The Coolidge examiner., 1936-07-03
CHAPTER XlI-Continued

out of his cell, across the bull-pen
and sitting on the edge Of Holt's
cot, where the boy lay, face in his
arms.
Buck up, son!" he whispered, a
hand on the lads shoulder. 1T
looks like kind of mess, but We'll
clear it up"
A shudder travelled the 1.-THE
frame beneath his touch.
What happened?" And when
the other made no move: won't
you tell me?"
Slowly Stuart rolled over, and
the faint light from above showed
his face white and drawn.
Damned If 1 know! he NUT
tered. I'D packed up this after
noon. 1 was on my way. didn't
want to leave without some word
for Nan. I'd just started to write
note when in busted Bridger,
grabbed 1t off the desk and
That's all; except that 1 lost
my head and tried to take 'em all
on"
Then you were actually haul
fngr'
Yes" bitterly.
"Why?" No answer. Stuart con-
;tinued to stare at the latticed bars
above him. "What was the big
idea, Holt? You don't mean
1t can't he, be,"-tensely-"that this
yarn Bluejay told"
Certainly mott" Stuart ex-
claimed, as he turned and drew both
hands across his eyes.
Hell, no! What this is all about,
l can't tell you. l got enough from
Bridger'S bOasting to see what
they're driving at. And l was off
alone all day Thursday and 1 WAS
leaving and 1 did start note to
Nan with a couple of sentences
that, maybe, will make it look lit
tie tough in the beginning. But l
didn't kill Cash and 1 didn't bury
anything at Townline and 1 wasn't
there Thursday! Somebody's trying
to frame me, but it's That's a
detail, now"
Young drew long and mystified
breath.
Detail! Maybe. But Good
Lord, chum, they've got enough
stuff to hold you here until we can
blow up their case. Why, it's worse
looking than I'd figured it could
be. ;" He scratched his temple
briskiy. Damn it all, they've
where were you, for instance,
all day Thursday, the day Bluejay
-apparently's ready to swear he saw
your at the cabin?"
"All over hell's half acre"
"AloneT'
"AlOne."
"Doing what?"
walking"
walking" Why, Stuart,
aren't you :" He shook his head
hopelessly.
anu lhCh Jou gu " pun
out and write to Nan that you've
been risking all kinds of disas-
ter.
"And didn't II" savagely
Didn't l stay here and eat my
heart out and know all along that
1t was no use? That I'm too young
and not big enough for girl like
that, anyhow? And then YOU"
Young's head was in a whirl.
"But, good Lord, son, didn't she
= didn't Ezra Why, last
Wednesday night Ezra told ME
what she said to him after West
had been there and you'd mixed it
with him! She said TO Ezra that
she couldn't let anything happen
to you; and she cried because a
mess like that had happened just
when she }. just when Well,
as Ezra told it to me, just when
shed fallen in love with you!"
with mel"
The boys exclamation gave Kerry
a curious feeling; Hollis look, wide,
amazed, shocked, furthered his con-
fusion.
with met" he repeated, and
laughed bitterly. Young, are you
blind? Is old Ezra crazy? -.
Yes, he was there; he came into
the office just after she'd told me
TINT
He closed his eyes and his BODY
shuddered again.
"She took me into the office awav
from the others after West left
She told me that her heart would
be broken if anything happened to
me because of my loyalty to her.
1 lost my head again and
begged her to let me love her.
Then she told pe that such q
thing was impossible;. she" didn't
say more. l put it to her. DO
you love Kerry Young? l asked
her and she she just nodded.
>. That =. that's all there is to
tell you, Young"
He turned away.
81 g%saeenetys'Fo0f Fo0 re as bfind
rs l thought you were. All along.
ever since ] first saw you and Nan