The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-01-16
CHAPTER XI-Continued

And she sat down, calmly, as though
at ease. The sheriff seemed to gather
his wits together gropingly.
What are you getting at, ma'am"
he asked Marin Pierce IF Will didn't
do it, who did? Zeke"
mo, no. Bart here!" she said cas-
ually.
Her astonishing words had no par
ticular impact, it seemed to Saadine.
They had no reality. 1t was obviously
impossible that she could thus calmly
accuse Bart of murder. She could not
mean what she seemed to mean. He
looked at Bart, and there was no sug
gestiOn of dismay in the others coun-
tenance. Carey was, naturally, star
tied; he was also, Saladine thought, a
little amused, and not in the least re-
sentful.
Jenny yonder was watching her
grandmother with a bewildered in
tensity; and Will watched Bart, frown-
ing, puZZling; and the sheriff sat down
again, YEARLY and he looked up over
his shoulder at Bart, in a dazed way;
and then he looked at Marin Pierce.
"You mean-this man right here"
he protested, and indicated Bart with
a backward-pointing thumb.
Il said so. plain enough, didn't IT,
she demanded tartly.
Bart had, Saladine remembered with
a certain relevancy, a gun on his hip.
That was an efficient weapon; and if
the man himself spoke truth, he could
use it well enough. But Saladne, at
his own thought, shook his head, in
grim amusement. This was folly, of
course. The old woman must be
little mad! Certainly Bart appeared
rot to resent her accusation in the
least.
And it was obvious that none of the
others took Marin Pierce seriously.
The sheriff said, almost impatiently
But ma'am, that don't make sense!
guess if you really thought Carey
done it, you wouldn't say so to his
face" He added: "And if he done it,
he wouldn't stand here so calm. 1t don't
sound reasonable, maam," he urged.
Will asked, hoarsely, from beyond
the stove: Bart, did you?
Bart shook his head. mo, WILL" he
said.
u know you and Hubby never did
get along" Will confessed. But
guess you wouldn't go to kill her, Bart"
Bart spoke straightforwardly. That's
right. WILL" he assented. He shifted
his position, stood more erectly.
Sheriff." he said. Il never had much
dealings with the law" He grinned.
But if yo're fixing to lay this on me.
you better take my gun first, l sh'd
Think"
He produced 1t, with a motion aston
ishingly swift and easy; he shifted it
from one hand to the other and pre-
sented it TO the sheriff, butt first.
But Sohier shook his head. 81 don't
know a thing about guns, Bart" he
admitted. "Never carried one my own
self. Wouldn't know what to do with
it if / did,"
Marin Pierce shifted scornfully. "A
fine sheriff, you bel" she exclaimed.
why ma'am," he urged, II stand
for the law. That's a sight bigger, and
stronger than me, or any other man.
The way l look ar it, If the law amt
big enough tc handle anything that
comes up, wouldn't have much chance
to handle it my own self. If anyone
figured he was strong enough to go
against the law, he wouldn't have much
trouble handling me. I'm a peaceable
mani"
Bart grinned. well, it amt firten
for me to have gun on me-" he said
with sort of impish amusement in
his eyes, IF I'm up for murder and
allr'
He laid the revolver on the table bv
the lamp; and he looked at Marin