The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-06-25
CHAPTER XVII

Con dropped from the saddle with
a quick and wary look all around the
horizon to see if any of the others
were coming back. Nobody was in
sight, not even Janet. He went to
stoop over the cowboy; to turn him
over. Apparently, one bullet had
gone straight through the heart, but
the other had struck not three inches
from 1t.
Crazy fool" Con said bitterly,
Strengthening. Nobody wanted to
kill you"
Janet leaned against the sorrel,
just over the ridge that had shell
tered her.
81 could see his hand going be-
hind his back" she said in a fiat
tone. You just sat there"
She stopped short. He stared
frowningly, but she turned to the
sorrel and gathered up her reins
to mount.
81 didn't expect him to pull one
from the back of his overalls," Con
admitted, watching her. "But I reck-
on I was suspicious of him without
thinking about it. We'd better go
on back. Somehow, don't think the
rest of 'em will bother anything in
this pasture today"
"They thought four to one was
enough. So did ]! Then you began
to shoot and and everything
changed in a flash. Let's go! Let's
get away from this place; get away
from-him!"
He nodded silently. 81 certainly
have scraped through some tight
spots by the skin of my teeth and
the help of plenty luck!" he said
frowningly, thinking back. 81 GER
tainly have! Of course, when you
know that you're walking on thin
ice, you walk hawk-eyed-"
She laughed, but it was not a
pleasant sound.
Ibid you tell Caramba to back
up that pretty story of yours about
the old uncle and aunt in Chicago,
and your days as an orphan, and
the death of your father and mother
in Horsehide, Texas?"
"Caramba? I never did! Did that
son of a gun tell you something?
Why"
''Old Perch is an odd character, I"
Janet said thoughtfully. Give known
him for long time and, of course,
I know his peculiarities as-as a
stranger wouldn't. One of his oddi-
ties is his memory of everything big
and little that ever happened in
what he calls the Skillet meaning
the Panhandle of Texas. He-won-
ders why you chose such name as
Horsehide for thiS-ah-town of your
story"
"Why, Horsehide is good Texas
sounding name," he told her mock
ingly. "And when you're making
a life history out of air, you haven't
got time to think of every old saddle
tramp you may run into, that knows
every inch of the country. And old
Caramba thought he'd make my tale
stronger"
He snapped his fingers and
grinned at her.
ST don't know just what to dc
about-that back yonder," he said
with elaborate carelessness. "No1
much use telling Janton. He won't
touch a case outside of town. But
If we don't report it, they can use
that against u.s."
He was thinking how unnecessary
the shooting had been; still actually
angry with the dead man for fore
ing him to shoot.
"I-suppose you do feel that way
about it," she agreed. "You ge
used to that, don't you? But-yol
haven't done anything, in the Terri
tory, that-that hasn't somehow
worked to good, have your"
Devil has kind of been Tough
with fire, no es verdad? I ought t.
get some kind of recommendation
even from the sheriffs who vii
chase me across the line at the end
Well, we're about home. Perch cal
do as he pleases, about notifying
Janton. Obi"
He looked carefully before him
holding his set smile.
you've been talking lot abou
my RSIl4llS yOO oWo AlO1Ai DOQ.
reckon / ought to tell you the trut
about that and get it straight TO
YOU: bud didn't like me i'P Bit
He didn't like my killing Gonzales
He waited until he got two NOR
hard cases in the gang, Dandy an
West. Then he rugged it with Dand
to kill me. Poor old jeff told m
about it. So was ready to leave
And when I found that bud had 20
all tied up in bundle, knew
would make him fit to tie if nc
only lodged his killing, but snatche
you away from him. Sol did thu
li'P bitsy thing!"
She was staring at him with fac
paper white.
"Oh!" she said explosively, an
swung her quirt viciously.
The sorrel grunted and junpe
under the slash of her blow, the