The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-05-24
CHAPTER II


The inquest was over as Kentucky
Jones returned to Kerry's store. He
Joined one of the big groups which
talked It over on the sidewalk.
verdict come out same as expect
edr'
"Oh, sure; Accidental discharge Of
his own weapon The jury didn't hold
or more than a minute and half.
Say The sheriff wants to see you."
"Where Is he?"
"He went along about ten minutes
ago"
IAN right"
Kentucky Jones moved Off down the
street in unhurried long strides. AS he
reached the sheriff's little frame office
Floyd Hopper was in the act Of leav-
ing, having just elected, with diplo-
macy, more worried cattlemen than the
little structure could comfortably hold.
For Kentucky Jones, however, he re-
opened his door.
''Come in here, Jones'" Hopper jerked
a ragged blind downward over the
doors glass pane and flung himself into
q chair.
"See you got your inquest over"
The sheriff puffed out his cheeks and
blew an exhausted blast "Damnation!
Can you beat this? In the whole Wolf
Bench country, here was just one man
that couldn't be done without-one man
that as good as held the rimrock cat
tie in the hollow of his hand-and a
rabbit jumps, and blooeyI He's gone
Great guns, Kentucky Any other man,
any other time"
Kentucky Jones waited, studying
him. There is certain type of man
who seems fated to pursue public office,
somehow perversely untitled for any
thing else. Hopper was such man.
His straight-clipped gray mustache, his
fiat loose skinned jowls and full-feshed
eyes somehow Enthusiastically advertised
the public office holder-not incompe-
tent, but definitely limited
"Any other man could have been
spared BETTER" he raved. Even John
could have been spared any other time
But with Wolf Bench cattle on the
ragged edge Of bankruptcy, and the
lowest beef prices since
Does Give Pierson-he steps into
Mason's shoes, doesn't he?-does he
know anything about cattle?"
"A little, and maybe little about
banking. But with Mason dead all con-
fidence has collapsed. Give Pierson is
scared stiff-ready to stampede.
Some think already that he'll break
half the outfits on Wolf Bench, and the
bank, too, If he can save the outfits
he's got his money In. No man knows
where his brand gets off, Nobody trusts
his neighbor."
Maybe it'll adjust" Kentucky Of
fered.
The sheriff burst out at him with
something very like fury. adjust? It'll
adjust like a dogie calf to a wolf! This
throws the whole d-n range out of
balance! And you stand there and tell
me" He paused hopelessly, out of
words. There you have It." He lifted
his hands and let them fall with
gesture of morOse futility. This Is
good sample of the raw edge of tenn
per the whole rimrock is on. I call you
up here to ask you a favor, and In
two minutes we're jumping down each
others throats"
"That's all right" said Kentucky.
''If disorderly conduct was my field,
expect 1 might be feeling somewhat
ants-in-the-undershirt myself"
"Disorderly conduct is right" the
sheriff said. MAN, you'll see plenty
nowi Half the range is sore at the
other half already. Take the Circle
Five and the Lazy Deuce. Or the
Three Bar and the Running M; today
them two owners met face to face and
never spoke. Or take
take Bob Elliots 8S and Campo
Ragland's Bar Hook" Kentucky
prompted.
"There you are-maybe the worst
case Of all. Those outfits have always
tangled. And now look at It'll Elliot
don't own fifth Of his range. The
rest Is leased Indian land. Now Ell
lots lease is out. Them leases have
to be bid for-and everybody knows
that there's more than one big outfit
will never let that lease go cheap.
Elliot depended on Mason to let him
take the money for his bid. Now it's
all over the range already that the
bank won't back him. Elliot can't get
any quick price for all that landless
stock; he's through"
"And what about RaglandT
"Ragland's Bar Hook could prob
ably stand through the storm, if 1t
wasn't for the misfortune to Elliot.
But Ragland's open range is the open
range nearest to Elliot. What If FL
lot turns and floods his cattle onto
the Bar Hook graze?"
Jones already knew that the Bar
Hook was at least half on public do
main. BY the cowman's code Campo
was entitled to the use of that range
because he had developed water upon
it; but he had no legal hold upon the
unfenced.
"Are you convinced in your own
% .n.- Il