The Coolidge examiner., 1932-12-23

IUlHh We II utleI lHt wal VI tue
water-hOles. The sensible thing to
do now is TO wire Miss Roberta An
trim to get down here on the job
and look after the assets of her late
Uncle Tom. She's a lady. She'll
probably listen to reason and we'll
get rid of these stinking sheep
without additional bloodshed. They'll
ruin a lot of the range in the in
terim, of course Oh, HI, let 'em
drink If we shoe them off now
they'll die and that would put
crimp in the lady's bankroll."
"Whatever else we may be, let us,
at least, try TO be gentlemen" the
ranger agreed humorously. "Well,
now, the next business before the
meeting is to find old Toms horse,
drape Thomas across the saddle.
take him to Los Algodones and de
liver him to the local undertaken.
My report of this affair will close
the investigation. And you should
get a doctor. It's ten miles to your
ranch and ten miles to Los Algo-
dones. I'm in command All aboard
for Los Algodones, amigo mio."
They had proceeded but a short
distance along the narrow, rutty
road to Los Algodones when they
were overtaken by a man driving
an old automobile that had been
converted into a truck. Hearing It
rattling along behind them, the
ranger rode his horse into the mid.
die of the road and held up his
hand. The vehicle stopped.
The ranger looked the driver over.
II know you" he announced. Aren't
you Tom Antrim's camp cook?
Seems to me l saw you at his camp
this noon"
The man glanced from the ranger
to Antrim's horse, with Antrim's
limp body hanging across the sad
die; his dark face paled as he saw
the dead mans head bundled up in
his canvas coat.
whats happened?" he cried
THAT dead mans my boss, amt
he?"
"He used to be- He rode out of
his camp in devil of hurry short
ly after | was there, you may re
member. Well, his mission was To
circle around Senior Higuenes, way.
lay and murder him. He tried very
hard to succeed, as you may Judge
by a casual inspection of Senior
Higuenes, but somehow his PROPOSE
tiOn back-fired and now he's on his
way to the undertaken. Suppose
we dispose of Antrim's body on your
truck. He keeps shifting in the
saddle and making as great a nui-
Sance of himself In death as he did
in life. I'm afraid he'll fall off. Don
Jaime will ride on the seat beside
you and I'll sit on back with the
corpse and lead these two horses.
You got gun on you?"
''Yes, SIR"
"Give 1t to me. You might be
tempted to use it on Don Jaime.
Hop out now and pay the last sad
tribute OF love to your late boss"
Il don't think I'll go to Los Algo-
dones after all, ranger. The boys
ought to be notified of this kill
ing"
You'll go. desire it, my friend.
l don't feel like having your friends
organize a reprisal raid on the
Rancho Vale Verde until I'm there
to receive them" Hobart flashed
his rangers shield on the man who,
without further ado, assisted him
to place Antrim's body in the box
of the car. Hobart then lifted Don
Jaime down from his horse and de-
posted him beside the driver, after
which he seated himself in the rear
OF the car and with his long legs
hanging out the tailgate held the
leading ropes of the three horses.
They proceeded to Los Algodones,
where Hobart turned Antrim's body
over to the coroner and made his
report to the sheriff. having first
seen Don Jaime in bed at the hotel
with a doctor in charge of him.
About an hour later a coroner's
jury trooped into Don Jaimes room
and listened to his story of the kill.
ing. The ranger added his testi.
monS, and the foreman of the jury
looked humorously at his fellow
jurors.
Don't seem to be anything mys-
terious about this case, boys" he
announced. "All those in favor of
rendering a verdict of suicide hold
up their right hands. All up? We,
the jury, find that the deceased came
to his death at the hands of Don
Jaime Miguel Higuenes and that the
said Higuenes acted in self-defense
and cannot be charged with any
crime worse than justifiable homi-
eide"
Il thank you, senores." said Don
Jaime. Ken, take the jury down
to the hotel bar and set up the
drinks. Go way. YOU chaps. I'm not