The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-10-17
CHAPTER VI-Continued

Ellsna s mounting aisappf0Val changed
to CONSERVATION.
Turning. he faced Eleazer.
Say. Eleazer," he faltered. "s'pose
we was to make deal on this thing.
S'pose, for the time helm | was to
take over your Job nm you was TO
take over mine. S'pose You did the ar.
restIn'? You seem to know a sight
more bout how to manage 1t than
| do.
You put on the badge: you tell the
thief to stick 'em up; you put the pis-
tol 'twixt his shoulders. or wherever
you think twill do the most good; an
you snap the handouts on him. I'll
see you get full credit for 1t. Mean
while, If there's fire or an under
takln' Job, I'll manage EN- somehow.
Eleazer shook his head.
THAT wouldn't do. 'Lish. no way In
the world" he objected. I'VE can't go
swappin' offices voted us by the town.
Folks wouldn't like It. Was |, a com
mon citizen, to shoot the criminal, I'd
likely be hauled up for murder. I'm
willin' to stand by you to the extent
OF goin' along an keepin' you com
pany; but you must be the one that
bears the brunt of the job. You aint
told me yet none of the details of this
business. If I'm goin' to help you,
I'd oughter be told everything about 1t.
Who is the criminal? An where Is
he7 An how'd you come to get track
OF him?'
Alas. the questions were the very
ones Elisha had hoped to escape an
swerlng. Nevertheless, he knew of no
way to eyade his confederates curl
osity.
Reluctantly. cautiously. he poured
out his story and was rewarded to see
the other town official cape at him,
open-mouthed.
BLESS my SOUL" he reiterated
''Bless my soul! Who would a drempt
it," he burst out when he could con-
tain himself no longer. WAL never
did like that Teller Heath | sus.
pected from the first there was some
thin wrong about him. prob'ly he has
queer eyes. You can always spot i
criminal by his eye. Kinder. shlfty an
fishy. | understand human nature.
This Heath fellel, now. | understand
him"
Then p'raps you can foretell what
he's likely to do when | arrest him, +"
put In Elisha eagerly.
Il can" Eleazer nodded Il can
prophesy just about what he'll do"
WHAT" Z
Its better shouldn't tell you.
'Twouldn't be wise. We must dp/our
duty no matter what comes Off"
Elisha's knees weakened beneath
him.
Seems to me- went on Eleazer,
that stead of lolterln' here discussn'
the calamities of the future you'd bet
ter be gettn' on to your house. You've
got TO put on your other clothes The
press. most likely. will want to photo
graph you. Then you must hunt up
your badge. your handouts an all your
paranhernaiia. I'd better cut across
the field meantime, an oil up my
pistol Mebbe. can fix 1t so-st It'll
90 off. III try an find you some
cartridges, too. wouldn't want to
stand by an see you struck down
without your havin some slight de-
Tense, poor as It's"
With this dubious farewell, Eleazar
hustled off across the dingle and was
lost to sight.
Left alone, Elisha gloomlly pursued
his way To his own cottage and enter
Ing II by the side door passed through
the back hall and upstairs.
Going to the closet, he took out his
Sunday suit. Shook 1t. and with the
air of one making ready his shroud,
spread II upon the bed
Next he produced boiled shirt, a
collar, and black tie
1t took him some time TO assemble
these infrequently used accessories
and he was dismayed to find no col
lar-button.
A collar-button was the cornerstone
Of his tolet-the object on which ev-
erything else depended. Should 1t fail
to be forthcoming, the game was up.
He could not administer the law with
out It,
Perhaps, viewing the matter from
every angle. It's disappearance was a
fortunate, rather than an unfortunate,
omen.
To grapple with an experienced
criminal was suicidal. Suppose the
criminal did escape? Were not law
breakers doing SO every day?