The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-07-26

"Ted Baylor in a crap game with a
bunch Of saddle buns? That's hot
onew
HE was drunk, and he just stopped
for one pass as he went through" Joe
st. Marie insisted. "The lucky stiff
got my gun on that one pass"
IF that's So" Kentucky said, shat
can be checked up later. For the time
being I'm taking you back"
IF you aim to take me back, can
just as well kiss myself good-by right
now. I amt got a Chinaman's chance
of living to see trial-and well you
know it! / thought you swung with
Campo Ragland. l even thought you
were thick with Ragland's girl You
sure had me fooled"
"What makes you think I don't swing
with Ragland?"
"If you swung with the Bar Hook,
the last thing you'd want to do would
be to drag me back into this case"
'~Then come clean and come quick
I'm cold, and Pm stiff, and I'm ready
| to ride!"
The bronc rider was beginning to
| crack under the strain. II don't know
what your side is" he said hoarsely,
NOR who you think you're working for,
or why. But If you're fool enough to
think you're helping out Campo Rag
land, you're making one HI Of a
| blunder."
Answer me this" said Kentucky,
''and If l figure you've answered me
with lie, we're going to start back
right now without any more talk. What
do you know about the killing Of San
| ders"
II swear I never knew lack San
ders was dead until Lee found him."
st. Marie said passionately.
"Then tell me this" said Kentucky
again. "You saw the killing of Ma
SOM"
"No," said st. Marie violently. "No
l wasn't anywhere near it."
"It's pretty well known" said Ken
lucky, shat you weren't where you
were supposed to be that day."
"What If I wasn't? That Campo is
driving fool / figured I'd done
enough work for one week. and took
me layoff on my own hook"
sand where were you when you
saw the shooting Of Mason?"
Il never seen 1t, I tell you! / was
riding in, but was anyway half a
mile off and beyond the ridge when
heard the shots. l didn't even sus.
picion anything then. went up to the
house for grub. All l ever seen. when
went by. the kitchen window was
Campo Ragland cleaning his gun, his
deer rifle. I never even knew Mason
was dead until Lee Bishop found him
that night. And I never knew that
deer rifle killed him until the sheriff
come out to see about lack Sanders
killing, and told us Mason was killed
by small caliber. swear"
"You recognized the caliber Of the
gun he was cleaning as you walked
past the Window"
II went on in the kitchen. He'd put
| it away from him by then. 1t was
clear over on the other side Of the
room. But it was the only rifle in the
room, and knew that that was the
one he'd had in his hands. l."
"HOw come you to take such close
J notice Of what was the caliber Of the
gun?"
How can Teller help knowing the
different guns around a place by sight!
I've used that gun myself"
Kentucky Jones said slowly, "Was
there anybody else at the ranch house
then?"
"Campo's girl was there. She was
in the kitchen talking to her father.
They'd been having a fight about some
thing. But they cut it off quick when
come in. The girl looked like she
wasn't feeling so good"
Kentucky leaned forward, and his
voice sounded as if it could saw chunks
out of the frozen rock. "St. Marie, Is
that all you know?"
"All l know?" His voice rose in in
solent revolt. what the HI do you
think" He checked. Kentucky Jones
had cooked his gun, and the small me-
tallic click tanned the bronze rider more
effectively than as If Kentucky had
downed him with a rock. Ill, Ken
TUCK" he cried. 81 can't tell you any
thing more! Sangre! It's enough to
get my head shot off as 1t is !"
You're giving me this as the whole
reason for stealing a horse and going
over the hill tonight?"
I'm G+d's name, why wouldn't l go