The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-05-02

pear to hear.
Then Unexpectedly. in the smother Of
he crowd her fingers closed upon his
in quick. hard grip. She had pressed
4 small heavy object into his hand
Turning II over In the pocket of his
coat. Kentucky Jones discovered with
a queer slow stir of the blood TINT
the thing she had left In his hand
could be nothing else hnt used hui
let. lie knew at7 once that this WAS
the slug which had killed man.
Campo Ragland said through his
teeth .NiA teH- lei It's eiit. ar net ?.
md the Standing cattlemen nattened
against the wall TO let Campo and his
laughter by. Kentucky Jones lasf sight
af Jean us the crawd Chased behind
hem
Ent for Kentucky Jones the atmos
ahere OF that packed room had
changed lie was no longer simply II
cattleman Interested in death which
threatened 10 shift the economies of Il
rnnge The thing thai had pulled him
ayer four hundred miles Of snaw-
rlugged rnts In the last eighteen hours
suddenly took on Il new aspect. as
lcntely personal and definitely sinister
rs II he had himself been accused Of
numbering Tie man who WAS dead.
And nnw The inevitable sequel broke
deputy who had stnnd by the clnt.
tered ledge where the exhibits were
sung out sharply. interrupting the sher-
If.
wait a minute Hnd everything
There's something missing here. -
In the momentary silence a lower
voice said. Maybe its fell on the
lloarn
What is it," the coroner demanded.
Whats gomez"
This here bullets gone. that we had
on the window sill with the other
things"
Bullet? What bullet? You mean
1.-The slug that killed Mason !"
There was d sudden moment of
struck silence all over the crowded
room. This WAS followed immediately
by risin. buzz. rs almost Every man
Of all the great number III that room
turned to speak loW-toned to his neigh
Dor.
Watching the stir about tna or
soner's table. Kentucky saw that Bob
Elliot owner OF the IS. WAS looking a.
him curiously. Kentucky grnned faint
~ al Elliot as he worked a hole If
the seam Of his pocket with a thumb
nail, and pressed the bullet through
50 that 1t fell deep into the lining Of
his coat.
over the buzz of confusion ne heard
the coroner almost shouting, You sure
ii was there?"
ITS been here all the time. bu.
Just now reached back and"
The sheriff jumped to his feet, and
his chair cIattered over backward Ills
voice rose In mn angry below. Lock
that door" he ordered. by Cd
I'm not going to have it, An abrupt
silence fell at the impact Of his voice
Some Of sou fellows are no better
than children. ! suppose you'd sten
the SHIRT off your own back If yon
figured 1t was souvenir =
"Wait a minute, Floyd" Tie cor
oner caught the sherifs arm. and
- Il ttrbts IN,
ear; and there followed IN inaudihle
but apparently a heated discussion
ii seemed to take effect upon the
sheriffs plans. for he SAT down abrupt
". his square face flushed with exas
peraton. All right, let It % tor now
But somebody hasn't heard the last Of
this Go ahead and give EN-
cause of death"
Kentucky Jones drew deep breath
He had come up into this crowded
ronnlalB attend a routine hearing calru
lated to confirm the death OF Il man
who, however important 60 these PEG
ple, had only died foulishly. accidental
ly. by his own gun But now the In
quest as such had lost all meaning
turning into d sham, an apparently IN
conscious fraud.
A sudden nc0mprehensihle anger
nyrrshaduwed reason rs he wondered
Ii Campo Isngland knew thai the bullet
which killed Mason WAS mol what II
spemed--and had prompted his. daugh
Ter to get 1t OUT OF the sheriif's DOS
session. If her theft Of this scrap Of
evidence WIS not IN behalf OF her ia
Their then who? II Jean Ragand was
being used BY her father or anyone
else as d cats paw In n dangerous
situation. he meant To find Il ont. slnce
more he worked his way sideways