The Coolidge examiner., 1932-08-19


him. drawn by his great need. She
knelt beside him. looking for the
wounds. a stain Of wet blood in
the back of the shirt showed that
he had been shot from behind. The
sight of ii gave her little shock.
for she recalled what Phil had said
about seeing some one who looked
like Jasper. And he had told her.
Jasper had. that he intended to get
Wills McCann. Had he done il?
She hoped not. Murder from the
chaparral was a dreadful thing, a
crime wholly alien TO the frank and
passionate temperament of the girl.
Water was needed. and Julia had
not brought canteen. She took the
dusty hat Of the man and ran to the
canal, where she filled it with wa
ter. This she carried back care
fully.
In one of his pockets she found
a knife and used it to cut away the
soaked shirt clinging to the wound.
With the handkerchief taken from
her neck she bathed the muscular
back. Apparently he had been shot
through the lung, well up near the
shoulder, and in the right side.
The eyes of the wounded man
fickered open and fastened on her.
She was now sponging his face and
temples with a clean strip torn
from the handkerchief. Silently he
watched her. AS he lay there weak
ly it seemed to him that some heal.
ing property passed from her to him
through them. 1t came as a con
vlction that he was not going to die,
that he would get well.
Il didn't kill yore father" he said
a second time.
Even If you didn't, what's the diff
ference? Your friends did. You
were here waiting for HIM"
No" he denied. Il was alone
none Of my folks was with me-"
Il don't believe it. If you didn't
fire the shot you know who did"
She said it in all the bitterness of
green young grief.
And instantly she knew, as her
eyes challenged his, that she had
hit upon the truth. He had not
himself shot her father, but he could
give her the name of the man who
had done 1t. Her heart hardened.
She rose, turned her back upon him,
and walked away. He had lied to
her. He was as guilty as though
his own finger had pulled the trig-
ger.
The minutes dragged. Julia could
not get the wounded man out of her
mind, even when she was STOPPING
over the body of her father and
brushing flies from the folded hands.
Perhaps he had died since she had
left him. Suddenly she could stand
1t no longer. Quickly she walked
back to him. His quiet eyes met
hers.
Are you thlrsty?" she asked.
Yes"
Again she took his hat for water.
She held IL to his lips while he
drank. supporting his head with one
arm beneath II.
There came at last the sound of
wagon wheels. She called to direct
the driver of the blackboard. The
rig jolted into sight. Her brother
Phil had brought with him Sam
Sharp. the stableman.
They put the body Of Matthew
Stark into the wagon.
Hard-eyed. Phil looked at his
wounded enemy. "What about hlmT
he asked harshly.
Wen take him home with u.s."
Julia said. I'VE can't leave him
here. He's a dying man. you know.
Wen take him TO the ranch and
send word to his father"
What for?" he boy wanted to
know. I'VE can send word he's
here"
We're going to take him with us,
Phil" his sister answered. 1--WE
can't leave him here. | hate him
as much as you do. but it would be
inhuman to go and leave him. I'll
not do it,"
Sharp backed his young mistress.
That's right, Phil. l reckon we got
to take him"
They lifted him up and put him
beside the dead man.
McCann's face was touched by an
acridly sardonic smile. You're all
plumb good Samaritans," he mur-
INJURED.
Phil had galloped ahead to pre-
pare the ranch for the homecoming
of him who had ruled as autOcrat
for many years. Among those gath
cred were DOminick Rafferty,, the
foreman. and the Texans, Stone and
Gitner.
Rafferty, scowled at the wound
er McCann. what about this buz-
zard?" he asked callously. whats
the idea in bringln' him here?
Couldn't you bump him off where he
was at?"
Julia was white to the liDs. The