Carbon County news., 1937-10-29
g Alan LIE May
WNU Service

Horse Dunn looked up and down
the street, noting how the groups OF
booted lorngers had grown. Hardly
doorway in that street was empty
now. Wheeler saw Dunn run quick
glance along the second story win
dows across the street. Dunn turned
to his car. relaxed, casual.
Marian, take this here car
around the corner, and park it; then
wait there, until someone brings
word"
Marian glanced once, questioning
ly, at her uncle, then once more, al.
most despairingly, at Billy Wheeler.
Then the car numbered away in the
dust as she obeyed.
Horse Dunn turned with curious
mildness to the sheriff. ''I don't fig
ure to give any answers, Amos, that
wouldn't just as leave my outfit
would hear"
The Old Man Of the "a stood
notwithstanding a little, al
most bland; but the confidence of a
lifelong dominance was in the easy
set of his enormous shoulders, so
that he seemed then bigger than the
town, bigger than the range.
The sheriff hesitated; he knew
what he was up against. Abruptly
he burst out, II decide these things
hereI"
The mild mask fell away. '"Then
give your orders to people you can
boss" Dunn snarled at him.
Walt Amos sized up the situation,
then stood for a moment with a
blank face. Then-the young sheriff
grinned, not sheepishly, and not irri-
tably, but with the interested hu-
NOR Of a man who plays his own
game against another's.
"Oh, all right, Dunn" he said; II
don't set any great store on that
point. I haven't got any of my fel-
lers with mel don't need 'en; but
maybe you need some. Bring 'em
on!"
In effect, Horse Dunn had backed
Sheriff Walt Amos down; but Horse
admitted afterward that it was here,
in the backdown, that the young
sheriff had first commanded his re-
spect. He grunted an assent. BILLY
Wheeler, Coffee-come on"
The others moved forward, but
he waved them back; and Dunn,
with. Wheeler and Coffee, followed
Amos into the little old adobe that
held the sheriff's office.
Dunn" said Sheriff Amos, 'you
were the first man found out there'd
been a killing at Short Crick. That
was Tuesday-three days ago. Right
off you sent Tulare Callahan here,
to wire Old Man Coffee, clear
around at McTarnahan. Dunn, why
did you send for Old Man Coffee?"
'I sent for Old Man Coffee" said
Dunn, Ito find out who was making
free on my range. To tell you the
truth, didn't figure you nunnbskulls
was equal to handling it,
'Then it wasn't your idea," said
the sheriff, ito get him here to seize
and suppress evidence?"
"When I want to seize some
thing" Horse Dunn told him, II
won't be sending for some old guy |
the other side of two ranges OF
mountains. I'll just seize it."
"Where were you riding Monday,
Dunn?"
Monday / was riding Red Sleep
Ridge"
''And when," the sheriff shot at
him, Ibid you first learn that Lon
was camping on "a ranger"
Horse Dunn did not hesitate for
a fraction of a second. Yesterday
when Old Man Coffee found Ma
goon's saddle"
The sheriff's smooth, cornerless
face tightened a little, but Billy
Wheeler saw that the man was not
Instantly Wheeler knew
two things. First, that one Of the
crowd - perhaps with
field glasses-must have seen Cof-
lee pick the saddle up. And second,
what was equally important, that
The sheriff must have succeeded In
racing out the dead mans horse