The Coolidge examiner., 1936-06-26


wrists; the ratchets clicked.
why, this is the damnedest,
most far fetched outrage"
"You tell all that to the Judge ="
snapped Bridger. Here, you boys.
get back, now! Stand away. Butch
nd me, we got to get these two
into a cell. . Stand back, boys :"
He whirled to Kerry.
You got tn CUTS to deny that
you drove Frank Bluejay out Of
town this afternoon? Have YOU
even got tn brass to explain that?"
Young was breathing hard. Con-
fusion and dismay lay heavily upon
him. He looked from Bridger to Tod
West and his lip curled. The man,
with his swollen face, was glar-
ing at him, triumphant for the mo-
ment, because his agile mind had
turned events off that course which,
had it been followed, might have
overwhelmed him.
"Yes, try to explain that, If you
can" West growled.
Kerry squared his shoulders.
perhaps l can, Tod West, he
said slowly. Perhaps 1 can! To-
morrOw's another day, remember"
And handcuffed with Bridger
jerking him toward the open tour
ing car in which he was to ride,
prisoner, in to the county seat, he
laughed bitterly, defantly.
Old Ezra, nervous fingers twist
ing strands of beard, came close as
Stuart was helped into the back
seat, and Young ordered in beside
the driver.
Hold everything, Ezra !" Kerry
said. You sleep on that stuff! Un-
derstand? Guard it with your life,
if necessary. See me in the morn
ing and and take care of Mani"
His voice dropped on this last
and he averted his eyes from the
doctors face.
Tip, still sitting on the seat of
Ezra's car, watched with stiff ears
as this other automobile moved
away. The crowd, after that de-
parture, began to buzz loudly. Doc
tor Adams carefully gathered the
pieces of material evidence they
had found and carried them into
Mans office.
The dog whined a little, staring
at the way his master had taken.
Slowly, almost tentatively at first,
he took the road; stopped once
and shifted the air. Then, at
rolling lOpe, he disappeared beyond
the sawmill, headed for Shoestring.
The ride into town was one long
succession of unsuccessful at
tempts on the part of Bridger to
make one or the other of his pris-
oners talk.
"Just where were you all day
Thursday, Holt?" he asked In q
patent attempt at ingratlation.
$50 to blazes"
"Now, that amt no way. Mebby
it'll be best for you to tell me. 7
could do a lot of good if"
"Oh, shut up"
Bridger shrugged and smiled TO
himself. Car tools, loose on the
floorbOards at Kerry's feet, clanked
and ratified as they took the bumps.
Now. Young, you'd ought to
come clean for Hollis sake, about
why you run this breed"
Tell him to go to hell, Holt"
Kerry chuckled.
Again and again as they pro-
gressed through the dusk, Nat made
his inadept attempts to worm In
formation from the two. After
time whenever he opened his lips.
the two chanted in solemn meas
ure:
"Go to hell"
well them" Bridger finally
snapped, ''if there's any goin' to
hell to be done by this gang I'll
leave it to anybody with eyes
to see who's on the roadw ~
They swung through town,
around to the rear of the Jail and
entered by a side door.
Butch and Bridger took their
possessions from the prisoners and
ushered them into the bull-pen.
"Pick out your own BEDS" the
sheriff jeered unpleasantly.
You'll have the place to your
selves, likely. And l hope yor
like 1t, both Of yOu!'
1t was not long before excited
citizens commenced to arrive. They
clomped up the front steps and
through the corridor and cast self
conscious glances into the dimly
lit apartment behind the bars; went
into the sheriffs office and con-
graduated him bOisterOusly and
came out more boldly and hung
against the steel door Of the bull
pen and peered through. But Kerry
on a bunk In a cell, and Stuart on
another, kept out Of sight and
made no response to the advances.
Bridger was in fine spirits. His
talk rose high and higher. He be-
came almost hystericai in this, his
moment of largest triumph.
At late evening the stream of