White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-06-30
CHAPTER II
The Gifords

In front OF Yerby's cabin when Nc
Cam dismounted.
Flows Jim?" the horseman asked.
"ae's taking a little nourishment
Miss Julia fixed up for him. How'd
you come out at the Circle Cross?
see they didn't scalp you"
"No," Mccain said dryly "They
sent messenger to meet me-"
The doctors sparkling eyes guar
anteed attention. He guessed that
something interesting had occurred
and he was born gossip.
GAS Stark shot at me an lit out.
I followed him lickety-split to the
ranch. We had few pleasant words,
the old man an me-"
''Shot at you? He didn't! How
come he to do that? They don't like
you lick of the road, you or any Of
your kin. But-shooting! Who start
ed it?"
In few crisp sentences Mccain
told the story The doctor listened,
absorbed. Was this the beginning Of
the end? Would the smouldering
feud break into open warfare, bitter
end tragic? If he knew the McCanns
land he thought he did-they were
rot the kind to take this challenge
tumely. They came Of fighting Irish
stock, upon which had been grated
four generations Of American frontier
life. There were likely to be reprsals.
Even now both camps were waiting
tensely for the signal to begin hos
tllities openly. The death of Tom Nc
Ardle had brought them to the point
Of war. But the doubt as to who had
killed him had made for delay.
Matthew Stark had hesitated to give
the word. While he brooded, willing
to let events shape themselves Jasper
had fired a wanton shot that might
be the first Of hundreds.
The doctor rose and with a sigh of
resignation knocked the ashes out Of
his pipe. He saw busy days and nights
ahead Of him. Well, 1t was In the
hands of the gods, or rather Of two
grim hard men with too much Of the
desert fierceness in their blood. He
was pawn in the game they played,
Just as were the rollicking boys who
would ride out laughing to meet death
at the lift Of hand.
"No use telling you so, of course,
but it's all wrong, Wils-this putting
yourselves above the law and killing
10 free and easy"
"aave ! been KILN anybody free
and easy, Doc? Better speak to Jas
Stark about that, hadn't you?"
'1'm not meaning you, Wills. But
some one shot Tom McArdle."
"None Of our outfit, Doc. You don't
mean we had anything to do with it."
The eyes of the range rider were bleak.
mo, Wills. Nothing like that. But
you know how the Starks feel. They're
holding it against you boys Of the
Flying Wy"
Sanders knew by the others face
that they were no longer alone. He
turned, to see Julia Stark in the door
way.
"Who else would we hold 1t against,
Doctor" she asked CURLY, looking
straight at the younger man.
There was a thin ironic smile on
INJURED, with the soft drawl Of in
science to which he sometimes re-
verified, Nobody else would have dry
guiched him, would they?"
"What d'you mean?" the girl de-
manded.
IN, oh cosI h,1f
he continued to give her that hooking
smile. 1t was the doctor who answered
at last.
"Tom was quite a boy for the girls,
Miss Julia. Folks say-some folks do
that maybe some one who was jeaL
GUS or wanted revenge might have laid
for him."
The girls dark eyebrows gathered
in frown. First I've heard Of it
that Tom was so fond of the girls.
And If he was-if he did like them.
is that any crime, any reason why
some one would want to kill him?"
II reckon you didn't know Tom very
WE'LL" the doctor said judicially with
intent to hold an even balance be-
tween the Stark and the Mccain. HE
was a mite wild, Miss Julia, by the
stories I've heard"
II don't know anything about that.
/ never saw him but once" She swept
defiant eyes over the rider. "But I
don't believe word about private
enemy killing him."
"You wouldn't" agreed the younger
man.
The implications Of his smile stirred
her anger. Stiffly she turned and
walked into the house.
Those outside heard Yerby:
"Don't l hear that Flying Wy boy
chinnin' with the doc?"
Eyes. Want to see him?"
RI reckon. Before he goes"
Julia made things snug for the
night.