The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-07-29

and stopped. Ills breath was still
ragged with dry sobs. "He took adj
vantage-with his quirt."
Eyes. You only had gum" Stone
answered contemptuously. "a gun an
yore fists"
"Tell you he took advantage.
slipped" whined Jasper.
"You sure done so when you picked
on this Wills McCann TO raise a rookus
WITH" Stone agreed.
Jasper limped painfully into the store
and sank down into chair. .I'm
sick" he whimpered.
Medford brought him water After
a time he was helped to the hotel. He
was not able to ride home and In any
event he had not the nerve to face
Matt Stark with even doctored story
of his humiliation.
The old man would be in a blaze of
fury at him.
Matthew Stark was game to the mar
row and Unfortunately proud. That a
Stark should show the white feather
to a Mccain, that he should be whipped
like a peon without offering fight,
filed him with a bitter despair he
could not endure. If Jasper had gone
to his death with guns blazing he
would have sorrowed for him and been
proud of him. But this degradation
was unspeakably horrible to him.
He ordered Phil to saddle his horse
and rode to town alone. He craved
action drastic and swift. First, a set
Element with the weakling who had dis
honored him, then battle with his enc
mics to revenge himself upon them.
He would have Wilson McCann's
blood. Nothing less would satisfy him.
The old man strobe through the hall
of the Mesa house and into the room
that served as an office.
what room is Jas in?' he demand
ed of the proprietor.
"Why, he's in the front room up
stairs. Mr.. Stark. Doc Sanders has
been lookin' after him."
Stark was already taking the stairs.
The man lying on the bed heard a
heavy tread. The door burst open and
his father stood before him, the fires
of eruptive wrath blazing in his eyes.
Jasper knew his day of judgment had
come.
Matt Stark stood, feet well apart,
leathery jaw clamped tight, and looked
at his unworthy son. "Well?' he asked
harshly at last.
81 slipped. He got me down." Jas
per whined
"Don't lie to me. I've seen Stone"
II was kinda dazed. He hit me first
off with the loaded end of his quirt
an l didn't know what / was doing.
He most killed me-"
81 wish he had" the father retorted
bitterly. IF anyone had told me I'd
raise a coward for a SON" He broke
off, to deny his own claim. But l
knew it. I've known it for years. only
| wouldn't let myself believe il. You
were always pulling gutter. No sand
in yore craw. Never was. The first
Stark / ever knew without CUTS. I'd
rather you'd died-a hundred times
rather. But I'm through with you. No
son of mine can stand up an take
thrashin' without fghtin' like wild
cat"
Il was sick anyhow, an wasn't no.
tfcin' when he knocked me kinda sense
less" Jasper whimpered.
you're lying. An what IL he did?
Pack a gun, don't your" After he'd
taken the hide off, you still had yore
forty-five, didn't you? Think Phil
would have let him get away with 1t
an not pumped lead? Not for min
ute. But you-youre gunshy. All you
can do is drink an brag. Why, you
fiabby weakling, they'll laugh at me
all over the county. The McCanns IL
never quite GRIMM about it. BY Cd,
I couldn't a-believed it-even about
you.
'I'm through with you-absolutely
Right now I'm going over to Fetch
er's Office to change my will. You
don't get cent-not cent. An you
get out of Arizona. I'll give you
week to settle yore affairs. You'll
pull yore freight an change yore name.
From now on you're no Stark. Under
stand?"
"rve got to sell my stock" Jasper
said sulkily. Already he was sketch
ing a campaign to mitigate the old
mans wrath. Julia was his favorite.
She could do anything with him. He
would have her talk to her father and
get him to be reasonable.
'Tll buy it. Name yore price. See
Fletcher about it. don't want any
1oo1 IN NTH yo,, nop,f yov,
ever cross my track or I'll make you
think this Wills Mccain was only play
In at quirting YOU"
Matthew Stark left the room and the
hotel He walked down the street to
Fletcher's Office and found the lawyer
was at Phoenix and would not be back
for several days. The owner Of the
Circle Cross hesitated He was half
of mind to go to Tucson and have a
new will made at once. Any kind Of
delay annoyed him. But he had rea-
sons for not wanting to leave the val
ley Just now. The new will would
have to wait till Fletcher returned.
Across the street he could see the
editor of the Mesa Roundup sitting at
his desk. Stark strobe across through
the dust and entered the little frame
building. He brushed aside the greet
ings of the newspaper man and Or
dered brusquely what he wanted.
Within the hour printed posters had
been tackled up in each of the saloons.
on the wall Of the post Office inside and
out, on the door of the false-front town
hall and at dozen other conspicuous
place. They bore this simple legend in
hlo oh 70 90 turao