The Coolidge examiner., 1935-06-14

e
his post.
II seemed TO him that the night
was silent for a long time before
finally be heard again. close al
hand. the small crunching complaint
Of the snow under the hoofs OF
walking horse.
Flattenlng himself against the
wall be could see neither horse nor
rider as the pony was led close TO
the stable shelter. The animal was
still out OF his angle OF vision as
he heard the rider drag the saddle
Oft. not three yards from where be
stood.
Then close beside him the rider
appeared. and for moment was
s!lhouetted against the snow;
/ figure made shapeless by the shout
dered saddle.
Within the stable be could see
nothing at all. though the other
eascd the saddle on The rack so
close at band that a swinging stir.
rup siruA his knee.
Kentucky Jones said softly. "Put
up your hands"
lie heard the breath Jerk In the
others throat; aud for momeut
they stood in utter silence. as II
neither of them any longer breathed
NJ all lie could not tell whether
or no, he had been obeyed.
The other said. ~who-who l.
/ Ina"
The wind went out OF Kentucky
Jones. The voice was hardly more
than a whisper. twisted almost past
recognition by shock and strain
but he would have known II any
where In the world as the voice OF
Jean Ragland.
For a moment both Of them stood
moilonless In the dark. Then Ken.
/ tucky Jones said. what I'm the
name Of" lie stepped out from
the wall SO that he could see her 81.
houetted figure against the snow
outside without the saddle there
was nolhin. about her outline 10
suggest the man be had expected.
lie had a queer shocked feeling that
somehow a substitution had been
made by unnatural means. so def.
nltely had he expected to see Joe
( 81. Marie. Then he saw her sway (:
and be stepped forward In time to
catch her In hts arms
Even then she would have slipped
10 the ground II be had not held
her up The starch had gone out OF
her and she stood limp. not inert.
but trembling violently.
"Don't--dou't ever do anything
Ike that again" she gasped at
/ last.
Good Lord DO you think
bad any Idea II was your thought
~ thought you were Joe 81. Marie I"
st. MarleY'
Il saw someone slide out OF here
on the horse 81. Marie rode today.
saw that horse come hack. and I
saw Us rider talk TO Bob Elliot, on
bis biz paint"
The shock Of surprise she had
sustained In the dark was turning
into anger and what did you
think you were going 10 do about
it7'' she demanded.
THAT hardly matters now, does
uT-
Il asked you a question" she said
hotly.
"I1l answer n. then. II anybody
but yon had gone wolf prowllng
out Of here In the night TO powwow
with your fathers wors1 enemy. and
caught him az it'd have had
the reason for that out OF him. IL I
had 10 choke II out OF him with
these two hands"
Jeans anger wIlted. You're bad
luck for me-" she whispered. Every.
thing that you have anything to do
with goes wrong for me-"
Maybe" he said. that's because
don't know what you're trying
10 do"
why should / tell you what I'm
trying to dot"
"So reason; except that II seems
to work out badly when you don't.
She turned 10 him sharply. Il
can tell you this" she said. II know
what I'm doing here. know more
about what's happening here than
you can possibly know. Can't you
trust that? Haven't you any faith
in me at ali?"
~You still won't tell me what
you're trying TO do?"
Il can't! / can't possibly do
that"
All day long the Bar Hook had
tried to reach Sheriff Floyd Hop
per without success; he had
/ loSt himself snu1SWheAS au1OnS the
ranchers who had no phones. Campo
Ragland was unwilling to take up
/ the death OF Sanders-with its def.
mite implication that Mason had
been murdered-wlth any OF the
/ deputies. And the case hung fire
awaiting Hopper's return TO Water.
man.
But when word reached the sher.
IN at last, two hours after dark