The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-05-16

ordeal untold.
Il wish knew" Campo began. he
WAS ladlng fresh coffee into Il biz
pot with an enormous sponn-'1 wish J
knew" Suddenly he stopped, and
stood staring, While from the pnised
spoon a thin trickle of dry coffee drih
bled TO the floor
Jean Isagland had returned. and was
standing In the broad doorway. She
still carried the lamp and It's sharp
near light ilumining her face remnrse
lpssly, showed that her features were
drawn by hard and unacciistamed
emotion. II took moment or Two for
Kentucky .Innes to realize that whit
he saw in the girls face was fear
For moment no one spoke. Then
Ragland said. very low. his coffee
spoon still motionless What Is 1t.
.Iean?'
Jean Ragland's voice could hardly
be heard. Someone's been through
the house,
"Been through the house?"
.Ransacked 1t through and
throughi"
Her father LET the big spoon splash
into the coffee pot. jean turned,
throwing the light into the room he.
yond. and for moment father and
daughter stood together In the door
way. staring at what the others could
not see. Then. slowly. with a curious
uncertainty, Campo Ragland moved
out OF their sight. Jean followed him
with the lamp.
Kentucky Jones, with the others.
went to the door through which Campo
had disappeared.
The room was long and broad. In
one end huge fireplace with a six.
foot opening was built Of rugged
chunks of the native rock, and near
this Campo stood, holding up a second
lamp.
They heard him say, you're right !.
there's no question about IT.
Jim Humphreys said. is there any
thing we can"
Ragland shot them a quick glance,
as If momentarily he had forgotten
| that he was not alone. Its nothing
much. | guess" he said In rocky
voice. This dump has been searched,
all right. That's all Wait hack you.
Jim Humphreys and Billy Petersen
returned to the kitchen. At the door
way kentucky Jones turned and stood
| for moment In final survey of the
| main room. He saw Ragland pass on
| into the next room. Jean moved tt
follow him.
Then suddenly the girl stopped and
stood rigid. Following her eye, Ken
tucky Jones saw at once what she was
looking at.
On the wall hung cheap picture
| frame, perhaps ten inches In Its longer
| dimension. made Of narrow dark wood
/ And 1t was distinguished from other
| picture frames by the fact that there
was no picture In 1t. Through LIS
glass could be seen the torn MANILA
paper which had hacked the frame
and section of the wall,
Jean Ragland set her lamp down
STEPPED forward and jerked the empt,
frame from the wall For a momen
she stood lrresoute, glancing quickl,
about her.
DO you want me TO wrangle that 70
YOU, tno?" said Kentucky from TIN
doorway.
For an instant she stared at him, he
eyes wide and hostile. Ii was sur
prising to nina little. That after
noon, at the Inquest, she had presse
into his keeping the bullet she ha
tnken from the evidence But INV h
knew that she had not elected him Il
her ally, nor wanted more than inc
menlary aid.
Her fathers step sounded close a
hand beyond the other door. lea
dropped tile picture frame behind
wooden chest that stood against tn
wall and picked up her lamp agai
as her father re-entered.
They Went back into the kitchen
Campo Ragland paused in the mai
: room moment 10 exchange The bre
est sort Of word with Jean. But h
announcement was TO all Of them,
once
Somebody's ransacked this dump
he told them slowly. Somebody
ransaeked 1t good. There's rii
gone"
Lee Bishop said. is that all?"
I "They nried oren the cash box. hi
/ didn't take anything. SO far AS kno'
y Ii beats me-"
Y I'VE can spare rifle, | guess Jes
said sharply. Except for certa
d soberness, Kentucky WAS unable
}. make ont in Jeans face any sign
the cold still terror he had seen In
Il little while before. But he saw M
II that IL change had come over Cam
Ragland, Campo's face was sfiffly q
r pressionless, bur the eyes were tho
4 of a nan- lost in uncertainty.
Kentucky Jones knew campo to
typical OF the Wolf Bench breed
~ owners, man as durable as the hi
1t Of his own rangehred ponies Behi
Sc his geninl facade eafnre- had alwa
k been completely sure of himself. h
ut now, while the outer aspect of the hi