Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-01-22
W.Nu. RELEASE

grunted. 'I'm leaving everything
got to young Cody and the Lee
girl. He's an outstanding young he
wildcat and she's the cutest trick
and the incest and-well, the sweet
est you ever laid eyes on. So they
| get the works. The whole of the
ranch and the whole of the cash.
The moneys in your bank, Judge,
| if you haven't stole it yet, anyhow
a couple of hundred thousand dol
in case the interest hasn't ct up all
the principal, or you haven't been
losing heavy at ,draw!"
The Judge, cycling him, thought,
"He knows what he's talking about"
"Now," went on Early Bill, 1--WE
got a job for each one of you horn
| toads, and I'm paying each one Of
you a dollar day and found, high
wages for you two. Judge, you 90
in there and bunker down at the
table and write me those two wills
Make 'em just the same, giving.
| granting and disposing and so forth.
all got. In one will, give every.
thing to her. In the other give ev..
erything to him. And you date 'em
both the same, as of today. You,
Doc, you move that old trunk o.
mine to one side and yank up cou.
pie of loose boards and hand me
what you find. Let's go! Wages
start when you start getting BUSY"
Doc Joe showed aside battered
old leather trunk, scrabbled in the
corner, got couple of loose boards
up and after some further scrab.
bling came up, red-faced with
small iron lock-box in his dusty
hands. The box was eighteen inches
long, about six inches in the other
dimensions, and was provided with
two locks, each set about six inches
from the end.
Il think it was that box of mine
put the whole idea into my head"
Early Bill said. Having two locks
like, notice? Look at 'em good,
Doc?"
what about EN-" demanded Doc
Joe. They're just two locks
by the way" said Early Bill,
when you boys go out, send Cal
Roundtree to me. Tell him to bring
Gaucho. I've got me great bunch!
It's my ace in the hole!"
You're crazy like a boot OWL"
snorted the Judge. DOC just asked
you a question: What's this about
two locks?"
Look at 'em good!"
II am looking-They're different,
that what you mean?"
"Takes two different keys to open
'em!" said triumphant Bill Cole.
To two old porch-sitters in front
of the Bald Eagle Hotel came a
young man on horseback. The two,
watching everything that went on,
smoking their after supper stogies,
| took stock of him when he first rode
| into town down at the far end of the
| street. He rode straight to the no.
tel, dismounted and approached. He
was young and lean and brown and
tall. In the saddle he had been
| loosely graceful; one felt that for
! all that seeming carelessness in his
way of riding, that if his horse had
OF sudden sought to leap out from
under him he would still have been
sitting there in the saddle, confident
and vaguely arrogant. Here where
| men dressed as they pleased. this
young man struck a note. From
fashy, high-heeled boots to the silk
| bandana, bright red, around his
| brown throat and on up to his forty
dollar hat, he displayed touch of
elegance. A handsome young dark
devil, too, when they saw his face.
'Howdy, gents" he greeted them,
and sat on the porch, holding his
horses reins. He removed his hat
and ran his fingers through his hair
that was inclined toward length, rich
darkness and curliness.
Civilly they returned his greeting
"Howdy," they said.
I'm a stranger here" he told
them. "You look like you belonged
here. Maybe you can tell me the
way to Bill Coles ranch?"
They directed him, telling him it
was couple of hours ride, indicat-
ing the short cuts to take on horse
back. He said, Thanks" rolled a
cigarette, smoked half of it, tossed
the butt into the dust and stood up.
"Only," said Doc Joe, 81 don't
know as they're wide open for COM
p'ny right now. Bill Coles sick"
Sick? Say-What's wrong? Moth
ing bad, is it,"
He amt feeling any too good"
said Doc Joe.
The young man eyed him in pen
etrating sort of way
You might be the doctor?" he
judged. And Doc Joe nodded. well,
all the more reason l should ride
along. You see I'm his nephew.
My names Rance Waldron."
Waldron tarried moment as
though thinking some word might be
added. When none was forthcoming
he swung up into the saddle again,
lifting easily and somehow graceful
ly, man full of strength and youth
and vitality, and rode away.
They watched him out of sight.
"Hmf," said tn Judge then.
HE had hat" unused Doc Joe.
yep. Wasn't any hole in it,