The Coolidge examiner., 1932-07-22

SNAAN q AAANs71NAAE ENA W AllEGI Lit.
! The doctors sparkling eyes guar
anteed attention. He guessed that
something interesting had occurred
and he was born gossip.
Jas Stark shot at me an lit out.
followed him lickety-split to the
ranch. We had a 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 a lick of the road, you or any
of your kin. But-shooting Who
started IT."
In few crisp sentences McCann
told the story. The doctor listened,
absorbed. Was this the beginning
of the end? Would the smoldering
feud break into open warfare, bitter
and tragic? II he knew the McCanns
and he thought be dld-they were
not the kind to take this challenge
tamely. They came of fighting Irish
stock. upon which had been grated
four generations Of American from
tier life. There were likely to be
reprisals.
Even now both camps were wait
Ing tensely for the signal to begin
hostilities openly. The death Of
Tom McArdle 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 ne brood
ed. willing to let events shape them
selves, Jasper had fired a wanton
shot that might be the first OF hun
dreds.
The doctor rose and with a sigh of
resignation knocked the ashes out
or 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 a 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.
mo use tellin you so. OF course.
but It's all wrong, Wils-this put
ting yourselves above the law and
killing so free and easy"
Have / keen KILN anybody free
and easy, Doc? Better speak TO Jas
Stark about that, hadn't you?"
I'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.
"No. 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
doorway.
"Who else would we hold Il
against, DoctorT she asked curtly,
looking straight at the younger
man.
There was a thin ironic smile on
the brown face Of McCann. He
murmured, with the soft drawl of
insolence to which he sometimes re-
verted, Nobody else would have
dry-gulched him, would they?"
What d'you mean?" the girl de-
manded.
The man in chaps said nothing,
but he continued to give her that
mocking 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 Jealous or wanted revenge might
have laid for him."
The girls dark eyebrows gath
cred in a frown. First I've heard
Of it-that Tom was so fond of the
girls. And II he was-if he did like
them-is that any crime, any rea-
son why some one would want to
kill him?'
II reckon you didn't know Tom
very well," the doctor said Judi
cially with intent to hold an even
balance between the Stark and the
McCann. "He was a mite wild,
Miss Julia, by the stories I've
heard"
Il don't know anything about
that. l never saw him but once"
She swept defiant eyes over the
rider. "But | don't believe a word
about a private enemy killing him."
"You wouldn't" agreed the young
er man.
The implications of his smile
stirred her anger. Stiffly she turned
and walked into the house.
Those outside heard Yerby:
Don't | hear that Flying Wy boy
chinnin' with the doc?"