The Coolidge examiner., 1935-07-26

]
/ Kentucky said. was In Zack san.
ders' hand as be lay dead near the
/ Bar Hook pump house"
The bronc rider swore softly. Ell
| you're trying 10 hook me into some.
thing by way OF that be said.
you're up the wrong coulee. lost
tina, gun In a crap game in Water
man four months back. ! can name
/ you every man that was In that
crap game. and theyll swear 10
what say; and Ted Baylor viii
tell you tha; gun is the one be won
from me that night"
Ted Baylor In a crap game with
/ n bunch of saddle bumsy That's a
/ bot one.
lie was drunk. and he just
stopped Tor one pass rs be went
through Joe -. Marie insisted.
The lucky suT Eoi my gun on that
one pass"
III that's SO" Kentucky said.
~ihat can be- checked up later. For
the time being I'm taking you
back"
II you aim 90 take me back.
can just as well kiss myself good.
by right now. I aln't got n China.
mans chance Of living 10 see trial
and well you know Il, | thought
you swung with Campo Ragland I
even thought you were thick with
RaEland's girl You sure had me
fooled"
"what makes you think | don't
swing with Rarlandt-
"If yon swung wlth the Bar Hook.
the last thing you'd want to do
would be TO drag me back into this
case
The bronc rider was beginning
TO crack under the strain. Il don't
know what your side IS" he said
hoarsely. nor who you think you're
working FOR. or why. But n you're
fool enough 10 think you're helping
out Campo Ragland. you're making
one h--l OF q blunder."
Answer me this" said Kentucky.
'"and ~ | figure you've answered
me with n lie. we're going TO start
hack right now without any more
talk what do you know about the
killing of SanderxfT
Il swear ! never knew Zack San
ders was dead until lee found
him. 81. Marie said passlonn,ely.
Then tell me this" said Ken
tucky again. You saw the killing
OF Masont-
"No.- said 81. Marie violently.
mo | wasn't anywhere near II"
"I,'s pretty well known" said
Kentucky. that yon weren't where
you were supposed TO be that day
Where were you when you saw
the shooting of MasonY'
Il never seen Il. | tell you ! was
riding In. but | was anyway half n
mile OF and beyond the ridge when
heard the shots I didn't even
suspicion anything then went up
TO the house for Frub. All ever
seen. when I went BY the kitchen
window was Campo Ragland clean
Ing his gun. his deer rifle. never
even knew Mason was dead until
Lee B!shop found him that night.
And | never knew that deer ride
killed him until the sheriff come out
10 see about Zaek Sanders killing.
and told US Mason was killed by a
small caliber. I swear"
You recognized the callber OF
the gun he was cleaning as you
walked past the window"
Il went OF in the kitchen. He'd
put II away from him by then. II
was clear over on the other side
OF the room. But Il was the only
rife In the room. and I knew that
that was the one he'd had In his
hands. T."
How come you 10 take such
close notice OF what was the cali
Der OF the gunT'
How can a feller help knowing
the different guns around a place
by sighti I've used that gun myself"
Kentucky Jones said slowly. "was
there anybody else at the ranch
house thenT'
"Campo's girl was there. She
was In the kitchen talking 10 her
father. They'd been having fight
about something. But they cut Il
OF quick when come In. The girl
looked Ike she wasn't feeling so
good"
Kentucky leaned forward. and his
voice sounded as II II could saw
chunks out OF the frozen rock. est.
Marie. is that all you know?"
"All | known His voice rose in
Insolent revolt. "what the HI do
you think" He checked. Kentucky
Jones had cooked his gun, and the
small metallic click tanned the
bronc rider more effectively than
as II Kentucky had downed him
with a rock. H, Kentuck.r he
cried. Il can't tell you anything
more Sangre! It's enough TO get
my head shot of as 1t ist'
You're giving me this as the
whole reason for stealing a horse
and going over the hill tonightY'
in G-d's name, why wouldn't /
go over the hill; Here's Campo with
t-ffHf~x ha