The Coolidge examiner., 1932-08-05
CHAPTER III-Continued

The older Of the Stark brothers
was large and muscular, but he car
ried himself slouchily. His physical
strength was not convincing be
cause il had back OF it no mental
or moral force. The younger man
was of a different type. Phil was
only eighteen, but he had been
brought up in the school of the from
tier which had no vacations. Stone
judged that be would go through
when the call came.
The Gilt Edge was the usual re-
sort of the Stark faction as the Le-
gal Tender was of the other side
Hans now gave information to Jas
per as he set out glasses and bot
ties.
The McCanns wass in town to-
day already yet"
Jasped stopped, glass poised.
How many of emp
-Four. Old Peter, Tapscott, andt
two OF the boys"
'Hmpl What they doln' heref"
Hans shrugged his shoulders and
lifted the palms of his hands. He
had told all he knew.
Got out, eh? Musta known we
were headin' this way" Jasper
boasted.
Stone laughed, softly, ironically.
"Where do you get that line of
talk. Jas? Ever hear of old Pete
McCann givin' the middle Of the
road to anybody? He's there both
ways from the ace, if you ask me-"
We'll show him how much he's
there before we're through"
~Yes?" drawled the Texan, lazily
and insolently.
"I'll tell him so, right Off the
reel, him or any of his outfit soon
as | meet up with EN-" the young
man Dragged.
He was irritated at Stone. Was
the gunman on the Stark side of the
feud? He was taking old Mats
money. Well. then. why did he talk
like that?
Better tell 'em kinda low, SOS
they don't hear, Jas. A few of 'em
are curly wolves. Leastwise they've
got that rep"
You scared OF 'em, Dave?"
Jasper was alarmed at his own
question. His eyes fell before the
chill steady regard of the little man
After a moment the Texan spoke.
His words lessened the tension. 81
reckon my six-gun will have to talk
for me when the time comes, Jas"
After some time of rapid refresh
uient ar the bar the Circle Cross
-iders moved out again TO the main
street of the little town. Stone had
already departed temporarily to buy
a shirt. Gitner and Phil Stark had
business at the blacksmith shop.
Jasper strolled across to Bas-
fOrd's for the malt. Inside, he
caught a glimpse of the little Texan
al the dry goods counter.
Os
Quinn, Shell. and others, still sat on
the porch and awaited develop
ments. Ii watched Jasper Stark now
TO see what he would do about the
placard on the wall. II had watched
Stone, too. The Texan had read
Ii with an eXpressionless face and
offered no comment.
Jasper swelled. evidently steam
ing up to blow of. He could not
resist taking the center of the stage.
lp the safe middle states he might
have been a ward boss. Unfortunate
ly for him leadership in the South
west demanded, first of all, game
ness He was always trying to fill
a place he had not the stark cour-
age to hold
"Hmp! Wants information, does
be? An he'll pay a thousand dol
lars What's he aim to do with his
Information when he gets it,"
.lasper'S voice was heavy, his
manner abusive as he turned to
Quinn. The cattleman did not look
at him. His expressionless eyes
were on a cloud of dust far down
the road ribbon. A rider was can
tering toward Mesa.
Why, he didn't tell me. Jas.
Yore guess is as good as mine" "
Quinn announced evenly.
Jasper was "wilding up," as Simp
Shell expressed it later. He was full
Of bad whisky and a sense of his
own Importance. He strutted. mov-
ing up and down the porch as he
boasted.
Don't amount TO hill of beans
.hls ioE't" The drink-excited man