The Coolidge examiner., 1936-05-08

'dullO, Jimmy EVenlng, Elsie.
All ready to be measured up for
the brace, eh? Well, well, we've
come along so far and have got
kind of leg left. Now we'll start
on the job of making a silk purse
out of something"
He began pulling off his coat.
where's Jim?" he asked.
The woman's face darkened. "At
the store, 1 guess. Gambling again,
1 suppose"
well, We'll go ahead, anyhow"
And he went ahead, holding the
misshapen leg on his knees. cycling
the long, blue creases of some ter
rible hurt and Nan looked on,
watching the play of his deft fin
gers.
The painstaking chore. finally
finished, and no Jim in sight, the
two walked toward the store, Ezra
saying:
"Of course, If Jim hasn't the
cash, I'll have to buy the brace my
self. I told him that last time /
was out and he promised. But
with a sigh-"times being what they
are, I'm scraping the bottom of the
till myself"
So they approached the store and
saw what they saw.
AS they left, Tod West was say
ing to jim:
Hell, No! 1 won't take back
that money! He's rat and liar,
Jim. but :" He shrugged and
met Jim's eyes squarely, neatly COW
ering the effort required. Lord,
boy, I've always tried to lean back
ward in my dealin's with others
No, sir. If any man says took money
unfairly, 1 don't even want to argue.
Not on your life, 1 don't. Money
amt worth that. Jimr'
Kerry sat in the darkness on the
river bank, listening to the booing
Of an owl and the song of crickets
and the ploppIng Of a night feed
ing trout. He smoked leisurely and
Tip, his head in his lap, breathed
evenly.
So his childish suspicion had
been right; so the last sane thought
also suSpicion-which Jack
Snow had had, had been justified.
The dog now lifted his head
sharply and Kerry could feel him
stiffen. After a moment, low
vibration ran his back, which was
the beginnings of a growl.
Steady" the man whispered and
reached for his bed, jerked his rifle
from the blanket folds. .... ..
Then, aloud, he hailed:'
who's there?"
A voice from above answered:
Caller, Young! Still up?" Slow
footsteps came through the pop
lars.
Young, on his feet, waited with
the dog stiff and suspicious beside
him.
Funny business, Dustin in on a
man this way, this hour" the voice
went on, nearer now. But l got
things to talk over" He could see
the other, now. He was short,
squat, and breathed rapidly. I'm
named Adams, Young; Ezra Adams
I'm the local pill peddler."
"Oh, hullo, doctor!' The old
mans voice was pleasant. "Gisd
you dropped in. Here, sit on the
bed. Light your pipe?"
"No, guess not, thanks. I. 9.
This is kind of confidential"
"So?"
He felt the doctors attempt to
scrutinize his own shadowed face.
"Sit down. Nobody can get within
ear shot with Tip here"
Adams began in a moment. 81
was in the store when Tod made
his play, Young. 1 saw and heard
and things have happened
since that make me feel maybe I'm
going to have to ask your help,
strangers though we are. Also,
heard about what happened this
afternoon. I added that to what
l know about you"
Pause. "If you could be inter-
ested in a job here, you'd be free
to take it?"
sob? What kind of job?"
The old man eyed him in the
darkness. "Coroner's clerk" he
said in a whisper.
You kidding me|'
'Not in the least. I'm I'm
more serious and in greater need
than I've been since L can recol-
lect."
We'll, that's a new one on me"
He laughed. "Coroner's clerk
Why"
LET me explain this a little. |
have to pop it right at you with
out any preliminaries because it's
it's an emergency, l guess. Nan
didn't go into detail about the kill
ing of her father. i want you to