The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-07-18

Wolh vi keeping up the fire., BY the
signal fire he stood listening for long
time, suspicious of small sounds far
away; but he could make certain of no
indication of nearby human life. He
went back to Lee Bishop.
Are you there Kentucky?"
fright here. Lee"
Kentucky, I'm sorry | never fold
that. If only I'd told some people
about 1t, 1t would clear you. But-use
1t any way you can"
You never told anybody at all?"
Just one person In the world Ken.
lucky; and that isn't liable TO do you
much goode
WHO was that?"
Jean Ragland. !. She'll hack up
your word II you tell 'en1 what | Said.
But don't know as II will carry much
weight. Anybody can see that she's
dead gone on you, Kentuck Most
likely they'll discount what she says
In your favor. on that account"
Kentucky Jones said gently, You're
wrong there Lee
You're fool II you think | am.
| told her about seeing Mason, and she
made me promise not to tell anybody
else. dlsremember what thought
was her reason for that II seemed
a reasonable thing to ask, ar the time"
Kentucky Jones sucked In his breath
| through his teeth. lee" he said slow
| ly, You sure you got this stralght?'
Sure, Kentucky. l wouldn't dlsrec-
ognize Old IRON
i don't mean that. Lee. | mean
you told Jean about seeing this. and
she told you not to tell anyone?'
You beat me. Kentucky. How the
hi would man get thing like tina,
mixed up?n
All right. Lee"
whats the matter with you, Ken
ruck?'
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 got me the killer of Ma
son. Kentucky said.
Lee Bishop started WINGED, and SET
tied back again, more limp and more
still than before you mean" he said
ut last, you know who killed Mason?"
Don't your
ct Listen!'
They were silent for long moment
while Lee Bishop lay with closed eyes,
as II the life had gone out of him once
and for all.
There's horse coming Bishop
said at last.
Kentucky listened but could hear
nothing; it seemed to him that the
small purr and hiss Of the fire over
which he crouehed was preventing him
from distinguishing far off, fainter
sounds. He got up and walked down
the gully past the signal fire. to a
place from which he could sight across
the fiat snow to 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 presently he was certain that he
distinguished the slow trample of a
walking horse. He listened for what
seemed long time, while the sound
came sometimes distinct and unmis
taxable, and again died away until he
was half convinced that the rider had
turned and drawn Off.
Then the sound of the walking
hoofs suddenly became sharp and close
at hand. Three hundred yards away
Kentucky made out the movement OF
shadow In shadows, and knew thai
the rider was sitting his horse In the
mouth of the notch. Kentucky Jones
freed his rifles safety catch, carefully
without any click Of metal.
For nearly five minutes the rider In
the notch sat maHbnless, and jones
knew that their visitor was watching
the signal fire, trying to make out
figures near 1t, or other sign of what
the builders Of the fire intended.
The rider moved out OF the mouth Of
the notch at last, turned uncertainty to
the right, and began to skirt the foot
Of the canyon wall so slowly that for
a little while Kentucky Jones was in
clined to think that there was no rider
there at all, but only an unridden horse
wandering about in search Of Its bunch.
Moving slow 1t circled the signal fire,
as II trying to pass at the greatest pos
sible distance. Then the pony passed
before drift OF quilted snow which
stood like a panel of white set into
the gray rock, and against this Ken
lucky Jones saw the unmlstakable sill
houette OF the figure In the saddle.
The rider turned now, cutting back
to circle the signal fire more closely
and at last, as If suddenly impatient,
turned directly toward the fire itself
and rode TO the edge Of Its circle Of
light. At distance Of no more than
fifty feet Kentucky Jones slid his rifle
over the lip Of the coulee and brought
II to bear upon the mounted figure.
Then the rider turned; and the fire.
light showed him Jean Ragland's face.
Hello, jean" he said
Her horse Jerked MS II 1t would shy,
but Its rider sat steady, leaning down
to peer into the shadows.
ITO BE CONTINUED