White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-08-11
CHAPTER VIII
A Quiet Man Talks

Stone had killed a white-tailed buck
in the foothills of the Sierras Phil
was with him, and Julia. All three
of them had left the ranch in the early
morning.
They were homeward bound now,
with night impending. In the valley
darkness was beginning to fall, but
long shafts of golden glow still ran
along the mountain ridges and bathed
their rocky slopes in splendor. To
Julia the desert always symbolized
itself in terms Of life. She saw the
flash Of teeth in it's eternal conflict.
This little man riding beside her, so
lean and sinewy and dangerous, so
effective in meeting the conditions it
demanded to endure, was a reflection
of it's gaunt persistence.
All day Phil had been preoccupied
with an anxiety that now found words.
I'm worried some, Sis. At Mesa
yesterday heard gossip" He stopped,
then added: "About Ann Clifford"
The Texan riding beside him gave
by no outward action any sign of in
terest, but somehow Phil knew that he
was intent on catching every word
"They say she shot Tom McArdle."
Julia flashed an indignant retort
"How outrageous And senseless !
What object could she possibly have?'
"They say-her sister Nora"
what do you mean?"
"Why, that Tom was responsible"
"Oh!" The girl fell silent, her
thoughts busy knitting together loose
ends Of gossip she had heard.
"Who says SOP" she demanded
The boy hesitated. He could talk
freely before Stone, for hard and tough
though the Texan was, an accredited
killer, both these young people sensed
in him the same loyalty that bound
them to Dominick Rafferty,.
JAS, for one" Phil gulped out
"Jas!" Julia pulled up her horse abb
ruptly. What does he know about it,"
"Claims he practically saw her do
1t, him an Gitner.'
Stone spoke for the first time
"Where'd you hear this, Phil?"
I'm town. Everybody knows it..
They say when Hank LIE Page went
out to her place she wouldn't even
deny titus told him to prove it If he
could"
"But Jas-I don't understand. If
he saw her do it, or felt sure she had
done IT, why did he wait nearly three
months to tell it? Why didn't he tell
it then, or not at all? ?" Julia asked
II don't know" Phil answered. But
what worries me is that the story is
liable to be true. She might a-done
it. She's hathaway"
Out of the night came the Texans
low drawl. "You needn't to worry
none, boy She didn't do it,"
"You think she didn't?' Phil turned
with relief to Stone.
II don't think. l know"
Julia turned white. "You don't
mean that-Jas did it?"
mo"
"But you know who did?"
81 sure do"
Sand you'll tell?"
eyes, ma'am. | was tryin to shield
him, for Tom McArdle certainly need.
ed KILN But now that Miss Giffords
na.ne has been brought into it reckon
he'll have to stand the GAIT"
Both of the young Starks wanted to
ask him who had done it. More thar
once the question almost passed Jula's
lips. But there was something in tho
little mans manner that restrained
her. If he wanted her to know he
would tell her.
"Well I'm glad Ann Clifford didn
do it." she said. 1.-THE poor girls haC
enough trouble. If she wasn't so stiff
with me-if she'd only meet me quar-
ter of the way-Id ride over tomorrow
and see her, just to show her we be
leve in her"
"Id do that anyway the Texar
said. 1T would be right kind Of you
She sure needs woman friend. OLE