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Show FLAMUP FLAMUPIN * IN TH [ fr frr r r , , 1 f 1 3 0 Hy ARO AROI I - r IT ug ugIiiv.rtt'atiorir Iiiv.rtt'atiorir Iiiv.rttatiorir Iiivrttatiorir Iiiv.rtt'atiorirt4 . ' , t4 - ( I IRWIN MYER5 MYER5W.N W.N WN . U . 5E1LVlC " . CHAPTER XI11 XIii XI . -11- 11 - _ 11NOW ii - _ OW Nat Bridger . , the sheriff sherifr sheriff.though sheriffthough . , NOW rthough though a man large In stature statureas , r .s s as . small In heart and soulHe soul soulWest Be He was alone ! In n his office once when whenfVest whenWest West fVest entered the corridor . Tod Todttanced Todlanced Todlanced ttanced | lanced aroun around at the barred door dooro doorf0 o the bullpen straight ahead with withi withman with1 with1man i man standing against it , holding'De holdinglme holding holdingnc lme 'De De > ' nc bandaged hand in the other gin ginlerly gineriy rerly lerly ( . It It"Hullo i 'Hullo Hullo "Hullo " " ' , Dick Dlckl I ! " West said to the thelrlsoner theprisoner theirisoner lrlsoner prisoner . "Heard Heard " " you drank rant . too tool1uch tooouch toonuch l1uch ouch of ot your own hooch I ! What Whatlills Whatrills What'illl Whatilll lills rills ' the hand band band-S band S ? ' growledLatest [ i - "Blood Blood " poison polson , ' , " , " the man growled growled"Wost "Wost Wost . .Most Most . drives me crazy I ! Doc Adams AdamsJaYs Adamslays AdamsIcy " JaYs lays It's Its ' better , but It don't dont ' seem seemto seemto seemo to me . . . " 'The The f'1'he f1he ' ' Tolces voIces had attracted the theerm theerlff thetieriff erm erlff who came to the tbe doorway doorway.4 doorway4 . "Oh Oh " . , hullo . , Tod Todt 1 ! " " he cried criedoDd criedood criedBood oDd ood lord , what chat bat happened to toont toon toon ont on I ! " he demanded as West tol fol tolwed folwed folwed ) wed him 111m In to where tho the light lightas lightas lightts as better . "Why Why " , Tod , you're youre ' an all anall alloil allwoll all oil up npl I " lBe $ He was . , In truth , badly swollen swollenI swollenIs swollenills Is face tace was lop sided and even evenr evene I r evenJoe e left eyo eye slightly sllghtly puffed puffed.tfDam puffedtfDam . , . ' " "Dam Dam " * * ' hornets " ' got me yesterday , " ; , k . ksaid | said "Was Was " flahin flshln ffshin ' ' up Big Bea Bea- Beaand - . Bea-l Bea l Bealr er r and kicked 'cm cm 'em em ' out of ot a stump stumphey stumphey stumprCbey hey sure are good nt at their job Job\ Job JobT11 I ' ' \ [ T11 "I'll Ill " * ' ' say so sol I ! But what brings bringsau bringsou bringsyou au ou here ? " he asked . " "Anything Anything "Anythlng Anythlng " In In I | n do for tor ) sou you ou , . , Tod Tod"I TodI Tod"IWell ? " J"wen Jwen "Well Well " Well , not for tor me , mebbv mebby , " Tod TodId Todaid Todilld | aid Id , * ' but I heard somethin somethln ' the theer theer thegher er night tliat that I kind of figure figureau figureou figureou | au ou ought to l"now lnow know " . " know"VYeah knowVYeah : . \ , "Yeah Yeah " l ? ' | "Yes Yes " " You . know l.now lnow Bluejay llluejaYf llluejaYfdon't , , . don't dont don'tu1 don'tu don'tou dontou ' u1 u ? Thought so Kind of ot scum scumrank . , | nk Is He's Hes Hc's Hcs ' worked wor1.ed wor1ed . for me ofd off of offd offnd d on 'nd nd ' I don't dont ' trust him much muchr , ? r there s things about him , . . . 'or or ' or Instance Instan'e Instane ( ' , he lies s always snoopln snoopin snoopinIways ' , Iways ! ways sees thingsi'He's things - ( i'He's iHes : ' He's Hes ' been camped out north ot of ofI ofy } I . pickin plckIn pickle ' berries and nnd comes In Inost inost In.host Inhost . ost every night Well , night be beore betore betore tore : ore last he cimc C'1me C1me came ' to me to get a aJUle alttle aJttle JUle lttle , he liad had comin comln ' , and I got sis , is vis'ting visting isTUng sisIfng TUng Ifng somethingkind somethingfind ' and nntI he told me something somethingUnd kind find of ot suspiciousHe Busplclous suspicious BusplclousaHc | aHc ' 'He He * ' says he'd hed ' been lookin lookln looLin ' tor for forerrles forTerries 1 1les lakeJHiursday errles les north of ot Townllne la1.e la1e lake lakehursday . hursday ursday and nnd long about Bundo sundown sundownnng sundowni " n nung on1 on1s vnng ung nng past that Downer cabin on onway onway s way back bact . to camp He sayse says ' e > heard something that soundede sounded , te e poundin poundln ' Inside " } little draft through the opennsom opennsom open openi -i i - ansom nsom abo\ abo above aboe abose \ e fluttered his gray grayg grayg grayJ g hair and the thd the lone prisoner Ine ine In ' e bull bun pen leaned closer ngalnste againste against ngalnst ' 'e e e bars , straining to listen listen'He listenRe listen"He listenHe | " 'He He Re ' peeked through the window windowd windowid windowd d , d , Nat Rat at , be he says he saw young youngIt youngit youngpit It Stuart on his knees hnees in a cor corr corr cortr r takin takln ' money out of ot a tin box's box box's > 's s ' 8 got buried burled under the tile floor floors 1 1i ' ' -i i - [ He e watched the look 1001 . . of ot amazeent amazeent amaze ent spreid spre'1d spre1d spread ' swiftly over the sliert sher slier ? t . face"Stuart faceStuart face faceStuart -Stuart Stuart "Stuart - " surprisetuart ? ? " ' he asked In : . surprise f.urprse furprse } , ? Ituart tuart tuart , , , takin takln ' money out of ot a tinx tinx tin ( gx x burled burIed under the fioor1 floor ? . . , God , Tod I . . . Why . . . 'Nd Nd 'Ndwas 'Ndt Ndt ' d dwas nightEsh , was In tliat that cabin the night nighth h was shot I I'Of IOf " ' Ot Of course , Nat , you're youre ' not dumb ' Ezra ra raa8 ' was \a8 a8 ssas \ so damned sure that thatt thatit t ankle hid h'1d h1d had ' been sprained the thebt theht theht ; bt ht Cash was killed kllled and that the thecouldn't thecouldn't theI couldn't couldnt ' 've ve 'ye ye ' gotten botten out . . . . , Oh Oh OhUl , 1 I The Tbe best of ot us usil 11 make mahe mls mis mlses misI misres I es " s rldger ridger s a face . Wli.s Wlis silts . ' " "to to " " * " Atf-i Atf i - > rita gray Siajf with tVUU e ee eemeat CV CViment , = iment ment meat . . "Nobody Nobody " else knowsNot knows knowsl knowss l 1 ? " " s Not a n soul , tar far fars s I know . , I toldejay toldejay told toldicjny icjny ejay to keep his mouth shut 8hut . . " f fridger Iridgcr ridger began to pace the tbe floorgltatIon floorJ floor flooragitation J agitation gltatIon gitatlon gitatloni agitationt gltatIont i ? t won't wont ' do to go alone Takin Takln ' aan an as a murder suspect surpect ; nin aln ale t a apIe apie npie pIe matter . As a n matter ot of ofp ofy 1 p ' deputyh , ' I'd Id ' ought to have hae hale , ms my m deput deputy b h me " Yes es , and then some , maybe . " maybe"Would maybeWould Would you go along . , Tod Tod'Anything TodAnything ? ' nythlng nything I can do I d feel it my myy my'J myJ ' to do " " " ' 7 y He lIe rose 'Tell Tell "Tell YOll you youpt YOllt yout t : ; ' I've Ive l've lve ' got to drag along home homenight home19ht homefight 19ht fight hear somethin Bomethln ' there 111 III IIIwaltln I 111waltin 11 11walUn waltin walUn waltln ' ' " when "hen hen sshen you and nnd Butch Butchw Butchiw w up " And d that'll thatll ' be as quick as M I 1 can hold canhold of him ' I'll Ill ' try it by telene telenC tele- tele telenc - - ne nc . . . . . " l - o It was that when B.lrn Blrn Ezra E . ra Adams Adamsy , y black bag In his hand , mount mount.the mountthe . . the Jail JaU steps to make mako a n call callIlltIent callbis . - his patient IlltIent ! there , he heird he'lrd helrd Beard ' the thethe 7 the prisoner had bad heard . . . . . > . - . . - . . erry Young , dog at his heels heelsed heelssed , ed the trestle toward West's Wests ' ding dingr West'sding Westsding dingcar r > . . car stood before Tod West's Wests West'se w/ w wcfo / > cfo cfoe ' e . e . A group lounged beloro before the thee thee e . e . . backhe backbe backJ od West West , . , within , had his back J be sheriff sberltr and bis his ; deputy . They Theyt { t not seen Young's Youngs ' passing but butt t had and for tor a D . moment the thefelt felt panic come again Into IJ08 pos DOSIon IJ08Ion posion Ion of his bls faQlUes fac facaltles.aunjE facaltlesaunjE itles . . sung ung , .Uve Uve alive . UTC and In town ? ' . . , . , c * k And when he returned from Shoe- Shoe ShoestrIng Shoestring Shoe-string Shoe string - - strIng at noon Bluojay DIuejay Bluejay had been beenwaWng beenwaiting beenwaiting waWng waiting for him with word that thatYoung thatYoung thatYoung Young was forever torever removed trom from tromthe fromthe fromthe the Mad Woman I ! The 'breed breed ' had hadcollected hadcollected hadcollected collected his money , too - two twotwenties twotwenties twotwenties twenties and a tenFranh tenFrank ten tenFrank Frank Franh Bluejiy Dluej'1Y Dluej1Y Bluejay ' had been so sure ; had told Tod West of ot how Young Younghad Younghad Younghad had gone down Into the deep waters watersof watersof watersof of Townllne TownUne lake ; of how his dog doghad doghad doghad had swum round and round the thedrifting thedrifting thedrifting drifting canoe and finally struck struckout struckout struckout out for shore . A shaking slinking rage gripped him blm The TheIndian TheIndian TheIndian Indian had lied 11ed , then I'We'd I'We'd I We'd Wed 'We'd ' ' ought to be gone . , Tod I ! I"So ISo " So . , Bridger , breaking In on his hissnltt hisswift bisswift snltt swift train of ot speculation and anddoubt anddoubt anddoubt doubt and suspicion . . "He He " mightUght mightlight might jUght Ught light out out . , . . .n n : . .n"Ready " ' "Ready Ready " soon , " , " he said thickly . Young ' was 'i'ias iias now out of ot Tad Tod TadWest's TodWest's TodWest's TodWests West's Wests ' siglit sight , but In full view of ofFrank ofFrank ofFrank Frank Bluejay , sitting in a chair chairtllted chairtilted chairtilted tllted tilted against the store wall . Kerry had been in full tull sight of ofthe ofthe ofthe the man for , perhaps , ten seconds secondsstanding , standing there In the door doorway " ay , sur- sur surveying sur surveying - . veying veylng the dozen people In the es estabUshment establishment establlshment tabUshment tablishment . . This his gaze came cameto cameto cameto to rest on the 'breed breed ' . Bluejay's Bluejays ' one foot had been beenswinging beenswinging beenswinging swinging Idly . On Young's Youngs ' appear appearance appearante appearnnce ance ante the arc ! It t made dimInished dimInishedMore diminishedMore diminishedMore More and more slowly It swung un un- un untit un-tit un tit - . m tit It came to rest and during that thatInterval thatinterval thatInterval Interval the man's mans ' jaw sagged . He sat so , gaping , unmoving unmolng unmosing unmo\ unmo \ lng , and andthen andthen andthen then his chair came down to all allfour allfour allfour four legs with a thud while the theheritage theheritage theheritage heritage of the Indian in him blm , all allthe allthe allthe the superstition and regard for tor lpg leg lpgend legend legend end , swirled s"lrled slrled " upward to possess him himcompletely himcompletely himcompletely completely . No one else had noticed this ; did didnot didnot didnot not until Young spoke , easily easilyenou easilyenough easilyenougli enou enoure enough enough"ire : "Yre Yre "ire ire " \re re \ you yon surprised surpnsed , Bluejay BluejaYl ? " " He IIe laughed , then , and the laugh laughter laughter laughter ter was hard , memcing men'lclng menlclng menacing ' laugherSIonl laugherSlowly laugher laugherSlow Slow SIonl Slowly I } , Bluejav DlueJav Blueyav rose to his feet feet.bands feetbands . , hands bands behind him , shoving sholng shosing , on the thechair thechair thechair chair back bach to aid his Ius weakened wea1.ened wea1ened . leg legmuscles legmuscles legmuscles muscles A luminous fear danced dancedIn dancedn dancedIn ! In n the black blac1 . eyes eyes"Surprised eye & : . "Surprised Surprised " ehl eh ? ' ' Kerry began to tondvnce toadvance toadvince toadvinceThats ndv\nce ndv nce advance ' \ 'fhat fhat ' . -Thats Thats .Chats Chats - s \ what hat I came for torBluejay , llluejay Bluejay , to see " who'd whod "ho'd hod ' ' be sur- sur surprised sur surprised - . prised prisedI I ' ' , The man was retreiting retre'1t1ng retre1t1ng retreating ' , now nowhands , bands hands spread against the 'i'i ii ' wall all , sid aid sidUng aidling sidling Ung ling along , making for the rear . He Hedid Hedid Hedid did pot 110t not speak , though bis his lips lipswor1.ed lipsworked lipsworked lipsworkedKerry wor1.ed wor1ed worked . wor1.edKerry workedKerry Kerry moved faster and as the'breed the the'breed the'breed thebreed 'breed breed ' turned left oft orr his touch on onthe onthe onthe the painted boards and nnd , halt hnlf half stag staggermg staggering staggenng germg gering , lurched lurclled down the room , was wasupon wasupon wasupon upon hIm"I him"I him "I I " T didn't didnt dIdn'tI ' I ' " " Bluejay llluejay gasped as asYoung's asYoung's asYoung's asYoungs Young's Youngs ' hind h'lnd hlnd hand ' fastened factened ; on his shirt shirtat shirtat shirtat at the shoulders , spinning him himaround himaround himaround around "I I " . . . I didn dldn ' . , . . . " " he hemoaned hemoaned hemoaned hemoaned"Didn't moaned moaned"Didn't "Didn't Didnt " ' what 'i'ihat7 iihat7 ' ? ' Kerry's Kerrys ' voice was waslb.e waslike waslike lb.e lbe like ] . the crack of a 'i'i ii ' whip hIp Didn't Didnt 'Didn't 'Didn'twhat 'Didn'twhat Didntwhat ' Didn'twhat'l ' what'l whatl what what'lInsistently whatinsistently ' ? Insistently -Insistently - when no reply replywas replywas replywas was forthcoming forthcomingHe He let go an arm and his bls hard fin fingers fingers fingers gers grasped the 'breed breed 'breeds breeds ' s throat throatBeseechingly throatBeseechingly throatBesecchlngly Beseechingly , Bluejay llluejay let drop dropsomething dropsomething dropsomething something he had held In one hand band handand bandand bandand and grasped gracped ; Youngs Young s wrists"Don'l wrists"Don't wrists wrists"Don "Don'l Donl "Don't Dont "Don Don " ' ' I ' he be moined mo\ned mo ned moaned ' \ ' Don DonYoung ' , Young I 1 ! I . . . . . . I didn dldn ' . . . " . - " His knees were sagging , but butKerry butKerry butKerry Kerry held the man halt ball half erect by byhis byhis byhis his throat'You throat throat'You throatYou 'You You ' You lIe llel I ! " he growled 'You You ' You lie lieBluejay , DIuejay Bluejay 1 I ! You're Youre ' guilty ullty as heIL hell . And Andwhat Andwhat Andwhat what you're youre ' going to do Is this thisi 1 ! 1'You're You're Youre 'You're ' ' going out of this coun country country country try as fast as the good God w111 will w111let willlet willlet let you youl 1 ! And If It you ever show up upagain upagainshaking upagain again again-shaking again shaking ; , " ' - shaking sba1.lng sba1lng . him slowly- slowly slowlyif slowly - 'Ifyou Ifyou ' It if Ityou ifyou you show 3 sour your our face f.lce flce . here so long as asI'm asI'm asI'm asIm I'm Im ' ' here 111 I11 strangle you yon to death deathas deathas deathas as sure as water runs down hllli hllliNow hill ! INow Now . . , . , do sou you ou understand ? ' WI With th a n sideways shleways fling llmg , he let the theman theman theman man go Bluejay muejay sprawled on the thefloor thefloor thefloor floor , but before he cime c\me c me came ' \ to rest resthe resthe resthe he was scramblln scrambling to hl his < ; feet , elr cir elrclIng circling circling clIng to be awiy aw'lY awlY away ' from Young To Toward Toward Toward ward the door he scuttled and anddon anddown anddown don down n the steps he ran . . . As Kerry stopped to pick up thatwhIch thatwhich thatwhich whIch the breed had bad dropped , the thesputter thesputter sputter and roar of a n motor could couldbe couldbe be heird heud heard and " when "hen hen he smoothed smoothedout smoothedout out the bill and searched Its crisp |