The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-10-07

wheeler, Is your Qe1euSe IllSHeo!
"You yourself called the only eye
witness here, and the only witness
worth a whoop," Wheeler said.
''That ought to be defense enough
for any man."
"You got anything more to say.
sheriff."
Get it over with" snapped the
sheriff. eff you're going to let in
testimony like that last, can't stop
you. And I've got other work to
do"
"This is as unsatisfactory a case
as I've ever seen on this BENCH"
Judge Shafer said. Something's
wrong-something's very wrong. I'd
like to reserve decision and think it
over"
Reserve, he'll! Let's have it, one
way OF the other" Amos demanded.
"All right All right Have it your
own way! Case dismissed"
Sheriff Walt Amos angrily crashed
his open hand upon the table top and
stood up. There's a sweet deci-
sion!"
"Any other court would give you
contempt for that" said Shafer
waspishly. ''The court stands adj
| journed!"
He crammed his papers into his
brief case and stalked out, looking
angry, insulted, and anxious to get
away from there. Nobody spoke to
him or interfered with him as he
went down the steps and out of sight
in the street, moving at hurried
amble.
Sam Caldwell came back in,
bringing with him Pinto Halliday
and Link Bender, their deputies
badges half hidden, but evident.
"You want me?" said Link.
"Stick around here. Where's Rufe
Deane?"
Hell be here in minute"
There's other work to do" said
Link Bender, that can't be done
here. I better be getting at it,"
"Stay here" said Walt Amos
shortly.
Link Bender stared at him mo-
ment, then leaned against the wall,
his dark hawk face hard and tight
Tipped.
eff you're through with us we'll
be leaving" said Horse Dunn.
"I'm not through with you. I'll
tell you when I'm through"
You'll have to let my wagon boss
60, SOS he can drive my niece back
| to the RANCH" Horse Dunn told him.
The sheriff looked at Dunn for
moment, without seeming to see
him; he appeared to be listening,
or weighing other things. "All right.
On condition that he Immediately
gets out of town. An hour from now
I don't want to find he's still here"
'Tll be out of here, all right" Val
Douglas said.
well, I'll see you start. You
ready, Miss DUNN"
Better take my roadster, Mari
an" Billy Wheeler said. He gave
her the key, and she accepted it
without meeting his eyes.
After Marian and Val left Sheriff
| Walt Amos spoke.
Dunn" he said at once, where
was Val Douglas yesterday"
''He was in Nine-Mile Valley"
Dunn said.
"And that's not so far from Ace
Springs, is it?"
mot so far"
"But riding toward Santiam he'd
be going just the opposite way from
Ace Springs, wouldn't he?"
whats that got to do with it?"
Toward Santiam," said the sher-
Tiff, was where he said he was,
when I asked him a while ago.
What's your answer to that?"
The two men eyed each other. eff
he said he was up toward Santiam,
he was probably up toward Santi-
am" Dunn said.
The sheriff grunted and half
| grinned, without hurnor. How
| lucky. With a man dead at Ace
Springs, naturally Douglas was as
| far away as he could get Where
were you, Wheeler"
One by one they each gave their
answers, tersely, without concili-
alton, as the same question was put
to each.
81 want you boys" the sheriff said
to his deputies, ito remember what
these boys have said"
"You figure to keep us here all
night?" Horse Dunn demanded.
''I'm going to turn you out of here
in ten minutes" Amos said.
Rufe Deane, swinging up the
wooden steps, was in time to catch
the sheriff's answer. He now thrust
in, his green eyes ugly under his
shaggy sorrel brows. You're going
to what?" he said.
81 have no intention" the sheriff
said, "of holding these men on what
we got against 'em so far"
Rufe Deane angered with an OBJ
vious, unexpected violence.
"These men'n never leave this
town." he said.
"I decide that here" said the
sheriff.
Rufe Deane stared at him a mo-
ment longer, green fury in his eyes.
Suddenly he tore off his deputy's
badge and threw it on the floor.
Maybe you do" he said. He turned
and went out into the street, the
high heels of his boots dumping
slowly, restrained; but as he dis
appeared from view they heard his
step quicken on the board walk.
Walt Amos said, "You want that
badge, Sam?"
Sam Caldwell hesitated a mo-
ment. "All right" he said.
The sheriff turned on his remain
ing deputies. eff either of you want
to string with Rufe Deane, now's
fhe time IN saw sol Reca,ISe the neyt