The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-06-13
By ALAN LIE MAY
Copyright by Alan LeMay
WNu Service.


case like q lion hound failed Of the
scent. Presently he become aware that
there was something he had left un.
done. Without striking light he
opened seam In the lining of his coat
and extracted the bullet which Jean
Ragland had pressed into his hand that
afternoon. He opened the window, and
found that the snow was drifted here
against the log wall. Kentucky Jones
hesitated moment more; then flicked
the bullet that had killed John Mason
out into the drifted snow.
Whatever else happened the work
had to go on. Campo Ragland had
contracted to ship FIVE carloads of
two-year-old steers to a southern
feeder, but although the cars were al
ready waiting on the Waterman siding,
the gather and cut for the shipment
still lacked many head. Tho two other
Bar Hook cowboys-Harry Wilson and
Joe st. Marie-had come in from Wa
terman during the night; and with this
full force Campo himself jumped into
the job of finishing the work in day.
After breakfast Kentucky Jones
made an opportunity to familiarize
himself with the scene Of Mason's
death. II suppose" he asked Lee
Bishop, that's the pump house?"
yeah, that stone dump. The place
where found Mason is about three
horse-jumps southwest. He was lying
face down with his head this way, and
but I guess you heard all that"
1T worked out so / missed part Of
the inquest" Kentucky said. did it
come out why Mason was riding from
the 8S to the Bar Hook? Seems kind
of funny-the way things stand be-
tween the two brands"
yeah, that was all thrashed out"
said Lee Bishop. "Old Ironsides was
always great hand to keep in touch
with all corners of Wolf Bench; and
he was just making one Of his regular
circuits of the range"
Il heard he was riding one Of FL
lots plugs"
yeah. His way Of doing was to bor-
row some horse that could be counted
on to go home by itself, and at the
next outfit borrow another such a
horse, and so on. This time he was
riding an SO horse"
"Yes, l got that" Kentucky said.
Zone of Bob Elliot's top horses-a big
pinto, with white forelegs."
$50 they said. We got to get going,
Kentuck. You and me aren't working
with Campo today; there's little Job
over here we got to wrangle separate
Rope you low grade horse.'
They took the trail toward the rim
before Kentucky could talk to Jean
alone.
For long time they rode in silence !;
Bishop had given no hint as to the ma
ture of their errand, as yet.
II don't know exactly what we're up
against here" the foreman said at last !;
81 haven't said much to the old man
yet. think we'll be able to tell just
about how it's going to work out when
we get up here four, five mile. It's
made beginning, l think"
what has?" said Kentucky.
You'll pretty soon see. I wish to
God Jean was out of here. There's no
better cattle woman anywhere than
Jean. But this might not be a good
place for her, pretty quick here"
whats become of her mother?'
Kentucky asked him.
"She's putting In the winter out on
the coast"
81 reckon she's got judgment" said
Kentucky.
The foreman shrugged modify. "You
can call it judgment. 1t looks more like
a run-out, to me-" He checked him
self, already sorry for what he had
said. He tried to apologize, and made
it worse. There isn't anybody means
any better than Mrs. Ragland does; it's
just that somehow she doesn't take to
cattle, l guess"
Looks like Jean would have gone
with her?'
Jean takes after her father" Lee
Bishop said. "This busted-up country
is bred into her blood and bone. She's
a true Ragland. There's been a Rag
land running cattle on Wolf Bench
since the first long-horn showed"
sand how long has there been an
Elliott"
well, there's always been an e.
lot, too; though until Bob Elliot took
it over from his old man, the Ss was
just kind Of chicken-yard outfit. It's
Bob that's got ambitious"
Kentucky Jones decided to try one
Of his shots in the dark. "Lee," he
said casually, ''have you let anyone in
on the fact that Mason was not killed
at the time he was supposed to be-"
Lee Bishop turned to face Kentucky
Jones slowly. Flows that?" he said
without expression.
Let 1t CO." said Jones. "From the
way you talked at the inquest, it
Eorlx, nov