The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-06-06

TIE great uHsetH pleSSulc VI hoA
existent wind.
When he had left the room there
was a moment or two OF silence. Then
| the sheriff asked, whats he afraid of,
| Campo?"
"Floyd. haven't got the slightest
Idee. 1t might be the man Is Sick
| "Thar man aln't SICK" said Hopper.
1.-THE blood was already coming back
| to his face Campo, something has
happened to that man. just few min
utes before he come into this ROOM"
do you suppose" Campo began.
Somewhere outside the house gun
| crashed, and though they could not
/ Judge either Its exact direction or dis
lance, they knew that 1t had been fired
within hundred yards. For mo-
ment they listened. Then Lee Bishop
Jumped for the door, and they all seemed
to move at once.
await, Lee" Campo Ragland
snapped. "Blow out those lights,
Floyd. Kentucky! Jean. you stay In
here, you hear me7'
Campo Ragland, unarmed, led the
way to the corral where Joe ST. Marie
was most likely to have left his horse.
The horse WAS there. head to the bars,
waiting for the feed that had not yet
come; but Joe St Marie was not In
sight.
Campo's voice raised In hoarse
shout an abrupt strange sound In all
that silence OF snow and rock and stars.
You. joe st. Marie! Where you at?
Sing out. man.
The silence held for moment more,
and Campo had whirled upon the
sheriff. when Joe st. Marie spoke In
an odd mufrled voice. Unexpectedly
nearby. "Yes, sir-here am
i He came toward them now, slowly,
from around the corner of the stable.
and Lee Bishop let drop the rifle he
had snarched up
.Whc f1redT'
.Why-I did" The accent of Joe st.
Marie's speech was no different from
that Of any other cowboy, except for a
certain deep thickness OF the tone
Itself. Now his voice was still deep,
but 1t had taken on Z fiat quality; and
though the voice Itself did not shake,
1t somehow conveyed the impression
that the man behind 1t was more than
shaken. II thought l seen VOLT
wolf! A wolf up here by the
house?"
Go on In" Lee Bishop said dis.
gustedly. ''Ill see your horse gets
. fed This offer st. Marie did not
, accept; but Lee Bishop stayed behind
while the others went In.
!, Il thought told you to stay ir
t here" Campo said to his daughter
! lighting lamp.
( The sheriff's temper seemed to have
come to the end of Its string. and there
t busted Itself like roped steer. I'm
;. sick and tired OF this he told them
= There's something almighty funn,
!. going on here, and | mean to know
n what 1t Isl!
Campo Ragland planted himself OF
J. widespread legs, back to the stove
+ when you find out" he said sourly
0 'let me know"
: I've warned you about holding on
y on me-" the sheriff said to Ragland
v But now warn you again. ! meal
to get the man that killed Mason.
mean to get him. you hear me?"
e Campo Ragland said with sudde
q passion, God knows I'll help you ever
If way | can. I'd tell you, u | knew any
e thing"
j. "If you knew anything" said HoT
per bitterly. There isn't man 0
d your place tonight who doesn't kno'
le more about this business than
means to tell"
That's all foolishness," said Camp
ID Ragland. you've gone up In the al
ID because 4 quarter-blood cowboy look
ID like he might be coming down with
re fever. AS for holding stuff back frol
to you-rake us one by one II you wan
ne Start with me. Or start with Kentuck
Jones, who didn't even work for tt
O. Bar Hook at the time this happene
r. Or take"
"a .You want me to start with Ke1
y; lucky Jones?' said the sheriff. Ma
OF be you'd like to hear me ask a que
& ton or two OF this Kentucky Jones?"
It. ASK who and what you like" sa
h. Ragland
p Hopper swung his red-eyed stare
at Kentuckyo BE careful how you. a
swer me- Jones try to remember VIII
op your boss sometimes forgets-th
maybe | know the answer before "
ID. speak. Where were you at one o'clo'
he last Saturday-the day that Mason al
lack Sanders died?"
Kentucky Jones took his time abo
IT. answering. "At noon last Saturday
lat he said at last, Il was here at t
Bar Hook"
liz Sheriff Hopper grinned, but n
pleasantly, at Campo Ragland. THE
ell you are" he said.
ILL Campo said slowly. You never to
me that, Kentucky"
mo? | drove out to say Adios ;
was going away" @.
at Hopper spoke to Ragland "Ther
,or your man that couldn't possibly knt
he anything about this" he said ironlcal
| - All fyv.,