The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-09-12
CHAPTER XII-Continued

Look each other over" SAID Ken
lucky Jones. "a fine pair to draw to
or to build a hanging around"
Bill McCord cried out, Bob, what
the HI you been telling these -"
what the devil you talking about?"
said Elliot Z
Kentucky Jones offered Elliot the
butt of the gun that had killed San
derS. Here's your gun. Elliot. They've
matched it with the bullets that killed
lack"
light fiared up in Bob Elliot's eyes
and he turned on Bill McCord. IF Nc
Cord says this is my gum" he exploded,
"he lies"
ASK Ted Baylor" Kentucky said.
Tied, tell the gentlemen where you
last saw this gun-after you won it at
craps from Joe st. Marie"
Ted Baylor glanced at the gun again,
and he hesitated. Kentucky Jones
waited, balanced in suspense. He be-
believed that one of the twO-McCOrd
or ElliOt-wOuld break under the one
last straw that Baylor might perhaps
provide. But he had not talked to Ted
Baylor-had found no chance to talk
to him-and he did not know what
this man would say.
81 guess you can remember when 1
saw this gun last, yourself, Bob" said
Ted Baylor at last.
You're crazy" said Elliot.
II won that gun from Joe st. Marie,
in a crap game, one night last fall"
Ted Baylor said "but l didn't have it
an hour before sold it to you, Bob, for
two dollars and a half, and the band
for a hat"
Bob Elliot said savagely, "You were
so d-n drunk that night you don't re-
member what you did!'
$50 that's what you relied on?" said
Kentucky Jones. you thought Baylor
was so drunk that the gun could never
be traced?"
81 never saw that gun before in my
life" said Elliot.
1T was a good idea of yours" said
Kentucky, ''to throw Bill McCord to
the wolves. And it worked good enough
so that We'll hang McCord all right;
but"
Bill McCOrd took step toward Ell
iOt, his face contorted. You dirty
sneak! So that's your game, is itF'
He swung crafty upon Sheriff Hopper.
Hes lied to you," he almost shouted.
Hes lied to you like he lied to me!
/ knew he was crazy to get Bishop
killed, and 1 tried to pick a fight with
Bishop for that reason. But it never
went through. He told me he killed
Bishop himself in fair fight. If I'd
known he laid for him on the rim and
plugged him with a rifle, without fight,
I'd have walked out on him the min
ute that l knewi"
Bob Elliot's voice rose violently.
''You fool, will you shut your d-n
mouth before"
Il suppose" said Kentucky to Bill
McCord, you didn't even know that
Bob Elliot killed Mason"
"NO, 1 never"
what did you suppose he wanted
Bishop killed for? You didn't know he
hired you to kill Bishop because Bishop
saw him at the Bar Hook the day
Mason died?"
Bob Elliot began, bill, don't you
let these"
you On streak of yellow" Bill
McCord snarled at him, 81 see it now!
] don't wonder you disown your d-n
gun! If I'd known when you killed
Lee Bishop that you lay off and plugged
him with a rifle
IT'S a d-n lie!" said Bob Elliot
again.
rs it?' McCord snarled at him. 81
suppose it's lie that you strapped on
that gun and rode after Mason, that
day when he laughed in your face"
by Cd, McCord-" Elliot shouted.
PUT it off on me, will you? McCord
shouted back at him. Il thought may
be you killed Mason, when you told me
you knew he was killed with Campo's
rifle. Why, you dirty side-winder-"
Bob Elliots voice broke into some
DID," Suddenly he turned, lurched
crafty at the door behind him, and
was gone from the room.
Willie Helmar cried, "Shall 1 get
him? Shall | get him?"
"McCord," roared Sheriff Hopper, sis
this true?"
Sure it's true!" McCord frothed Il
can see it now-and / can prove it on
him every step of the way! Hang me
in his place, will he? Why, that"
Suddenly Bill McCord's face changed
as if it had been struck with a whip.
He whirled like a cat, snatched at the
hOlStered gun of Willie Helmar; and
though Helmar seized McCord's arm
as the gun came out, McCord wrenched
free In that instant Jean, in the next
room, screamed, Kentucky, look out %
And Bob Elliot's first shot spoke from
the door.
The next moment was one of those
which witnesses afterward describe
contiictingly, so that it is difficult to
know the truth.
Kentucky Jones shouted, Jean, get
out of line!" and though he fired in
the direction of Bob Elliot, he seemed
to fire at the floor. Elliot dropped to
one knee. Kentucky instantly fired
again, his second shot smashing Bill
McCord's gun wrist, so that McCord
was spun half about. Almost in accord
with Kentucky's second shot Bob Ell
liot fired again. Kentucky Jones
stepped sideways as he once more fired
on Bob Elliot This time Bob went
forward onto his face; and his gun,
slamming from his relaxed hand, skid
ded half way across the floor toward
Kentucky Jones. Then gun and man
lay still and the room WAS still heavy