The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-05-31

the qualities which had made him the
fit boss of hard-held and forever-re-
sistant range were cut through at the
root.
1--WE may as well get some shut-eye,
guess" Campo said Zone of you
fellers better turn out in the morning
and load the stove"
"Fm a pot-buster," Kentucky offered.
Leave breakfast to me-"
"All right. Nights well turn into
lacks bunk, then"
Alone in the little lean-to room off
the kitchen where lack had lived, Ken
lucky Jones sat for little while on
the bunk, and smoked final cigarette.
1t was time to take stock of what he
knew.
He did not conceal from himself that
his interest in the murder OF Mason
turned upon the involvement Of Jean.
The foundation of the thing was, Of
course, the fact that John Mason was
dead, shot from the saddle within
fifty yards of Ragland's door as he ar
rived from the SO on Bob Elliot's pinto
horse. Jean Ragland had stolen from
the evidence the bullet that had killed
Mason-and the sheriff probably had
the mate to that bullet. Upon this
foundation now rested a miscellany of
puzzling and unrelated detail.
A Bar Hook rider had lied about his
whereabouts at the hour of Mason's
death. A lame cowboy cook was miss
ing from the Bar Hook. Somebody had
ransacked the Bar Hook ranch house,
taking away rifle and a picture out
of the frame Jean thought little of
the disappearance of the rifle, much of
the empty frame. PROFESSIONALLY, he
needed more of the missing fragments
before he could piece that picture to-
gether.
In the meantime the range was
thrown out of balance by the death of
the COW financier Bob Elliot, facing
ruin, could save himself only by fore
ing Ragland over the edge in his place
In one stride Kentucky Jones had
stepped into situation of greater
pressure than any he had before en-
countered in an active life.
For what seemed long time he lay
awake, while his mind Quartered the
case like lion hound failed of the
scent. Presently he become aware that
there was something he had left I'M
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 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 l found Mason Is about three
horse-jumps southwest. He was lying
face down with his head this way, and
but l guess you heard all that"
ut worked out so l missed part of
the inquest" Kentucky said. did it
come out why Mason was riding from
the So 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 Dor
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, 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 a 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 a 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;
II haven't said much to the old man
yet. / think Wen be able to tell just
l. D.