The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-09-02

dUC6 TlskS.
Zone of us anyhow wouldn't; likely
both of u.s."
both of us. They'd never a-Iet me
get away to tell il. It's cinch they
wouldn't That's one trouble In deal
ing with scalawags like them. You
can't play the game their way, an it
don't make an even bet"
Presently Ign resdddled and they
took up again the sandy road. They
rode into Mesa and drew up in front
of Basford's emporium Public opinion
sat on the porch p session. Simp
Shell was there as usual. fat and over
flowing. Basford lounged In the door
way. Doctor Sanders held down the
top step. his back against a post. In
a chair tilted TO the wall. lounged
Curt Quinn, just In from his ranch.
Simp was talking, guardedly.
course l dom know a thing but what
Hank told me. He got this antony
nous letter an he went out an had a
talk with her. She hadn't word to
say but just one thing: prove it." He
broke off to greet the new arrivals.
"'Lo, Lyn wills! How you maxim
it? We're all mighty glad to see you
live an kickin'. boy. Sure are"
"Same here" agreed the recovered
invalid
"How you feeling. wills? Seems to
me this is a right long ride for you
to be taking so soon," Doctor Sanders
said.
"Oh, got restless tc hear the gents
gossip circle" grinned Wilson. whats
the latest? Don't anything new ever
happen?"
well, there's this anonymous letter
Hank got"
flank who?"
blank LIE Page-sheriff of this
here county. Understand, I'm jest tell
in you what happened. Hank he got
this anonymous letter tellin' him that
Miss Ann Clifford was the person who
shot Tom McArdle." Simp spread his
fat hands in disclaimer. Like / said
before, | don't know a thing but what
Hank told me. Course I've done heard
rumors about reasons she might have
for not liking Tom / reckon you all
heard 'em, for that matter. Jas Stark
says he heard her warn Tom never to
show up at the sheep ranch again. or
if he did she'd fill him plumb full Of
lead"
"The sheriff went out to the sheep
ranch and had a talk with Miss Ann"
Doctor Sanders contributed. "She
wasn't hardly civil Good as told him
to get busy and prove it if he could"
Funny she didn't welcome him
more cordial" the voung man an
swered with obvious sarcasm. You'd
think she would ask Hank to stay to
dinner when he come out merely TO
inquire if she murdered a man from
the chaparral | can't understand her
being sharp about lii thing like
that"
Didn't know she was a friend Of
yours, wills, or | wouldn't a-mentioned
it" This from Simp.
"She isn't. Far as know she's got
no friends. You can put me on record
right here as sayin' that this country
here has been hog mean TO those three
girls on the sheep ranch"
"rve had notions that way myself
at times" Lyn said, backing his broth
er. Just because old Clifford was
stubborn cantankerous old son-of-a-
gun don't prove his nieces weren't nice
girls. Me, | got no use for sheep
man, but you got TO treat women
human"
Because some darned fool writes an
anonymous letter we've got to begin
prosecuting those two lone women
again. We're certainly in fine BUSH
ness" Wilson spoke with heat.
"No use to get all het up, boy. We
amt persecutin' her none." Simp OBJ
jected. 1--WE amt even sayin' she did
it. Maybe she can prove an alibi. It's
no penitentiary offense TO talk. Wills"
"By Cad. it ought to be, for when
you talk about woman you damn her
good name What do we know about
this? l don't suppose for minute
she did it. But say for argument she
did. Say she killed a man, though I'd
bet my boots she didn't. All right.
What kind of a man? How'd she
come to do it? Why? What had he
done to her or to those she was like a
mother TOT"
Were not discussing the justifica-
rion." Doctor Sanders replied
mo, you're just hintin'. Come to
that I've killed two-three men myself.
So have you. Simp. An you. Bas-
ford"
Il never did," Shell sputtered indig-
nantly.
"Sure you have. Murders In the
heart. Tha's where it is. You don'r
have to pull a trigger to kill man.
You can kin him in yore thoughts. It's
SEEM red. It's bein' so crazy mad
you'd do it In minute If you seen a
chanel"
"Oh, well!"
Curt Quinn let down his chair and
got to his feet. "The boys right, at
that Give the girl chance 1t amt
square deal to go aching round about
this onless there's some real evidence
If JAS Stark claims to have anything
up his sleeve let him play the card"
You're d-n whistlin'i" Wilson
turned amiably on Simp. his smile rob-
bling the words of their sting. why,
you burned old toughfoot. where did
you head in from. You claim yore
names Simp She'll Maybe at that IL
is. We amt askin' questions about
what yore oncet name is. We're givin'
you the benefit Of the doubt. old-timer.