The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-07-12
CHAPTER VII-Continued

"He was charging back into EN-,
grunted Lee Bishop, that's what he
was trying to do"
paul Martinez had come up by then,
and he was shouting at the other fell
lers. We threw q few shots back and
forth, but was behind the horse then.
This-thIs leg sure feels like something
happened to It."
They lifted Billy Petersen off his
horse and carried him into the one
room log bunk house. Kentucky hastily
built a fire while Lee Bishop cut off
Billy Petersen's boot "Catch hold of
the top of the bunk, Billy" he said at
last strangling cry broke from Pc
tersen's throat as Lee Bishop seized
the injured ankle and suddenly jerked
backward with all his weight 1.-THE
poor guy tainted" he told Kentucky.
II don't guess I'll bandage this here till
we get some hot water"
"Pve got water heating on the stove"
'Give me the makings. Say-where
did Jean go?"
Kentucky told him briefly what he
had done.
II guess you done all right" Bishop
said. "The old man sure can't keep
from fighting now. From here out it's
pile into them and pile into them, and
pile In again. All l ask is, save me
Rill McCord!"
"Jean Ragland is coming down here
with three more horses. l better go
on back and meet her on the trail.
She'll break her neck sure, rounding
those horses down that trail In the
dark"
Get going then. When you get back
to the house phone to Waterman for
the Doc to come out and reset this
leg tomorrow"
20. K"
Kentucky met Jean Ragland near the
top of the trail. The news that he had
to give her burdened him heavily.
SLOW badly are they hurt?" she
asked him.
"Jlm Humphreys is dead"
She put a hand to her face and he
Thought that she swayed In the saddle.
He dropped from his horse and went
to her, shouldering between the driven
ponies. Her hand gripped his and
chung; and even through their heavy
gloves he detected the tremor Of her
fingers.
Jean drew a deep shudderlng breath.
"Why do people have to go smashing
around, destroying each otherT
'It's bad" he agreed; nobody likes
II any less than / do. But wen have
to go on with 1t little way more"
"The sheriff ought to be able to"
''Billy says himself that Jim Hum
phreys fired the first shot. Range shoot
ings always come In as self defense.
The fight will have to go on. l didn't
get anywhere with Bob Elliot today. /
told him what was going to do, and
he said come ahead with IL; and we
left 1t there"
Jean freed her hand. Her voice was
steadier now. "The house was searched
again." she told him. Nothing much
is gone"
'NothIng at all?"
"All that seems TO be missing Is an
old As; 1t hasn't been out of Its holster
for two or three years, to my positive
knowledge. Haven't you any theory
vet, about who keeps ransacklng the
house?"
Its mighty hard" he admitted, mot
to put a theory to that. But I'm still
following Old Man Coffee's way. II
one theory Is worse than another, it's
a theory that covers just part OF
case"
He mounted, and they made their
way single file up the trail In silence.
He brought his horse abreast Of hers
ms they gained the level footing Of the
Bench and she turned to him vaguely.
81 don't know II can stand this, Ken
lucky, II It goes on much longer Any
thing is better than this terrible war.
ring, and mystery. and nobody under
standing each other"
wen see the beginning OF action
tomorrow
"Kentucky,"-her voice was faint
with reluctance-''Tm awfully afraid
that we won't"
.what do you meant With those
boys that we sent Harry Wilson for"
he assured her, i could sthmpeue hah
the cattle In the rimrock back where
they belong. You'll see us"
''The boys you wanted aren't com
ing. Kentucky"
"Didn't you send Harry Wilson to-
81 sent him; told him exactly what
YOU told me to tell him. and he went
ripping down that crooked road o. 10
kill himself"
"Then-"
'My father was there, Kentucky.
didn't even know he was there until
had routed Harry Wilson out Of the
bunk house and started him to town.
He came running out when he heard
Harry drive out. | told him what had
happened down on the Bake Pan. Ken
lucky, his face 1T up a. n Il had been
what he was waiting for. Il was the
atraneest thing. You could see bon tsr.