The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-07-04

plOyu-l'm plenty ureu Ol tHls. iou
can't come in here and talk that way
to mel Pm not going to stand for 1t.
you hear mel"
Have it your own way, Campo"
The sheriff picked up his coat and
gloves.
Nobody urged him to stay. Campo
Ragland asked what Hopper wanted
them to do about lack Sanders, and
received instructions for reporting in
Waterman for an inquest. No great
warmth of understanding marked Hop
per's departure.
IF you change your mind, Campo"
the sheriff said, 'let me know"
Il tell you don't know what you're
talking aboutp' Campo said stubborn
ly; and the sheriff took the long trail
back to town.
Stamping back into the house, Campo
st. Marie.
Look here, St Marie-if something
funny has happened around here
want to know what 1t is"
Il don't feel so good"
"Who did you throw down on when
you went out to feed your horseY
who? Me?"
Campo Ragland exploded at him.
"Yes, you! Who did you fire at? Come
out with 1t, nowr"
II thought saw coyote" said St.
Marie.
Don't you lie to mel You can't get
away with that stuff herew
Il don't feel so good"
Campo Ragland save it up in dis
gust, and st. Marie hurriedly took him.
self out of range, retiring to the bunk
house.
Campo seemed bewildered To Ken
lucky Jones it seemed that the cross
purposes which held the boss of the
Bar Hook in a state of paralysis were
now almost physically visible, as wind
is visible in prairie hay by it's effect.
Here was an owner whose range was
being swamped, overwhelmed by the
herds of his enemy; he faced ruin
which could only be averted by an
immediate and determined contest for
the ground. Yet something had thrown
and hogtied this man-some obscure
and hidden circumstance which he
seemed at loss to combat. Kentucky
no longer could doubt that the circum-
stance which hogtied Ragland had to
do with Jean.
'srll hire cook when we go in for
the inquest" Ragland spoke tonelessly,
like a man seeking to escape from 9th
er things. Jean wants to do the cook
ing, and I'll let her, guess; but you
fellers will have to get the fires started
in the morning"
"Tn take first crack at it." said Lee
Bishop.
Kentucky Jones saw his chance and
jumped it. The ultimate answer might
be deep in twisted trails, but his next
step was obvious and immediate: he
had to force the truth out of St Marie.
Lee Bishops removal would make OPP
portunity for this, since the other
hands would not be bach from Water
man until the cars had been loaded in
the morning. "Then take the bunk off
the kitchen, Lee" he said. I'll run
down and get you your bed"
Down in the bunk house, to which
Joe ST. Marie had retired, no light
showed; but from within came the COM
plicated rhythms of a mouth organ
played by master, telling Kentucky
that his man was still there, and
awake. The mouth organ fell silent,
however, as he approached; and, Ken
lucky stepping into the full light of
no less than three lamps, saw that
blankets screened the windows; and
a six-gun had replaced the mouth or
gan in Joe St Marie's hands.
"Oh, it's you," said St Marie sheep
ishly, and dropped the six-gun on the
bunk beside him.
Kentucky cast glance at the blan-
kets which screened the windows.
"Look here. If I'm going to sleep in
this bunk house I want to know who
you thought was going to fire through
the window"
II hung those up to keep the cold
wind out" said ST. Marie.
"You don't figure to tell me, huh?"
Nothing to tell"
"You look here, Joe! If ever a man
was scared, you were when you came
into that kitchen tonight. Now I want
to know what lifted you out of your
boots"
st. Marie considered briefly, then
shrugged. 1T wasn't anything; you'd
laugh"
"Try 1t out, anyway. What was it
drew your fire, out there by the cor
ral?"
ITO BE CONTINUED)