The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-08-19
CHAPTER vi
Friendship Rejected

After Julia had delivered McCann's
message to his son she returned with
j Stone to the ranch The Texan left
along the road which Matthew Stark
had followed a few hours earlier.
Out of the brush man rode to meet
Stone.
"'Lo. SAM" the Texan said. ~
asked you to be here because | want
you to show me just where the old
man was standin' when be was shot
Sure" agreed Sharp. Five minutes
later he was showing Stone where they
picked up the body of his employer,
Here's where he lay-an Wills Nc
Cam was right over there Miss Julia.
she was lookin' after Wills Say. I'm
right sorry for that lii girl She must
be sure enough Christian. her hatin'
that Mccain like she does an having
to save his life after he'd shot her
paw"
IF he shot Stark" the Texan amend
ed. Looks to me like Mccain heard
the shot an went to see who'd been
hurt"
Some one shot the old man. 1t
don't look like if some of the rest of
the Mccain outfit did it they'd go
away an leave wills wounded without
lookin' after him."
That's bulls eye shot, Sam. They
wouldn't. So we know Wills was
alone"
Il reckon" A.
Another point. Who shot Wills?
Matt Stark didn't. Phil didn't. Miss
Julia didn't. You hadn't got here. so
you didn't"
Sam scratched his head. If this was
riddle he did not know the answer.
Blamed if l know. Who did,"
II don't claim to know-yet. But
I'll say one thing. 1t amt proved to
my satisfaction that the same man
didn't shoot both the old man an wills
McCann."
Now looky here, Dave. l amt talk
in about the fellow who shot Mccain.
But take the old man. He gives it out
in cold type that he aims t. kill Wills
Mccain on sight. All right He hears
Wills is fixin' up this head gate an he
lights out hell-for-leather to get him.
We all figure there's liable to be trouble
between them an we get busy to head
it off. But we're too late. When we
get here the old mans dead an wills
Mccain is standin' over him with
rifle in his hands,"
"An open-an.shut case. a fellow
would say first off," the little Texan
agreed with smile. But look at the
other side McCann's rifle was full IN
with shells. Not one gone Are you
askin' me to believe that he was pack
in one extra shell in his pocket an
that he waited TO put II in the maya.
zine after he had shot Stark before
comm into the open? II don't look
hardly likely. does It? This wills Nc.
Cam. | size him up a fighter Duf a
game one. If he killed Stark Il was
in the open. an don't reckon the old
man was give chance for his white
alley. He was plugged when he wasn't
expecting it"
1--WE don't even know that. Maybe
they met right here an Wills beat him
to It."
mo. He was shot from that ditch
likely"
why from the ditch an not from
the brush?"
Stone showed his companion a clump
of prickly pear standing on a sand
hillock. Through two of the thick
leaves neat small hole had been
bored.
Here's where the bullet went after
il passed through Mats head"
Great snakes I'll bet you're right
The wrangler's forehead wrinkled in
thought. AN If il did the fellow must
a-been lying in the ditch over there or
mighty close TO it"
They walked over to the irrigation
ditch.
water runnin. in it," commented
Stone "D'you happen to notice