The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-09-02
CHAPTER u-COntinued

y
"The trail of the killer turned
back from here" Dunn said. 'It
took to the crick I tried to find
where it come out of the crick.
There was too many horse tracks
from the range stock; never found
where it come out. While / was
trying to trail it, Link Bender come
by and 1 hailed him. After 1 showed
him what found he took off after
the dead mans horse"
There was a long pause. "This
all you fellers got to show?" the
sheriff said at last.
That's ALL" Dunn said.
Link Bender nodded. 81 lost the
trail of the dead feller's horse" he
said shortly. 81 swung wide and
found the horse further on, but !
never seen the saddle"
The sheriff sat his horse for al
most full minute, as if in thought
He seemed about to speak, then APP
parently thought better of it. ST.
lently he led back the way they had
come. They were nearly back to
N1USh DOA "dSli OSiOAS oiiy JIG
spoke.
"This is pretty bad thing,
Dunn" Amos said tentatively at
last. "The big end of the Red Hills
cowmen are pretty well stirred up. +"
Funny" Dunn said dryly, chow
quick the word got round"
They had come to the forking of
xh1Ir &ro ,,,Io x.r0,,1I f,rr
westward toward his home ranch.
They pulled up their horses.
Dunn" the sheriff said, "you
wasn't figuring to go any place,
was your"
Amos said Horse Dunn, what
you mean by that?"
The sheriff met his eye directly,
but without pleasure. "I'll have to
ask you not to leave the county,
Dunn
Horse Dunn was visibly angering.
Suddenly Billy Wheeler remem-
bered that Dunn was facing out
something greater than two or three
men on horses. Link Bender stood
for a whole ring of half-whipped
brands-the wolf ring, waiting hope
fully on its launches; Sheriff Amos
represented county. Behind these
men were numbers and strength
and against the many the Old Man
of the "a stood opposed as a power
full thumb opposes the fingers of a
hand.
"And So" Horse Dunn Numbered,
''you take it on yourself to tell me
where I'll go and come!"
There's plenty stuff has to be
cleared up" the sheriff said stub
bornly. lone thing, why was those
two unknown fellers riding toward
the home ranch of the 94?"
''How do l know that?" Dunn de-
manded. "If they're like the aver
age run of the Red Hills, they was
most likely looking for something to
steal"
"All the more reason we have to
know where you are," the sheriff
retorted. "If it's a cow thief that's
dead, who would shoot him on your
range but you or one of your boys?'
mot one of my neighbors." Horse
Dunn let his eyes drift to Link
Bender's face. mo, not them!
They'd never make a move-unless
it was to hand the teller his brand
err"
Instantly Link Bender d,
.sWhat do you mean by that?"
In the little moment before Horse
Dunn's reply, Billy Wheeler glanced
about him, noting the position of the
men. Of them all, only Cayuse Cage
tano appeared to be unarmed. Link
Bender sat alongside the sheriff, but
separated from him by the led
horse. Wheeler saw him exchange
a quick glance with his son, who
sat detached, little to one side.
With one spur Wheeler woke his
pony, so that it moved sideways,
nearer Kid Bender. No one noticed /;
their eyes were expressionless but
intent upon Horse Dunn.
Dunn had swung slowly in his
saddle to face Link Bender. 'My
calf crop is short, is what / mean. ("
Watching Kid Bender, Wheeler
did not see Link make his play; but
as Kid Bender's hand dropped to
his holster, Wheeler knew that the
Kid had taken his cue from Link,
who in that instant must have gone
for his gun. In the shock of action
Wheeler forgot his own weapon,
which he had never drawn on any
man. He jumped his horse at Kid
Bender, striking down on the Kids
gun hand with his quirt. The quirt
whistled and bit; as he jerked it
back Wheeler felt the gun come
with it, tangled in the snap of the
lash.
In the same instant gun roared
behind him, and he whirled his po-
ny.
Horse Dunn held the smoking
muzzle of his gun skyward, and
steadied his half-stampeded horse
with his other hand. In his face
was such white blaze of fury as
Wheeler had never seen. He was
not roaring now; his words came
through his teeth, hard-edged as
broken rock. 81 could have killed
you," he said, almost as if he were
strangling. "And I'd have done it,
If only"
Link Bender sat straight up, his
face the dusty gray-green of the
brush. Evidently he rode a gun