust him."
They had left the road and
swung to the right At the sum-
nit of long climb Miss Steelman
drew up her horse.
"Our ways part here" she said.
Take the trail to the left. It's
about five miles to town. When
you come to a creek go right
through it. That's Squaw Cross
ing. You can't miss the road"
He hesitated, trying to find words
to thank her for her kindness. He
knew the color was driving into
his face, the effect of shyness. A
quotation from "Fane Shore" came
to his mind, and he blurted it out:
Your bounty is beyond my
speaking,
But though my mouth be dumb, my
heart shall thank you.
She flashed a quick look at him,
gave a short laugh, and took the
hill trail
Why had she made so much Of
warning him against staying at
Concho? What was this mystery at
which she hinted, one which made
it unsafe for him, an insignificant
stranger, to practice his profession
in the town? No doubt he would
find out soon enough.
A steep trail dropped like a
crooked rope down the mountain
side to a village which nestled at
its foot. AS he descended he could
see that COnchO had one business
street. From it, up draws and hol-
lows, two or three winding roads
started tentatively toward the adobe
houses that formed the residence
section.
O'Hara drew up in front of the
COncho house and tied his sOrrel
to a snubbing post. With saddle
bags over his arm the young man
mounted the porch and walked into
the adobe hotel.
Three or four men were seated
in the Office, chairs comfortably
tilted back. One of them was talk
ing, his heels resting on a drum
stove that had not been lit for many
months. He continued to talk.
Neither he nor any of the others
paid the least attention to the en-
trance of the stranger
rs the proprietor in?" O'Hara
asked.
Il run this shebang."
"Can l get a roOm?'
Il reckon you can get a cot
sOmewheres.
"Would you mind showing me
where it is? I'd like to wash"
go down that passage an turn
to the right. There's four beds in
the second room. You can roost
in one of them unless some guy
squawks an claims it's his. Wash
basin back O. the house" His du-
ties as host concluded, he returned
to unfinished business.
(TO BE CONTINUED)