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

only man that knows a thing that
would hang Campo higher than buzz
card. Is that reason for going over
the hill or not? But tell you I'd have
stayed through If I hadn't seen him
going to pieces right in front of my
eyes. When fear comes into a man
nobody's safe."
I'D give a thousand dollars" said
Kentucky, "to know if you're telling
the truth"
For a moment Joe st. Marie dropped
his gesticulating hands and said moth
| ing. Then suddenly-"Give me my
saddle" he babbled, land let me go
1 can keep my mouth shut, tell you
l can forget ever worked for the Bar
Hook! / can forget l ever set eyes
on the rim! Let me get out of this
Godforsaken country and you'll"
For G-d's sake shut up!" said Ken
lucky. He was feeling not less than
two thousand years old, and very
weary of the world. But he did not
hesitate over his decision. "Have you
got any money!" he said in dead
voice.
"No."
"Take your saddle on your back" he
told st. Marie. How far Is 1t to the
| nearest place where a man can borrow
| a horse?"
"Nine-eleven miles,"
stake your saddle on your back and
walk. And your bed-roll, too. Borrow
you horse. See that that horse dies
running-and never let me set eyes on
you again."
For moment St. Marie sagged, the
steam taken out Of him by the sudden
realization that he had got out Of his
| box. But true to that dark strain in
his blood, he had no word of thanks,
no word for his luck; his next remark
was in the form of complaint.
II can't walk all that" he said. That's
long days walk. And carrying a sad
die and bed-roll-"
"You've got better than two hours
before morning." said Kentucky.
you'll borrow that horse as the sun
comes up. Have they got a phone
! there"
"No."
"Good."
"But look-if they ever catch up
with me they'll have me back here for
horse stealing"
"Yes," said Kentucky. II wouldn't
trust you loose If didn't know there'd
be HI on your heels as you co.
Kentucky pulled off his gloves and
looked through his pockets. He found
six dollars in silver cart wheels, and
tossed them onto ST. Marie's blanket.
1--WE got just one more thing to say to
you," he said. "If ever l see you
in this country again-go for your iron,
because I'm going to gun you down.
And If ever Campo Ragland is tried
for murder, no matter on whose say.
so-even If you've kept your mouth
shut-Ill hunt you down If it takes
a lifetime. You hear me?'
"Youll have to come deep into
Sonora" said st. Marie, "if you want
to see me again."
81 don't. Help me get this horse off
the trail. That bullet through his with
ers is going to make him draw unfa-
vorable notice. If he's found"
Kentucky got the steel-dust pony; he
put his lass-rope on the dead horse, and
with the assistance of Joe St. Marie on
foot dragged the carcass to a point
from which 1t could be pitched over a
drop, out of sight of the trail until the
coyotes had time to do their work.
"Give me my gum" said St. Marie.
'Tll have to tell them I broke my
horses leg and had to shoot him-and
what will they think If have no gum"
"Tell them you had to take your
rope and hang him!"
Kentucky wheeled his horse to the
trail, and began the long return plod
to the Bar Hook; and the first faint
grayness Of another day was showing
at the earth's edge as he came out of
Hightman's gap.
1t was noon when he got back to
the Bar Hook. When he had unsad-
died and fed his ridden-out pony he
lost no time In heading for the kitchen.
Here he was wolfing cold meat and
equally cold potatoes, when Jean found
J him.
The pallor of fatigue increased the
look Of fragility that had altered her
since the death of Mason; but her
self-sufficiency seemed to have re-
turned overnight.
Perhaps she had been able to present
that Illusion to the others all along.
For little while she had allowed Ken
lucky to see what blind drift of
doubt fear, perhaps despair. had pos
sessed her; but now the bars were
up, shutting him out again.
She said in a fiat, injurious voice,
Have a good rider"
That stopped him for a moment.
Last night he had held this girl in his
,arms-not momentarily, but for what
might have been an hour; and later, in
burst of smoking temper, he had
left her standing in the snow with
tears upon her cheeks. He had rid
den all night after fugitive-per-
haps murderer; she did not know
whether he had found the man, or