The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-09-26

ing-stick at the cattleman. Damn
quick. Before the boys talk this
over too much"
II expect that's good medicine"
Terry admitted. "I'll be going pres
emily. What do you know about this
Hart killing? Is there any evidence
about who did it?"
ASSASSIN unknown" Carney
stopped talking in headlines and
banged table excitedly with his
fist. "Goddlemighty, mani Don't
worry about who killed Hart, but
about who is going to kill Calhoun
Terry If you don't get a jump on you.
Lee Hart is here, and bunch Of his
friends"
"I've met Them" Terry said. 1--WE
passed the time Of day. No tracks
left by the murderer, you say?"
"Not far as know. Where's your
horse?"
you've heard no talk-no names
mentioned?"
''No-except that the big fellows
hired 1t done as a warning. You
don't have to decide that now. Fork
your horse, Cal, and light out Of
town."
"It's not quite as bad as that, Hor-
ace" the ranch manager said. Lee
and his friends have said their little
piece for today, l reckon. But this
killing Of Buck Hart disturbs me.
I'll not say he didn't have 1t COM
ing. He was proven thief, even II
rustler's court and jury did turn
him loose. But it's bad medicine
just the same. don't know who
did it. He was a bully, and plenty
Of people would have liked to see
him dead. The point is that the big
ranches will be blamed for this.
Trouble will come Of it." aH
They'll be rightly blamed, in my
opinion" Carney said tartly. "But
no use going into that. You know
where the Gazette stands in this
controversy between the settlers and
the big cattlemen. It's for the peo-
ple." He brushed that aside with an
impatient gesture. ''I'm thinking
about you, Cal. You're too bull-head-
ed. Some low-down scoundrel will
get you from the brush one Of these
days if you're not careful"
IT don't think so,' Terry replied
carelessly.
you're unpopular as the devil"
"Are you congratulating me on the
enemies have NADER" the cowman
said, his smile scornful. ''They are
fine lot"
''Some of them are good men, and
you would know it il you were fair
minded"
"Read the riot act to me, Hor-
ace." Calhoun Terry put a big
brown hand on the scrawny Shout
der Of the editor. "Say whatever
is in your mind"
The younger man knew that Gar
vey was his friend, and had been
ever since the day when Calhoun
had stepped with a horsewhip be-
| tween a hectoring ruffian and the
little editor.
A smile broke the hard lines Of
Terry's face and for the moment
showed it warm and friendly. "I'll
take your advice, oldtimer. I'm on
my way now" ~
| The cowman waved a hand in
farewell and walked out Of the build
ing. AS he crossed the courthouse
grounds he passed the county judge
just mounting the steps. They bowed
| to each other, stiff1y, without speak
ing. Judge Curtis had been elected
by the votes of the small settlers.
The allies of Terry called him a
rustler's judge. They meant that no
COW thief could be convicted in his
court.
\ That the old days of the free open
range were passing forever Terry
knew. For decade and half the
cattleman had been king. His stock
had ranged the plains unhampered
and had multiplied exceedingly. The
big ranches had paid good dividends
to the stockholders in Edinburgh,
London, or Boston. Then evil days
had fallen on the industry. The cat
| tie boom had collapsed.
There were several reasons for
this. One of them was bad manage
ment. Those in charge of some of
the large ranches had fallen into the
habit of living in Cheyenne or Den
yer and leaving the properties most
ly to the care Of subordinates. In
order to show profits they had over
stocked the ranges and in some
cases sold too many cows and
calves. The grass was eaten short
and the winter feed killed. More
over, as the country opened to set
tlement nesters moved in and home-
steaded the waterholes. There was
conflict between them and the cat
tie kings who had up to this time
possessed the land. AS result Of
this, rustling greatly increased. It
was easy for small outfit on the
edge of a big one to increase its
holdings by branding calves of the
large concern. Year by year the
antagonism increased until it grew
very bitter. The great ranches were
doomed, the managers saw, unless