The Coolidge examiner., 1935-08-09
CHAPTER E-consinued
- Il.

~Bui when you found him" Ken
lucky pointed oui. ~there was no
snow under him; proving he vas
killed before the SHOW began TO
fall"
Il can't account FOR that Maybe
the Snow Under him melted. or some
thing"
This seemed unlikely 10 Kentucky.
bet be dld not Interrupt
I was = couple furlonEs away"
Bishop admitted. continuing. But
don't tell ne made a mistake
mind how John Mason used 10 sit.
Kind OF half crooked In the saddle (:
and | mind the round OF his shoul.
ders as he sat bis horse. and the
TIT of bis hat I'd know him any
distance. out of q thousand men"
There was something peculiarly
familiar about Lee Bishops claim
os recognition. Suddenly Kentucky
knew shy. lie had heard Joe ST.
Marie Use almost the same words
IN explaining TO Jean RaEland. the
night they found Zack Sanders. that
he had seen 4 ghost
1t Isn't hardly lkely.~ Kentucky
offered speculatlvely. chat you'd
mistake that pinto horse Mason
rode ,ha, day
They was wrong about that
Bishop said promptly. Mason
wasn't riding no pluio horse. He
was riding a little blood bay pony
--an s. pony they call Three Spot"
Tell me one more thing" Ken
tucky said. ~nld thls-dld Mason
see youf~
lie ought TO have seen me. I
was In plain sight Bot be didn't
answer my wave"
Kentucky rose and went about
bis work % keeping UP the fFes.
By the signal IRE he stood listening
for a long ;lme. suspicious Of small
sounds FAR away bat he could make
certain % no Indication of nearby
human life lie wen, back 10 Lee
Bishop.
Are you there Kentuekyf~
Right here. lee"
Kentucky. I'm sorry I never told
that II only Id told some people
about II, Il would clear you. But
use Il any war you can"
"You never told anybody az allf~
Just one person In the world. Ken.
tucky: and that isn't liable 10 do
you much good"
''who was ihatT'
Jean Ragland- She'll back
up your word II ron tell 'em what
! said But don't know as IL viii
carry much weight Anybody can
see thar she's dead gone on you,
kentuck Most likely they'll dis.
count what she says In your favor.
on that account"
Kentucky Jones said gently,
You're wrong there. lee"
you're a fool IL you think I am.
I told her about seeing Mason, and
she made me promise not TO tell
anybody else I disremember what
l thought vas her reason for that !:
10 seemed a reasonable thing 10 ask,
az the time
Kentucky Jones sucked In his
breath through his teeth. Lee he
said slowly. "you sure you got this
siraight?~
sure. Kentucky. wouldn't dis
recognize old Irou-"
Il don't mean that. Lee. | mean
-yon told Jean about seeing this.
and she told you not to tell any
oneT'
"You beat me. Kentucky. How
the HI would man get a thing
Ike that mixed up5"
AL right. Lee"
what's the matter with yon.
KentnckT'
There's a link or two missing
yet. Lee" Kentucky said. But I'm
dead sure In my own mind, now"
What are you talking about!"
You've rot me the killer OF Ma
son." Kentucky said.
lee Bishop started. WINGED, and
settled back again. more limp and
more still than before. You mean"
he said AZ last. "you know who
killed MasonT"
Don't youg"
Il Lisien!''
They were silent for a long mo-
ment while Lee Bishop lay with
closed eyes, as IL the life had gone
out OF him once and for all.
There's a horse coming" Bish-
on said at last.
Kentucky listened. but could hear
nothing. He got up and walked
down the gully. past the signal fire
TO a place from which he could
sight across the fat snow 10 the
canyon narrows. Here the freight
was no longer in his eyes, and the
small whisper OF the embers could
not confuse his ears; and present
ly he was certain that he dlstin-
guished the slow trample OF q walk
Ing horse. He listened for what
seemed a long time. while the sound
came sometimes distinct and un-
mIstakable. and again died awE
until he was half convinced that
the rider had turned and drawn of.