The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-07-04
CHAPTER V-Continued

answered..
"Why?"
Because he lay on the downfall
side"
(which way" The sheriff broke off
abruptly as Lee Bishop returned to the
room with lack Sanders six-gun. He
took quick stride forward and took
the gun in his hand.
whats the matter?" Campo Rag
land demanded instantly.
The sheriff drew deep breath and
blew 1t out through pulled cheeks.
The eager intensity of inquiry had
gone out of him. 81 never have any
luck" he grunted. This d-n thing
has sure worked out to make fool of
everybody"
whats wrong with that gun?" said
Ragland again.
Nothing, except the caliber," said
the sheriff. ITS a forty-five, that's
what's the matter with it. How much
snow was there under lack Sanders?"
None" said Bishop.
"Lee," said the sheriff, "you found
Mason too: could you judge which
was killed first? Sanders or Mason"
81 wouldn't be able to draw any
difference"
"Uh, huh," said Sheriff Hopper.
''This here is the devil. When 1 first
heard of this, 1 was hopeful we were
out of the woods. Naturally the first
thing that came to mind was that
Mason and Sanders shot it out, and
both dropped But the caliber of
lacks gun-it throws that theory out"
"Shucks-right back on the double
suicide theory" said Kentucky. But
wait a minute!"
whats the matter?'
"The gun Mason carried was the
same caliber as this gun of Sanders
here" Kentucky pointed out. ut
passed at the inquest that Mason was
killed by the accidental discharge of
his own gun. How is it we're so GER
tain now that Mason was not killed by
that caliber?"
The sheriff pulled pipe from his
pocket and rammed tobacco into it with
a disguised thumb. Because" he said,
"Mason was not killed by the discharge
of his own gun. John Mason was MUIR
dered."
They stared at him, and Kentucky
Jones heard the breath catch in Jean
Ragland's throat.
"How long have you known this?"
Campo Raglan6 demanded at last.
"I've known it," said the sheriff,
"since the day of Mason's DEATH"
''Then you knew at the inquest"
Sheriff Floyd Hopper did not avoid
the challenging stare of the cattleman.
"Yes," he said, 81 knew it at the in
quest"
I'm id if I see your idea, Floyd!''
said Campo. what I want to know is
how much more you didn't tell the
jury"
Not much, Campo. John Mason was
killed by two shots-not one from a
gun of lighter caliber than forty-five.
Tomorrow the whole, country will know
that-and our chances of getting the
killer are cut in two" He extended
his hands over the stove, but promptly
withdrew them again, and instead
peeled off his coat
Naturally" Kentucky put in equa-
bly,, its easier to catch criminal who
thinks he's safe"
"And easier yet" said Campo ir-
ritably, ITO explain away q killing as
an accident"
YES" said the sheriff without heat.
He returned Ragland's stare through
the smoke cloud from his pipe. "But
/ also had one or two other reasons.
For one thing, this is some worse than
just a one-man killing, Campo. It's
kicked the whole of Wolf Bench onto
the edge of general smash"
''We all have reason to know that"
Ragland growled.
"All right. Suppose now somebody
that don't know much about it picks
himself out first-class suspect. Sup
pose, for instance, somebody just
goes around Wolf Bench pointing out
that Lee Bishop just happens to be the
man that found both Mason and San
ders-both deep hidden under the snow.
There's been many a blow-up on less
NNibChSC IMAM ludt-duu WIN less
feeling back of it than this is going
10 raise up here!"
Lee Bishop said nothing. Campo
was cycling Sheriff Hopper narrowly.
somehow, Floyd" he said, sit seems
like to me you haven't come to your
real reason yet"
MOP" said Sheriff Hopper. He took
a deep drag on his pipe "Then I'll
give you just one reason more. Maybe
you've forgot, Campo, that John Ma
son was shot down within a dozen
horse-jumps of your own house here
and by singular coincidence = that
neither you, nor your daughter. nor a
single one of your hands, was even
within earshot of the guns"
After a moment Campo said in low
voice, Floyd, what do you mean by
that?"
Campo, l know that John Mason
was your close friend. l know that
you and your brand are as bad hurt
as anybody, is, almost. And with nv
experience, can reason that the thing
couldn't have happened if any of you
had been here. But most people hate
condolences, Campo"
Ragland stood up, his face blank.
"Floyd, if you're saying you smothered
that inquest as a favor to me"