The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-03-21

! back / 1OunQ tnaC kHlAS POAA''
nearly hidden in a crack IN the
drawer of the desk where Matt
worked.
Lee swayed, fighting weakness,
but his tired voice went on.
"You shot Matt Blair as he lay
asleep in his chair, with every
body gone to the barbecue, and
then you fired a shot from his
own gun and dropped it beside
him.
"You, Slanty, We'll hear your
confession"
Confess nothin'! What about
the fella that's been payn' me?
We don't dare 60 after him, Lee
Hollister!"
II am going after him now"
said Lee, and sagged suddenly be-
tween the men who held him.
A little later two professions
left. One, silent and unsmlllng,
went toward the county seat. The
other with strong and gentle
hands, carried Lee to the ranch
house and Virginia, who waited
for him.
Through the rest of the night
Lee lay in the heavy sleep of
weakness, barely rousing when
the doctor came or" when cups OF
strong hot broth were fed to him.
Others tiptoed in and out. A
little after midnight Curley and
Francisco came in.
Curly bent down and cautions
ly slid a flat packet under the
pillow.
cts Lees. Better tell him
about it, Miss V'ginia, as soon as
he wakes up" .
Toward morning news came.
Slanty Gano, desperate, had
taken the desperate way out.
pretended he was doing of"
the messenger said, land then
busted out like a crazy man.
Grabbed a deppity's gun, hand
cuffs and all, and went down
shootin'."
Dawn found Lee awake, in
sisting that he was strong enough
to get up. They let him sit up
in bed first, and there he held
the closely written sheets Of the
packet that Curly had brought
the night before. They had been
taken from Slanty Gano.
For some minutes after he had
finished, he sat there looking bit
ter and tired. Then he reused
himself and called Curly, hover
ing just outside the door.
| I'm ready. Get my clothes on
me. I've got work to do"
They awaited him in Mats Of
flee, summoned by Curley, one by
one. Milton Bradish was there,
vigilant and squared for any
emergency; Stanley, alertly ner-
.vous but noting with relief that
his car, Communicated the night
before to get the doctor, was now
in front of the door; T. Ellison
Archer, looking flabby and scar
ed, his vast dignity gone; Vir-
ginia was there was a matter OF
course, and also Joey.
Lee came in, hol1ow-eyed and
bandagd, moving slowly.
give asked you to come here
because there's something that
want to say to YOU"
''That's all right young man,
but you're in no shape to do it
yet" Bradish was briskly solicit
Gus. "Give yourself a day or two
to recover"
"I'm obliged for your considera-
ton, but it comes little late"
Bradish Redeemed. ST. y
eyes, held him as Lee began.
"Three days ago man who has
been acting as your agent shot
me, rifled my pockets Of the
deed tc this ranch and carried
me into Number One tunnel OF
the Bonanza mine, where he had
set a blast to bury me safely
until he could levy blackmail on
you for a big sum and make his
escape. He had you where ne
wanted you. No, you walt
until I'm through.
ct came to before he left ano
heard the last things he said, Civ
ing away some matters that you
already know and that I needed
to. One of them was that he hao
dropped me down beside Matt
Blair's real samples, the stolen
ones that never got to the Assay
Office. When he had gone I hao
Il just sense enough and time en-
ough to crawl away from the
blast, taking chunk of that ore
with me-"
He held out a rough, pale vel
lowish lump.
"Carnotite," he said briefly
81 don't need to tell you that"