The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-07-26
CHAPTER IX-Continued

The quarter blood seemed to take a
flying grip on hope. "Look here" he
said. Look herel Campo Ragland's
got me wrong. know you don't know
me very good-but Nombre de Dios,
Eentuck-I swear before God I'm tell
ing you the truth. I've shot square
with Campo all along, and all the way.
He's got no more reason to send You
to get me, than as If he sent me to
get you. Listen, Kentucky-if l hadn't
meant to shoot square with Campo
Ragland, do you think I'd have stayed
at the Bar Hook as long as did? And
I'd have stuck with him right on
through 1t, too; I'd have backed his
play any way he wanted. Yes, by Cd,
I will yet! Campo Ragland had no call
on earth to be afraid of me-"
"Afraid of you?" Kentucky repeated.
"That's what's gone haywire with the
Godforsaken outfit" st. Marie said.
Therewas fanatic intensity in the stare
which he held upon Kentucky's face.
"That man has gone to pieces" he in
sisted. "That man isn't right any more.
wouldn't have left the Bar Hook at
all, only pretty soon seen that Campo
was getting scared, and scared of me.
That man has gone to pieces" st.
Marie reiterated. Kentucky perceived
that the man believed himself to be
talking for his life. Nobody that
knows anything about this is safe in
the same country with him any more.
Maybe you're not safe yourself, for all
you know. But look, Kentucky, swear
to Cd Ragland had no call to worry
about me, even If stayed in the rim
rock; and he has thousand times less
reason to put me out Of business, and
head me off from what I'm trying to do
now-or was trying to do, when you
shot my horse out from under me-"
"And just what is this you're trying
to do"
"All want is to get out Of this
country. Where I made my mistake,
I was saving the d-n horse. I should
have pushed through this here gap two
hours ago. All want of this business
is out"
II expect you do" said Kentucky.
"But you're too deep in this business,
joe"
what difference does 1t make how
deep I'm in, so long as I can keep my
mouth shut, and disappear out of here?
l."
"a lot Of difference" Kentucky told
him. II d-n well mean to take you
back"
st. Marie appeared to be dumfound-
ed. "Take me back?" he repeated
"What did you think / was going to
do, murder your" "
st. Marie stared at him again. "Yeh,'
he said at last.
Kentucky rolled cigarette and con-
sidered. 1--WE don't seem to see eye
to eye in this, st. Marie" he said. "In
the first place, I wasn't sent after you
by Campo Ragland. Campo doesn't
even know you've left the Bar Hook
so far as I know. I've come out here
to take you back on my own hook.
guess I'll ask you couple of questions
for change"
st. Marie shivered, but appeared to
take heart. sand what if l give you
the wrong answers?" he said, his tone
altering subtly.
"Then," said Kentucky, II suppose
you'll go right ahead and hang. Don't
let me stop you"
"Hang? For what?"
"For the killing of lack Sanders"
For an instant St Marie did not
move. Then he drew a deep breath
and let it go again. II sure as hi
don't know what you're talking about"
he said. "Give me a cigarette"
Kentucky tossed him the makings.
"rm going to describe gun to you,"
he said. "The gun I'm thinking of Is
q blue-barreled AS. There's a little
piece split off the wooden part Of the
grip. The serial number looks like it
begins with 3, but it's really an g."
Kentucky told him the rest of the num-
Der.
THAT'S my gum" said st. Marie.
''Or anyway. it was my gun once"
Il know that" said Kentucky. Il
found that out from the gunsmith in
Waterman. Now l want to know
exactly when and why you showed that
gun into the hand of lack Sanders"
Il never did give it to lack San
ders," said st. Marie.
Kentucky Jones lost patience. Get
yourself ready to walk" he said. II
got no time to listen to you lie!"
'Tell me just this one thing" st.
Marie pleaded. "Where did you get
ok Of thiS pun 2"
1.-THE gun we're talking about" Ken
lucky said, twas in lack Sanders hand
as he lay dead near the Bar Hook
pump house."
The bronze rider swore softly. "If
you're trying to hook me into some
thing by way of that" he said. you're
up the wrong coulee. lost that gun
in crap game in Waterman four
months back. l can name you every
man that was in that crap game. and
they'll swear to what ! say; and Ted
Baylor win tell you that gun is the
one he won from me that night"