The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-05-09
By ALAN LIE MAY
Copyright by Alan LeMay
WNu Service.

ing 10 wait the winter out before he.
range
In that case" said Kentucky. Bob
Elliot Is sure a man who enjoys 10
grab u bear by the tail and go round
like wilangdoodle In defense of its
first born"
Sure. they'll fight. They'll fight to a
standstill I'll have full tIedged cat
tie war on my hands within month
And what can do about it? Nothing
by Cd! OF in the hills somewhere
three or four cowboys meet three or four
others. and start trading private opin
ions Then ham The guns come out.
and. one or two or three 20 down. No
one bears witness. no one lodges com
plaint-there's just those good boys
dead. and that's all. And two days
later there's another killing somewhere
| else!"
Il know" said Kentucky. "Heli
| afoat and no blotters."
The sheriff grunted Suddenly
new grievance seemed to occur to him.
and the exposiveness came back into
his voice again. I'D give q hundred
| dollars to lay my hands on the son of
a gun who swiped that bullet out of
the inquest. Right out from under
my d-n nose, by Cdr
WELL" said Kentucky. leads cheap !;
1t wasn't worth much"
Sheriff Hopper savagely pulled off
his hat and slammed it on the edge
| of his desk, 1t fell unnoticed TO tle
| floor. It'll do em no good" he de-
| clared. 1T isn't as II we didn't have
the" He stopped.
THE other bullet?" Kentucky asked
The sheriff seemed to go relaxed and
/ cold. all Of an instant. He studied
Kentucky with questioning eye.
why did you say that?' he said al
| last.
Well" Kentucky apologized, you
We're just remarking you had some
thing on hand that would take the
| HlissiH5 DHllet pace.
The sheriffs steady stare did not
| drift from kentneky's face. 1--WE took
/ a mold" he said at last I'VE took a
mold Of this bullet that's gone
"That was smart thug to dc"
said Kentucky.
Il expect" said the sheriff. He
dropped his eyes, and his hands fidget
ed with the miscellany on his desk
lust the same," he said. returning his
eyes to kenimeky's face In a cold and
smoky gaze. that was very strange
question. Mister. for you to ask
had hound dog once that got In
trouble that way
"Trouhle. sheriff.
i "By sight running"
They looked at each other, two men
who had said more than rested upon
The surface Of their words--one Of
them unwilingly Kentucky Jones be
gan rolling Il leisurely cigarette anC
he grinned the slow Infectious grir
that could make n dog follow him. or d
a man forget why he had meant Il
paste him couple.
Sheriff Hopper stirred restively, anf
dropped his eyes. Il was Just think
Ing of something" the sheriff said.
what was that?'
"Youre Il sight runner" said tbs
sheriff again, but don't know hui
what you're a good one. Sometimes
there's Il use for a Teller like that
And that was what | wanted 10 set
you for That was good job o.
scouting you did for the Cattle assoea
ton LAST year. and i"
who told you ever did any scout
ing as you call It, for the Cattlemen's
associationI
'Old Man Coffee told me. up-countr,
In the Frying Pam
Sometimes Old Man Coffee gets too
d--n eloquent said Kentucky Jones
exasperated.
We'll. anyway" said the sheriff. :"
was hoping I'd find you kind Of mt loos'
ends around here; like as If you nigh
he allie To TAKE and do something diff
ferent from what you'd figured to do.
LAS for instance?'
L. The sheriff tidgeted. There's an ent
hanging loose In this Mason case" HI
admitted finally.
$50? | thought II was all decide'
that Mason committed suicide b. mis-
take?'
Hopper made an annoyed gesture
1.-THE case Is closed. John Mason die
of the accidental discharge of his owi
gnn--thats established But 1t jus
happens that there's man has com
in With Il perjury"
/ lie paused. "Yes?" said Kentuck
Jones after moment. ITO what effect
, "Well-we questioned him abon
: Mason's death, and later found ou
, he wasn't where he said he was"
"You sure you want to tell me this?
r I'm not telling you anything tina
! ties yon to anything-yet Now. TIL
d feller-maybe he was in sight whe
g Mason got killed. Or maybe In ca
d shot. Anyway he lied about where h
3 was--tried 10 make Il fool OF us, b
Cd And mean to hook him for It.
d Hardly seems important" kentuck