The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-10-07

play. l expect 1 called for a show
down when / served notice I'd kill
him II he troubled the young women
| at the sheep ranch any more"
"When you fired. was his gun out?"
"Yes, sir. In the clear"
"He reached for his first?"
"That was the way of it. / beat
him to the draw"
Wilson passed to another point.
did you tell Jasper Stark or Carl Git
ner that you intended to get Tom Nc
Ardle?"
"No."
ibid you say anything like that a
tall, anything about having quarreled
with him?"
mo. l never had a word with him
in my life till the time / shot him."
"Good friends, were you?"
"No. SIR" The Texans denial came
cold and hard.
"Meanin' what?"
"Meanin' that l knew he was a cur
an suspected what he had done to
| that LII girl at the sheep ranch. He
| knew where he stood with me an
kept his distance"
SIS there any reason why Jas Stark
or Carl Gitner might want you outa
the way?"
"Yes."
"You know something about them.
| That itT
Eyes"
something that might get them
into trouble?"
you're right 1t might"
Trouble with the law?"
The Texans answer was the dra-
matte sensation of the trial. IF /
hang 'em both,' he said evenly.
On that high note of suspense Will
son rested his case.
The jury reached its verdict of
mot guilty" in three minutes. A wild
yell of approval filled the night. The
men who had been ciamoring for Dave
Stones blood nearly tore him to pieces
trying to shake hands with him. In
an hour he had become the most pop
ular man In Mesa.
Jasper found Mesa no comfortable
place of residence after the memorable
night when he had tried to engineer
the lynching of Dave Stone. Men with
whom he had been hail-fellow now
met him with hard and stony stare.
Enough had been proved against him
to wreck any reputation he might have
had as decent citizen, but it was the
suspicion of a greater crime-one so
evil that few even whispered 1t to each
Other-which made him pariah
among his kind.
At the Circle Cross he met the same
chilly mistrIst. Neither Julia nor Phil
dared meet his eyes for fear Of what
they might read in them. The only
one Of the riders with whom he would
have had a fellow feeling was Gitner,
and the big Texan had been given his
time and was now hanging around
Mesa.
Except for vanity Jasper's hide was
pachydermous, but he could not stand
the universal condemnation In which
he stood.
Lets pint for the hills, Carl" he
suggested to his crony. Even the
greasers here treat me like 1 got yell
low fever"
"Suits me fne," the other agreed.
'We1l stake claim an make bluff
at mining"
Both of them took to their retreat In
the mountains a venomous hatred of
Wilson Mccain.
They rode across the bare desert In
the deceptive atmosphere which dis
torts form, color, and distance. A half
day of riding brought them only to
the upper foothills and showed group
range rather than single one
where we headin' for?" asked Jas
per in mid-afternoon.
Gitner slid sidelong look at him.
He knew the purpose of their choice
of this locale better than his COM
panion did. why, up here ways
Back of that knob over to the left"
Evening brought them, by devious
ways, to a well-concealed park
back of small canyon the entrance
of which was camouf1aged by false
front rock face protecting from the eye
narrow gateway.
In the wooded park they rode down
TO log cabin on the slope. A man in
blue overalls answered Gitner's hail.
He brought to the door with him a
rifle
"Lo, Mark" the Texan greeted
him. make you acquainted with Jas
Stark
The man In blue overalls nodded
with no enthusiasm. Strangers COM
ing to Dunwigs park were not over
welcome They had to come well
recommended as bad citizens. The
Starks were not that, in spite of the
lawless streak In them.
Don't worry about JAS" his COM
panion said, Fastening to reassure
Dunwig. Hes all right" The par
/ ticular emphasis he gave the words
meant that he was all wrong
Better fall off an light" their. host
suggested.
They cared for their horses and en-
| tered the cabin.
Before he slept that night Jasper
was committed to new course of
crime. He did not pledge himself to
| it of his own choice. for he felt 1t was
dangerous. But Gitner knew too much
about him. 1t was TOO late to draw
back now. He had forfeited the 0p-
| ton of being his own master.
For almost year there had been
| systematic rustling in the hills. The
cattlemen had at first been loath to
believe it. Even after the evidence
was too plain to deny, they had been
| inclined TO think the offender must be