The Coolidge examiner., 1936-06-26

asked.
"Why, that's up to you. Me, I'd
take Stuart if you've got anything
on him. First, though, I'd look
this layout over pretty careful"
"And Ezra and l." said Young,
"we'd probably better be heading
for town."
II think so, too," said the old
man, but his eyes were mystified
he was following his deputy's lead.
Better bring along those
boards" Young suggested. "We've
got that tire to change"
They went outside, then, leaving
the other three within, and Kerry
put the box carefully on the seat
cushion.
"Stall," he whispered. LET 'em
clear OUT"
He looked at his right hand and
rubbed his finger tips together. He
touched again smear of sticky
I dirt on the edge of the box and
then busted himself with jack and
wheel wrench.
| For 20 minutes he stalled for
time in the changing of that tire
In the beginning a low and hur.
ried muttering came from the cabin
and then Nat spoke freely.
"All right, Butch. Let's meas
ure this thing off, now, SOS we en-
tell jury all about it when the
time comes"
Sounds Of pacings from the in
terror of the cabin, observations,
argument. Then, consciously in
tent, the sheriff and his deputy
searched the entry and the cabins
surroundings for what they might
tnd.
Tod West remained leaning
against the table until they came
out; then he followed them with a
fine show of interest.
"Well, mebby you're right"
Bridger said finally, approaching
Ezra aud Young. "But l got a
duty. l won't wait too long. I'll
drive to town and come to your
office tonight. I'm leavin' Butch
at tn Landin'. If he should get
away it's be just plain hell y
They drove off and when they
were gone from sight Kerry
dropped his wrench.
"Give me those boards!" he said
excitedly. Here. Come on
Ezra! Let's see what he used to
pry 'em up with!'
He went directly to the cache of
tools beside the doorway, eyeing
the implements one by one. ..
Its bet!" he muttered and
ducked inside and came out with
newspaper in his hands.
Shielding his palms with a torn
page he lifted from its resting
place worn and shining crowbar.
whats the tdea :" Ezra be-
gan.
"What'd you see there?" Young
demanded triunphantly. Look at
the end, Ezra!"
The old man peered closely.
| DIRTY" he muttered. "Dirt stick
in to it."
"And what kind of dirt? Don't
you get it? It's the same color and
kind as that under the floor, there
Scrape a little of it off in q clean
paper. There! That's right.
He used this bar to bust up
that hard clay and make hole
for the box and he used it to pry
up those flOOr-boards. Here.
Give me one! See? The
mark on the board fits exactly"
"But 1 don't see yet why"
Young gave an excited laugh.
Good Lud, Ezra! This old bars
as smooth and bright as If it'd
been polished! Finger prints will
be all over it. Inside the cover
Of that box, big as life and twice
as natural, Is a mans thumb print
and Tod West stood in there for
ten minutes fooling with a bright
tin cup!"
A light of understanding dawned
in Ezra's old eyes.
| Spread out that newspaper"
Young said. Lay 1t on the ground.
SO. Now We'll roll up this
bar so the prints won't get rubbed
away and What the devil!"
He had put the bar down and
started to lift away the paper
which had shielded his hands. 1t
stuck, peeled off slowly and he held
it up to the level rays of a sun
setting behind the timber.
Young shifted the smear on the
paper, frowning; touched it tenta-
| lively with his tongue and gave a
grunt.
Honey &. what's honey doing
on that bar, Ezra? And something
sticky on the box, too" They
peered at one another. And Tod
West" he said slowly. "all swollen
up. Notice that?"
II did. What you make Of that?"
Kerry puzzled, stared blankly at
the ground and scratched a temple.
Nothing yet" he muttered.
Nothing. But we've got a
mess of stuff to make something
of"