The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-07-30

shape. Then he slowed down.
The man said: Benz"
Herendeen hauled in. Nothing
wrong with your eyes, Pete"
Pete Borders chuckled. How
could man miss? You throw a
shape big as the side of a barn"
Herendeen said: Late for you.
Or maybe little early"
Pete Borders said in his easy,
amused way: "Just enjoyin' a pref
ty night"
'I want to talk to you"
Fire away. I guess we have
done some talkin' before"
Herendeen said: Il wouldn't trust
you out of sight, Pete, and if I
ever caught you with one of my
cows I'd hang you higher than a
kite"
Amt ever caught me, Ben"
Remember what I'd do if I did,"
retorted Herendeen. do your steal
in in other places and we'll get
along. | propose to run every hay
wire rider out of this country in
short order but if you stay clear of
me nothin's going to trouble you at
all. | can use fellow like you
once in while" He thought about
it, letting the silence settle gently
between them. Then he said: go
up to Government Valley and work
over Morgan's stuff. He's too short
handed to watch that end of his
range"
Ben" said Borders indulgently,
''you sure make me ashamed for
bein piker. You're bigger crook
than l ever thought of bein'."
''You grind your coffee in one
mill and III grind mine in another"
said Herendeen; taking no offense.
Il can make it hard for you, or /
can let you alone. Just work along
like / said"
Sure" said Borders. "But keep
your riders away from that district
at night SO / won't be bumpin' into
'em. got to cross your range"
Morgan stood with his back to the
stove, gently rubbing his hands
along the seat of his pants. Kern
Case, grave and unmoved, muir
INJURED: "Evenin', Ben"
For the moment nothing else was
said. Herendeen ignored Case,
studying Morgan with his round ha-
eel eyes half-shut. He filed the door
way with his heavy legs and high,
huge shoulders.
Morgan brought his hands for
ward, reaching for his tobacco to
make up cigarette. This was the
length of the silence. When he
struck a match and cupped it to his
face he stared over the rim of his
fingers, reading Herendeen with a
steady interest. The man had swung
into the room quickly, as though to
surprise somebody; and he stood
now with his thoughts pretty much
on his face, his glance rummaging
all the dark corners of the room.
Morgan thought he knew the an
swer to that. Herendeen had expect
ed to find Breathitt here.
Herendeen abruptly crossed the
room, his weight squea1ing against
the worn fioorboards, and walked to
a rear door. He turned the door S
knob gently, he kicked the door
open.
Kern Cases voice echoed his dis
like. "Get out of there, Ben. That S
my room"
Herendeen was in it, moving
| around slowly; he came out again.
Somewhere above them a board
snapped, throwing Herendeen's head
instantly upward. Herendeen stared
at the ceiling and back at Morgan.
eff you're here, he's here"
Herendeen stared at Morgan, his
lips pressed together. He was faint.
ly smiling, hard and certain and
slowly keyed-up by his temper.
Hes here" he grunted. He walked
on to the front door He put his
back to Morgan, watching the street.
Morgan said: Keep your eyes
open, Ben"
Herendeen didn't turn. He said
''I see nothin' to be afraid of, Clay
| AS far as you're concerned, / never
did," He stepped to the porch and
wheeled around, looking upward al
the second-story windows of the
store. He held the hard-creased
smile on his lips; he teetered on the
| balls of his feet and drew his gun
He fred at the window, breaking
the glass, and walked into the door.
way again, swinging around tc
watch the street.