The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-08-12

like me? Something funny about
this Cayuse, Horse"
so you lost out" Horse accused
him.
! Old Man Coffee eased himself on
to the most uncomfortable chair in
the room, and there draped himself
angularly. eff there's anything in
! the world makes me mad" he said
morosely, cts cussed fool hound"
The droop-eared old lion dog
which had followed Coffee in looked
at him mournfully, and flopped to
the floor with a great rattle of ell
bows, but made no remark. II set
out to trail the killers horse" Cof-
fee went on. 81 took down-crick;
Rock seeking the trail where it
come out of the water. Pretty soon
he says he's got it, and sets up a
heller, and away we go, inching
along about two miles an hour. That
fool hound takes anyway six, eight
miles, all the time hollering just as
| confident as if he knew what he
was att
Old Man Coffee GRAINED cut plug
into an ancient pipe, the bowl of
which was carved to represent
hearts and flowers.
"Well?" Dunn demanded at last
Cali this time" Coffee said, 81
hadn't been able to make out de-
cent track; but I was getting kind
of suspicious because of the way
the trail wandered around. Then fl
nally we come on soft place, where
I could see plain. And it was the
wrong trail"
Il thought this dog couldn't be
fooled" Dunn grunted.
''He was sure fooled this time.
| The trail your wagon boss showed
me was off a cup-hoofed pony; the
hoofs showed nail splits. But old
Rock took after a pony that was
flat-footed as duck-his feet wore
down right onto the frog"
$50, Horse Dunn said, "you end
ed up enptyhanded, same as us
ordinary folks!''
mot altogether and complete"
Coffee retorted. Rock quit cold
wouldn't work no more. But took
and unraveled the other trail by
hand" He stepped out onto the gal
lery and came back with the saddle,
which he now threw down among
them in a tangle of broken strap
page. There" he said casually, sis
the death saddle you was inquiring
AFTER"
Billy Wheeler heard Marian's
breath jerk through her teeth. In
the failing light her eyes looked sur
prisingly dark.
Good Lord!" said Dunn. How'd
you lay hands on that?"
'Why, I followed the trail of the
dead mans horse, until ! come to
How'd You Lay Hands on That
the place he rolled loose from it.
How'd you suppose?"
Horse Dunn had dropped to his
knees beside the saddle. None of
them had realized how deep the
room was in twilight until it was
frightened by the flare of the match
he struck. For long moment Horse
Dunn studied the old worn leather,
until the flame burned to his finger
tips and went out. He stood up
slowly. "You know that saddle?"
"No," said Wheeler. DO your"
Behind Horse Dunn'S shaggy face
the muscles were Stiffening slowly,
so that although his features re-
manned in some sense a mask, his
eyes presently began to CLEAN with
the white heat of the anger which
he could not repress. eyes," he said.
Yet he did not Immediately an
swer their unspoken question. He
turned to the window again, and for
little while stood looking out as if
he could not yet trust himself to
speak. Out behind the barns, Cof-
fees five other hounds were churn-
ing the quiet twilight with mourn
full bellowings, and for little while
they all seemed to be listening to
that. Then Marian got up and went
quietly from the room, and for once
her uncle seemed glad to have her
go.
Here they're setting out to put
the hooks to me-" Horse Dunn said
at hunting strangle holt on
my brand. And it's shameful thing
that this should come onto us be-
cause somebody rubbed out maybe
the most worthless character that
ever rode the Red Hills range"
"You know the name?" said Old
Man Coffee.
whats his name matter?" Horse
Dunn exploded. ellis name was Lon
Magoon-and what of it? A cow
thief-in a small, cheap way. He'd
go around on different ranges, and
he'd steal a beef here, and another
IL 800. .I-:.~ 49, o~I coll 49, L. 49,. -