The Coolidge examiner., 1932-10-07


anxious TO go the limit for met"
Rand's eyes confessed defeat.
Don't worry, Nike" the Texan
went on. II knew it would be
thataway. Question is, what do you
aim to do now? Do l get a chance
for my white alley, Mike?"
How d'you mean?"
"Do get my guns back, so can
take Gitner an Stark with me on
this long journey?"
Il don't reckon that would hard
ly be right, Dave. You're a pris-
oner."
You'll turn me over to be
lynched, then, by two murderers
who want me outa the way because
they're afraid I've got the goods on
them"
Rand had an inspiration. "No,
sir. If II comes to a showdown I'll
swear you in as a deputy" he
promised.
"I'u promise not to throw down
on you, this time" Stone assured
/ him with mordant irony.
During the long afternoon the
deputy was in and out of the pris-
Oner's cell a dozen times to consult
him. The Texan showed no emo
tion or excitement. He faced i'm
perturbably the shadows of dark
ness drawing closer to him. What
ever of despair he may have felt In
his heart did not reach the chill
mask Of his face.
Through the window he looked
down at Mesa, and he knew that
the men hurrying to and fro on the
streets were thinking Of the fate
in store for him.
The chances were that he would
never again see the glory of new
day, the sunlight streaming across
the sllvery sage of the desert. He
had lived hard. but on the whole
clean. They had called him the
good bad man because he never
wasted his force In futile dissipa.
tion. Would that serve him whero
he was going? He smiled grimly
wondering.
Night fell. Stone walked TO tn.
barred window and looked out. The
lights of the town were coming out
one by one. He could see that the
place buzzed with excitement like
hive OF swarmIng bees.
"Soon now" he told himself
quietly.
He thought of many things al
most forgotten-of schooldays in
the small town where he had been
born, of boys not recalled In years.
OF the scrape which had driven
him 10 the Texas frontier. Scenes
In his turbulent life. some of them
detached and episode. jumped to
mind vividly.
One OF these showed a barroom,
and inside II a staggering bully
and bad man "deviling" a boy of
seventeen. II showed the fash of
guns. the surprised desperate sink
ing slowly to the floor while the
boy stared at him with fear-filled
eyes at thought of what he had
done. From the hour he had killed
King Hill, in the eyes of the world
David Stone had been marked with
| a brand he could not escape.
The door of the cell opened and
Rand's head was thrust in. Lady
to see you. Dave"
Stone turned swiftly. A young
woman was moving across the
| threshold of the room. He recog
nized instantly her slender erect
ness.
"You-Miss Ami" he exclaimed,
amazed.
She moved forward, and when
she was close he saw that her face
was working with emotion.
"Why did you do it?" she cried
in low voice.
do whatY
"You know. You know. Pretend
that you shot Tom McArdle."
"Other folks were being suspect
ed. | figured I'd better tell the
truth"
Its not the truth. You know it
isn't. | killed him.
mo, ma'am. You thought so, but
you didn't"
How can you say that? l saw
him fall from his horse when
shot"
"I1l tell you about that. Miss
Ann" he said, and related to her
the same story he had told the
sheriff.
! Il don't believe word of it," she
replied, and there was sob in her
voice. You're doing IT because Pm
in trouble about it. and now
they're going Toto"
Il know" he said gently. Don't
you worry. Miss Ann I'm a hard
citizen. Anyone will tell you that
I'm only gettin what's comm to
me- An about McArdle-it's sure
enough true killed him. If |
| hadn't of how would | know he'd