The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-08-23

OUT JOnn MaS0n-anQ lncluentdlly
lack Sanders"
sand Jim Humphreys and Lee Bish-
op," the sheriff put In.
"That's partly true" Kentucky al
lowed; "the killing of Humphreys and
Bishop sure do make up an angle of
this thing. 1t took two things to kill
off Humphreys and Bishop-the smoky
feeling between the brands before Ma
sons death, and Mason's death itself.
Humphreys and Bishop were killed in
the weirdest d-n one-sided range
struggle that has ever been seen on
this or any other range"
The sheriff said slowly, "Mason's
death comes first. But don't you ever
think, Elliot, that I've forgotten the
funny look of this so-called range war
that's rubbed out Humphreys and Bish-
op. Everybody knows you've swamped
Campo's range; and Campo's hardly
raised his hand against it. I'll tell you
plain, Elliot, If 1t turns out that Bish-
kind of shenanigan 1t looks like, I'll"
Bob Elliot Redeemed. Il didn't come
here to talk about range rights" he
said, "but If you want a showdown
on that, I'm ready any time. AS long
as there's been cattle on the rim, or
on the Bake Par either, no brand has
ever leaned any harder against another
brand than the Bar Hook has borne
down on the SO. If Campo's pulled in
his horns, maybe it's because he knows
that the rights of the So are going
to be backed up for a change"
Campo Ragland spoke for the first
time. "Rights!" he said bitterly.
"Rights"
Sheriff Floyd Hopper said angrily,
"You're funny one, Elliot, to bring In
talk about rightsr'
"You said yourself" Elliot answered,
"the Bar Hook has folded up"
They all turned their eyes to Campo
Ragland; but the boss of the Bar Hook
was rolling cigarette with slow metic-
ulous care, and he did not contribute
any observations.
Sheriff Floyd Hopper SWING restive-
ly in his seat. 81 can't understand it,"
he said. II can't understand it."
you'll understand 1t now" said
Kentucky Jones. 81 can tell you exact
ly why Elliot has thought he could
shove his beef all over Bar Hook range
in full peace and comfort"
Bob Elliot said. eff the idea is to sit
here half the"
Let him alone, Bob" Hopper
snapped.
Kentucky Jones looked Elliot over
with a cool unfriendly eye. 'Tll tell you
another little thing that happened the
day Mason was killed." he said. "Bob
Elliot and Campo Ragland were rid
ing the Bake Pan range; and 1t hap
pened that they met on that ride"
"Where did you get this?" Hopper
put in.
PARTLY" Kentucky said, "from FL
liot himself"
Elliot said, "I'll be id if"
"Will you be still?" said Sheriff Hep
per- "What then, Jones?"
"Elliot was armed; Campo Ragland
was not. 1t seems to be kind of Gus
tom with the So to take advantage of
situation like that-as Lee Bishop and
| found out one day in a little con-
versation we had with Bill McCord.
Naturally wasn't there when Ragland
and Elliot met; but can tell you that
what happened was this-Elliot gave
Ragland such a cussing out as you
couldn't expect any man to stand for,
or put up with"
SIS that right, Campo?" the sheriff
demanded.
Campo Ragland gave a grunt which
might have been an affirmative; it did
not appear to be denial.
Campo Ragland," said Kentucky
Jones, told Bob Elliot that he would
kill him before the day was out"
"He's guessing now," said Bob Elliot.
"Yes, guessing" conceded Kentucky
Jones.
Campo Ragland said Unexpectedly,
"Yes, by G-d-but he's guessing
right"
ACuIuShy AOuOCus quiz Al
guessing right! Up here in the Frying
Pan country there's an old lion hunter
called Old Man Coffee; and he says"
ITO hi with Old Man Coffee" said
the sheriff. what happened then?"
"Just at the moment" said Ken
lucky Jones, Il can't tell you exactly
what happened then; but l can tell
you something different, of a very curl
Gus interest On the wall of this house
used to be chromo-an enlarged snap
shot-of a man sitting on a horse.
You'd look across the room at that lit
tie picture, and you'd say to yourself,
why, Campo has hung up lens study
of Bob Elliot Then maybe you'd look
closer; and you'd see it wasn't Bob
Elliot at all--but a representation Of
John Mason"
Sheriff Hopper said, "You mean
you're saying"
Bob Elliot knew that sometimes, sit
ting his horse in certain way and at
a certain distance, he and John Mason
looked strangely alike; and Campo had