The Coolidge examiner., 1931-02-06

wouldn't stand for Iettin' him run
over me. Start to finish you can't
point to thing l did contrary to
law. Naturally, wouldn't take the
law dished out by his hand-picked
Scalawags. I'm surprised to hear
you talk thataway, Lyulph."
The Englishman shrugged his
shoulders Il don't mean to get
your back up, old chap, but | do
think your ideas Of law out in this
country are a bit elastic. Eh,
what? Want me to see In
gram about Garrett's appointment?
Hadn't we better talk with Garrett
firSt?"
Wen see him right now"
O'Hara'S first impulse was to re-
fuse instantly. but he waited to
hear Steelman out Before the old
er man had finished he was not so
sure. Some one had to take the
place as a public duty. He was ex-
tremely reluctant to he the one, and
he had reasons that seemed to him
to have weight. He put them into
words.
Bob saved my life from Sander
son once, perhaps twice. Until he
raided the Hughes place we were
very friendly. If | were sheriff it
would be my duty TO hunt him
down, perhaps to kill him. don't
want to do it. 1t doesn't seem
quite sporting for me to go after a
man in whose debt | am"
Certainly not" agreed Smith
Beresford. wouldn't think of il,
Garrett. Let some one else do it,"
Steelman took another view of it.
He interfered with SandersOn be-
cause OF a whim. They didn't like
each other. You were incidentally
benefited. This isn't personal
matter between you and him. He'll
understand that perfectly. Say
you're appointed sheriff. If he
keeps him around that's not
yOre fault. Let him 20 straight an
you'll not trouble him. The long
an the short of it is that here's a
plain public duty calm to some
he-man. | don't say you're that
man. Up TO you TO say whether
YOU are or not. But | do say that
yOre relations TO Quantrell don't
figure in the case"
O'Hara thought it over and de-
cided that Steelman was right. He
had no right 10 pay any debt he
owed 20 Quanrrell at the expense
of the public
Give me twenty-four hours to
think il over" he sai1i.
At the end of that time he told
the Old Cattleman that he would
take the appointment If il was sat
iSfactOry to Ingram.
Within week the governor of
the territory had appointed him.
AS young bride at the Diamond
Tail ranch Barbara was very popu-
lar with the riders in her hus-
bands employ. In Cattleland wom-
en- were scarce, and charming
young ones who bloOmed like wild
roses could be counted on the
fingers of one hand with several
digits TO spare. Barbara would
have been less than human if she
had not appreciated the homage of
these bow-legged young bipeds.
None the less, she was not hap
py. The one man whose homage
she wanted offered it rarely. Dave
Ingram belonged to the old school
of husbands which regards a wife
as property. He had won her.
and it was not in character for him
10 keep on winning her. She was
his woman under the law. Natural
ly, she would take ii for granted
that he was fond of her.
He never consulted her about
business. He rarely told her where
he was going or when he would be
back. 1t did not occur to him to
kiss her when he left or when he
returned. There were hours when
his passion for her famed like
tow. Yet Barbara, hungry hearted
for affection, resented these as
much us his days of absorption in
affairs from which she was ex-
cluded.
Barbara withdrew into herself.
narrowing her life. A hard, fierce
pride welled up in her, and bitter.
ness lay like lump of lead in her
bosom. Not "a girl given TO self
pity, she did her share of weeping
now when alone behind bolted
doors. Sometimes she told herself
that she was to blame, that she ex-
pected too much of man. But
since she was what she was this
was small comfort For she knew
there could be no happiness for her
in being less to a husband than his
lover and his comrade.
AT breakfast one morning In
gram lifted his eyes from the
newspaper.
"See yOre friend O'Hara has been
appointed sheriff." he said. IF he's
no better than Jim, might as well
have none at all"
Thought you favored the appoint
lnent," she answered.
Il did. He's got CUTS, if he is d
tenderfoot. But Quantrell's a lot
more likely to eet him than he is to
get Quantrell"
Il noticed that everybody was
urging him To take the place an
that nobody wanted it for himself, ."
she observed sharply. Il think it's
a shame to let him 90 out against
that ADachp OuaDtrpII-for that's,