The Coolidge examiner., 1935-07-19

told him that she was shielding
some oue-lt not the killer. then M
least some one who might other
wise have been open 10 an unfair
suspicion. Although. IN The case az
the bullet. she had ayailed herself
~ bis help. he had been able 10 un.
derstaud that be- remained an out.
slider here. who could not expect 10
be told IN what sort of thing be hnd
assisted her But In spite of Old
Man Coffee De had assumed that
she was az least cooperating with
the interest of her father aud her
fathers brand
Eut the discovery Of the hidden
rifle told him at once that she was
CO operating with no one: that. IN.
crcdlbly. she was playing an utter.
" lone hand-at least. be reelected
bitterly. as far rs the Ear Hook was
concerned For certainly no man
had bad anything 20 do with hiding
rifle 10 bed only q woman
would select "a cache 50 close under
the light
She was acting then. without co.
operation with her father. or anv
other os the Fer Hook personnel.
The association Of this fact with the
circumstances Of Jeans rendezvous
with her fathcrs enemy was un
svolIable
To this unhappy situation the
revelation az ST. MarIc's connection
added q sharp Imuediacy. lie be.
lieycd now that the materials for
solution had been under their
hands. and we're now perhaps lost
10 them because Jean had cor.
ocaled the very signs that would
have shown the trail Because Of
her coucealment Of evidence. the
Har Hook had moved uncertainty.
helpless in the dark: and the result
was that n good tail boy was dead.
and others would perhaps Join him
before 70 was through.
In his present state Of dislllu.
glonmeni and the dregs of anger. he
was supported BY no particle OF
faith. lie could not put her out of
his mind. But she seemed 70 him
To De Ike mirage. which lures all
the sanity ont of thirsty man, yet
contains nothing of honesty. nor
sincerity. nor falthfulness. when
nualiy II - reached
lie pushed on steadily. counting
upon The fnuEhuess of bis pony.
Ills hope that he would be able 70
make llightman's Gap before -.
Marie was very ike a prayer. lie
bad a stubborn ugly urge - throw
bullets into something alive. and
h'oa u on the face of the earth.
Ile hoped feryently not ouly that
be- nould head Joe 81 Marie. bat
that ST. Marie would neht
Then. unexpectedly. be- found that
be WAS IN country that he knew
and ln three hundred yards more
hp recognized the trail into Hight.
man Gap lie approached with
caution stopped his horse and
swung deep out ~ the saddle. not
daring 10 set foot 10 The ground.
Carefully with unGloved hand. he
explored section OF the trail inch
by inch. until be WIS satisfied that
10 man had passed this way before
him IN the last twenty -four hours.
lie proceeded into the gap Ice
cracking under foot where the
snow bad been crushed by passing
hoofs. A little way above the tran.
in a twisted bunch of jumpers. he
easily found cover for man and a
horse. Kentucky Jones brushed
the snow on bit of rock. rolled
himself a cigarette. and listened to
the quiet
lie had time for a second clga-
retie, ard q third, leisurely smoked,
with long waits between. He pres.
emily began 20 think that be had
misread Joe 81. Marie's purpose.
and that the man had taken some
other way. But there was nothing
TO do bur wait.
When az last he heard an ap-
preaching horse Il startled him, Il