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

Iney were at the point OF the
whole thing, now. If the "a had a
chance, it depended on the activity
of Wheeler, who, with his credit
and his COW finance connections,
might gain time for Horse Dunn.
Not the danger of ultimate convic-
ton, but delay on trumped-up
charge was what Wheeler feared.
Horse Dunn snarled in his throat,
and there was an instant's silence.
Nothing could have shown the force
of the man, and the resented power
he held, better than that! "Order!"
said Judge Shafer, looking startled.
"Order in the COURT" His command
sounded fantastic in that quiet
room, for Dunn said nothing.
"This," Amos went on, sis a
wealthy man, as folks around here
60. And he's lined up with a wealthy
outfit. But it's people like him that
raise the hell around here, always
water-hogging, always roughing the
range. We can't hardly get through
a season any more without some
poor teller gets dry-gulched. Ones
been killed only just this week. Now
if this guy can pull gun on an
officer, and put him out of business,
and then walk out of here, free and
easy-then we aren't going to have
any law at all, and I can't answer
for it. That's all got to say"
"You want to say anything,
Wheeler" Shafer asked.
Judge, if it's got so man can't
even put up bail while he waits for
a trial in district court, then there's
no justice left"
"I'n decide that" Shafer said
tartly. eff it's come to a pass
where"
Nov you look here" Horse Dunn
doomed.
"Quiet here!" Shafer snapped. 81
can't see but what the sheriff S posi-
ton is reasonable, and more than
reasonable. The statement sworn
to by Kid Bender and the state
ment by the defendant is two differ
ent things; but there's a witness
backing up Kid Bender. There's
been altogether too much gun-tot-
ing and general ructions on this
range. L"
Just minute" Marian Dunn
said.
Judge Shafer halted in full ca
reer; and abruptly new motion
less silence came over the people
packed into that room, at the sound
of the girls voice. 'Heh?" said Sha-
fer.
"I'll testify"
For a moment Shafer seemed not
to comprehend, and there was a
moment more of that dense heavy
quiet.
Sheriff Walt Amos spoke, his voice
fiat, ironic, and his contempt for
the judge was in 1.-THE contempt
of quick-thinking man for slow
one. "She can't testify
"Why can't she?"
Because she hasn't been called
by either side"
az want you people to know"
said Judge Shafer, ''that I'm run
ming this court!"
In the heavy quiet while Shafer
still hesitated, Wheeler watched the
faces of Horse Dunn's enemies. The
young cowboys were unwillingly
friendly to the girl, swayed by an
inevitable attraction. But in the
faces of the COW bosses Wheeler
saw a strange thing. These older,
embittered men were seeing Marian
not as girl but as part of the a..
He noticed the dark, hard gaze of
Link Bender, and the unforgettable
green eyes of Rufe Deane, the man
who blamed Dunn for the death of
his son.
"This court means to serve out
right and justice, not technicalities, "
Shafer decided. "And if Miss Dunn
wants to testify, I'll call her as a
witness for the court
There was a moments pause. 81
was at Short Creek" Marian said.
$50 ahead, Miss Dunn-just tell
the court what you saw, in your
own words.
Marian Dunn still sat with her
cheek rested upon her hand; her
eyes fiicked to Horse Dunn, then to
Billy Wheeler, but conveyed MOTH
ing. 81 was only little distance
away-I saw all of it. Kid Bender
rode up out of the bed of the creek,
running his horse so hard he had to
slide it to keep from knocking