The Coolidge examiner., 1935-05-24

bank won't back him Elliot can't
get any quick price Tor all that
. laudlcss stock he's through
"Aud what about EAEland7~
4 "EHS.aud's liar Hook could prob
ably stand through the STORM. II il
wasn't foY the misfortune 20 Euiot
7 But Rasiand's open range Is the
open range nearest to Elliot. What
I u Elliot turns and foods his cattle
onto the Bar Hook ErazeT"
Jones already knew that the Bar
Hook was az leasi half ou public
domain By the cowmaus code
Campo was entitled 90 The use 81
that range because be had deyel-
oped water upon a.: but be had no
legal hold uron the unfenced
Are you convinced IN your own
mind" Kentucky asked him, ''tha,
/ Elliot will dare shove bis herds
onto the Bar Hook ranger
Il know this" said Floyd Hop
per. heavily. sombcrly Elliot don't
need more thaa four or i've riders
20 take care Of hls winter work.
Yet he's laying on extra hands
/ He's hired on Bt least six more men
/ Just IN the last couple of days
since the death OF Mason You
know how II looks 10 mel Like he's
not waiting for the day he'll have
10 move. Like he's not even going
70 wait the winter out before he
starts Offering into the Bar Hook
I range"
In that case said Kentucky
Bob Elliot Is sure man who en-.
Joys 10 grab a bear By. the tail aud
20 round and round Campo Rag
land win 6ght Ike a whangdoodle
/ IN defense OF It's FIRST born"
The sheriff grunied suddenly
new grievance seemed to occur 20
him. and the e1ploslyeneSs came
back into his voice again. "rd give
a hundred dollars 20 lay my hands
on the son OF n gun who swiped
that bullet out OF the inquest Right
out from under my d-n nose. by
Cd TN do EN- no good, he de-
clared. 1t isn't as II we didn't
have the" lie stopped.
The other b0IietY- Kentucky
asked.
The sheriff seemed 10 go RELAXED
and cold. all % an instant lie
studied Kentucky with a question.
lng eye. why did you say thatf-
he said ST last
well. Kentucky apoloSized." you
were Just remarklng you had some
thing on hand thar would take the
missing bullets place"
The sherifrs steady stare did not
drift from Kentueky's face. I'VE
took a mold" be said az last. "we
took a mold OF this bulle, that's
gone"
THAT was a smart thing 10 do"
said Kentucky.
Il expect" said the sheriff. He
dropped his eyes. and his hands
ndgeted with the miscellany on his
desk. Jus, the same be said. re-
turning his eyes to Ken,ucky's face
In a cold and smoky gaze. that
was a very strange question. Mister.
for you 10 ask. had hound dog
once. that got In trouble that way"
Trouble. sheriTl"
by sight running"
They looked az each other. two
men who had said more than rest
ed upon the surface OF their words
one OF them unwIlllngly. Kentue-
ky Jones began rolling a leIsnrely
cigarette: and he grinned. the
slow infectious grin that could
make a dog follow him. or a WON
an remember him. or could make
a man forget he had meant TO paste
him a couple.
Sheriff Hopper stirred restively.
and dropped his eyes. Il was Just
thinking OF something" the sheriff
said. Il was hoping I'd find you
kind OF at loose ends around here I:
ike as II you might be able to
take and do something different
from what you figured TO do"
"As. for instancef"
The sheriff fidgeted. There's an
end hanging loose In this Mason
case" he admitted finally.
$50? I thought II was all decided
that Mason committed suicide b.
mistaken"
Hopper made an annoyed gesture.
The case Is closed. John Mason
died OF the accidental discharge OF
his own gun-that's established. But
II Just happens that there's a man
has come In with a perjury"
He paused. 'YesT" said Kentucky
Jones after a moment. ITO what
effectr"
"Well-we questioned him about
Mason's death; and later I found
out he wasn't where he said he
was"
"You sure you want 10 tell me
this?"
I'm not telling you anything that
ties you TO anything-yet. Now.
this feller-maybe he was In sight
when Mason was killed. Or maybe
in earshot. Anyway, he lied about
where he was-tried to make a fool