The Coolidge examiner., 1932-07-22
CHAPTER I-Continued

The owner of the Circle Cross
looked at him steadily without
speaking.
What are you doing here?" he
demanded at last abruptly.
why, l came to bring a message
two of 'em, in fact, Mr.. Stark"
Stark glared down into face bold
and reckless. the cool eyes of which
met his unwinkingly.
"Not interested" the old man re-
torted brusquely.
"Stlll, I'll deliver 'em now I'm
here. First Is that yOre no-count
jayhawkin' son bushwhacked me up
there in the pass an skedaddled TO
save his hide after he'd sent a
couple blue whistlers at me-"
The cattleman turned to his son.
"How about that, Jas?'
There was weakness and vice In
the face OF young Jasper Stark,
slackness in the jaw. He answered
sulkily: Il didn't aim TO kill him
shot TO warn him to turn back"
THAT was why you fired at me
again while l was maxim for cover,
was it?" McCann asked with a lit
tie skeptical laugh of scorn-
That's a lie. The second shot
was when you plugged at me-"
The rider from the Flying V 7
unbuckled his belt and handed Ii to
Matthew Stark. Look at my gun
an see who's a liar. All the cham
bers are loaded"
The old man broke the revolver,
examined 1t, and returned 1t to its
owner. Don't prove a thing. Like
as not you reloaded it"
"While my boss was hittin' the
high spots tryin' TO catch that lobe
wolf" the son of Peter McCann sug-
gested with obvious sarcasm.
Stark carried the war into the enc
my's country. You got a nerve to
talk about bushwhackin' after what
you did to pore Tom McArdle," he
burst out angrily.
The young mans answer was In
stant. tom McArdle would be alive
today If he hadn't died till q Flying
Wy rider killed him."
Don't tell that TO me. l know
you an all yore lying breed" Stark
flung out bitterly. I'm tellin' you
that I'd as soon put faith In a yell
low coyote as in any McCann ever
born. An I'm sendin' word to Pete
Mccain that there's a day comm
when I'll settle with interest a-plenty
for what he did to McArdle. Now
fork that fuzzy an light out. Il
don't want you here"
What about that gunplay up In
the pass?"
1T goes as 1t stands. The boys
story suits me-"
Different here. an I'm liable to
tell him so when we meet again."
McCann said boldly.
The old mans eyes blazed. Like
to tell him now maybe?"
The Flying Wy rider looked from
Stark to the men waiting tensely for
the word or the lift OF a hand that
would serve as an order to begin
hostilities. His lip curled In an
ronic smile. "Not now, gentlemen"
Then hit the dust pronto."
Don't get on the prod. Mr.. Stark.
| haven't unloaded that second mes
sage yet. It's from your daughter"
From JuleT"
Wilson could see that the old
cattleman had been struck to in
stant apprehension.
"She has sent word by me to tell
you that she'd be home late. I saw
her up at old Jim Yerby's. He's
broke his leg. The docs on the way
there now. You're not to send for
her, Miss Stark says; she'll come
with Doc Sanders when he leaves
Yerby's place."
"Does Yerby need any helpT
I'll look out for him. You don't
need to worry about Yerby none"
McCann swung without any haste
TO the saddle. glanced coolly from
one TO another of the watchful ST.
lent men, and headed Jim-Dandy to-
ward Tincup Pass.
To the men of the Circle Cross,
still watching him as he disap-
peared. there came back the taunt-
Ing rhythm of cowboy song:
Roll yore tail, and roll her high,
Wen all be angels by an by.