The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-05-31
CHAPTER III

as the light of three or four lamps
filled the room the faces of the riders
likewise lightened. From Waterman,
Kentucky Jones had pushed his horse
steadily, and as darkness closed down
he had overtaken the Bar Hook people.
With them he had ridden the long Bar
Hook horse trail across the Bench, I'M
til they came out at last upon long
rolling reaches, and the rambling build
ings of the Bar Hook doomed before
them, dark and shapeless.
The kitchen wing in which they now
gathered was built of big square-hewn
logs; but the interior was neat.
Jean Ragland said, There's no fire
made" And Kentucky noticed the odd
way in which they all fell silent for a
moment, as If it was a strange and
uncommon thing that fire should not
spring into being and set coffee on it.
self, at deserted ranch.
You see," Campo Ragland said to
Kentucky, 1--WE generally have cook
around here; lately it's been lame
boy named lack Sanders. Used to be a
rider, but his horse fell on him and
turned him into a cook. But this boy
is kind of gone missing on US, it seems"
Been missing long?'
Last week he was supposed to take
two days off, and he rode over to see
a girl he has over here thirty, forty
mile" Ragland said. 81 didn't notice it
so much Saturday, when he didn't come
in, that being the day that this-this
accident happened to Mason. But in
Waterman today his girl said he left
there Saturday sun-up. That's four
days gone"
Hell probably show up" Lee Bish-
op grunted.
"Oh, / suppose So" Campo Ragland
jerked himself into activity again, and
began throwing wood into the great
stove. 1.-THE way things have been 60
ing around here, it gets a Teller nerv-
Gus, l guess"
In little while the big stove began
to fill the room with lazy warmth,
and the hot smoky smell of frying
beef and potatoes began to thaw the
riders out With the heartening warmth
so that for little while it could have
been any ranch house, anywhere-ex-
cept that the presence of Jean Rag
land made a difference here. That girl
could subtly change the time and place,
making it different from any other
ranch house and any other night Per-
haps no cowboy ever rode for the Bar
Hook without feeling that he was in
some part riding for this girl.
Looking at her now Kentucky Jones
would not have guessed that she had
today testified concerning death that
had occurred within fifty yards of this
door; and that in the midst of those
proceedings she had felt impelled to
theve the heart out of the evidence of
that DEATH.
He had come here to find out the
exact nature of the shadow which had
fastened itself on the Bar Hook, and
upon Jean Ragland as part of the Bar
Hook; and, accordingly, he turned now
to studying the others as they ate. Lee
Bishop, the solid, square-set foreman,
undoubtedly would stand steady as a
rock in pinch. Evidently he was
man born at branding and raised in
the saddle, for he would hardly have
attained foremanship at thirty had he
been handicapped in experience.
The other two cowboys Kentucky
Jones classified. as couple of kids.
Jim Humphreys, though only five years
younger than Bishop, would perhaps
always be kid And Billy Petersen
vas the youngster, essential to every
outfit, who would be given the unde-
sirable jobs of horse-wrangling and
night herd. and errands which were
nuisance.
Campo Ragland remained silent
throughout the meal; and for the mo-
ment Kentucky could make out no
more about him than he already know
which was little enough.
"Sure miss lack Sanders around
here" Campo said at last, getting up.
"Might's well set out what we'll need,
handy to breakfast, guess"
dad" said Jean. "I'l take care of
all that"
you get along to bed" her father
told her gruffly. II want you to get
some Sleep"
Jean obediently picked up lamp.
Kentucky Jones moved efficiently
about making ready for morning. Out
in lonely camps upon the range these
men would have got their own break
fasts effortlesslS without thought; but