The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1941-01-30

The man waited solemnly until
Fisher had finished. In a slow rough
voice then he said, How are YOU.
Gandy?" He took out a pocket knife.
opened it. cut a silver of wood from
the hitch post and began to chew
on the end.
Candy continued to unite his palo-
mino, saying, sHowdy, Bailey?o
Shirtless Bailey chewed up the
splinter of hitch post and put away
his pocke. knife. Horsethief Fisher
stood absorbed in looking at the
mountains behind Enaigrant. Candy
finished getting his horse ready.
rolled a cigarette. Still no one said
anything.
The rest of the c C people came
Jogging along the street. Putting
boot-toe to his stirrup, Walt Candy
said only, "See you again, Bailey?"
The Texan nodded. 1t was all un-
derstood. Horsethief Fisher had got
in touch with his pards.
Helen Cameron pulled over as
Candy joined the mounted group
and rode beside him, and there was
a question in her brown eyes. Yet.
he wanted time; for that question
was one he could not answer. He
pushed up close to Hollister. Paul
Champion and Fisher to avoid rid
ing alone with the girl. Thus for a
little while they all jingled across
the hepch fou together
Hitting onto the sand fiat, Walt
pushed up beside the girl, trying to
forestall what he knew she was
about to ask. "We'd better not hang
back, Helen. Let's talk later"
She turned to him, leaning out
with one hand braced on her thigh.
"Did you get it?"
Again he said, "Not now, Helen.
Later"
"But did your" f..
Candy hesitated.
"Waltl / want that bulletl"
He shook his head. 1--WE can't
talk here. They're waiting for us. /"
Hollister and the other two had
stopped on the far side of the wash.
A sudden fear was in the girls
dark eyes as she rode on. Candy
avoided them, covering cold un-
certainty that he himself had been
in for the past hour. The letter
which he had mailed to his post Of
fee box the day of the Chino Drake
inquest, was not there. He had
found the box empty. Folded in that
letter was the small square of Helen
Cameron's handkerchief, and q
bullet--the inquest evidence.
The ranch home was not reached
until after dark, and Walt, on duty
as cook, asked Paul Champion to
unsaddle and turn out his palomino,
Then up at the house he got to-
gether a meal of fried potatoes,
fried steak, and canned corn in short
order, having it on the table when
the rest came in
Cash Cameron's vacant place al
the head of the long pine boards
acted upon all in a way that held
even the youngest cowboy to silence
Candy pulled out Helen's chair
for her. Across the table Hollister
and Horsethief Fisher hitched their
bench in close. He remained stand
ing, uncertain. ''Where's Lavic?"
Heads lifted and eyes went around
the room as if to pick the man out o.
a corner somewhere.
1t was Helen who answered
why, Bent was at the corrals.
thought he followed u.s." She turned
her head and looked up at him.
At other times the question would
have aroused nothing. The old fel
low had queer ways; whether he
came to the table with the crew OF
scuffed in later was of no concern
But tonight the air was charged to
hair-trigger tension. Any uncertain.
ty carried threat. Hollister swung
one leg over the bench and started
to rise.
"Billl" Helen began. Next one
hand flew to her throat, and the
whole room was Jared by the shock
of the kitchen door being banged
inward.
Bent Lavic came scuffling rapidly
across to the dining-room arch. His
face was more twisted than ever in
a soundless working of his mouth
His good right arm made short jab-
bing gestures-Lavic was trying tc
convey something.
The motion of his arm was first
toward Helen Cameron; then with a
start Candy saw the old fellow indi-
cate him. 1t seemed a warning
"Rattle!" Lavic managed and was
cut short then by the sheriff himself
looming in the kitchen doorway.
Over his shoulder the law of Emf
grant County threw a word to some
one outside, faced around again,
kicked the door shut behind him
and came on in.
Ito be continued)