The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-09-17


a simple story of it. Too, there was
an odd look in Herendeen's eyes and
something queer in his voice. Her
endeen said slowly: "Al right, Char
ley" Nothing more.
Hillhouse said: "I'm takin' him
into War Pass. That's where his
people are buried"
He drove through War Pass. When
he backed against the Office door
Of Doctor Padden, who was also
coroner, Jesse Rusey came by. Hill
house said: "Give me a hand,
jesse" and the two Of them car
ried Breathitt into Padden's office.
Padden wasn't around but there was
side room with a long table in it;
they left Breathitt here. Rusey said:
"A little trouble?"
"Yeah."
Rusey said, 'Too bad," and went
out. The marshaps province was
War Pass, not anything beyond; and
he had seen too much death to show
much curiosity about one more dead
man. Hillhouse delayed his depar-
ture, both hands lying on the table
beside Breathitt. Breathi' face
was gray and dirty, but it still
the face of a man who had Looked
on life as a game to be taken as
lightly as possible.
Hillhouse suddenly removed his
own hat, placed it over Hacks face
and turned from the room.
He drove the wagon as far as the
Long Grade, here stopping for a
drink. The barkeep made some cas-
ual remark about the weather which
Hillhouse accepted in dour silence;
thereafter the barkeep held his own
council. Hillhouse paid for the drink,
went out and climbed into the wag-
on.
There was no travel on the road.
1t wound with the foothills, it looped
beside creek, passed over small
divide and entered a scattered belt
of timber. By the Dell Lake trail,
he observed that three or four horse
men had recently come off Mogul;
far up near Mogul's rim he caught
.
All these things he automatically
noted, missing nothing of the signs
or shapes or color of the land. Four
miles from town he broke the neck
of the bottle of rye over the brake
handle and took long drink.
A mile beyond this point Cache
River cut nearer the road and a
small grove of cottonwood lay hard
by the stream. Charley turned
through the grove and let his horses
water at the margin of the river.
He wrapped the reins around the
brake-handle and got down, holding
the whisky bottle.
Charley Hillhouse spoke aloud: II
wish you'd seen it my way, Hack.
I wish you had" He walked steadily
forward until he faced a cottonwood.
He drew his gun, holding it only a
foot from the tree, and fired at it.
Afterwards, STOPPING little he stud
led the hole made by the bullet with
a strange care. He held the bottle
of rye in his left hand and now,
knowing it would do him no good
ever, he gave it a long overland
heave into the river. As long as he
was alive, nothing would cover up
his thinking.
Excitement whetted Morgan S
nerves to sharp edge as he stood
there and heard Ben Herendeen say:
Come on, boys!"
A man yelled, ITO hell with this!"
Morgan, waiting more definite tar
get, saw one rider swing wide and
rush in Suddenly all of Herendeen's S
men were wheeling around the beef,
running for the dobe building near
by, as though to circle it. Vance
Ketchell called to announce him.
self: "It's me, Ketchell - and
Lige White" They raced down or
Morgan. He had to step aside, bare.
ly avoiding collision. Vance was
out of the saddle, beside him and
grumbling, Damned near too late!''
Lige White, still mounted, turned
away. He called: "Herendeen-cui
this out!" One of Herendeen's riders
plunged straight on and fired once
at Lige Whites high-placed shape
Morgan and Ketchell laid their shots
on this man. They caught his horse
and watched it sink, they saw the
rider free himself and seem to fiat
ten against the earth.
Jump murmured: They're going
| to try something"
Powder smell settled around Nor,