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Show IMS ALAN LE MAY the Bar Hook the focal point of the disaster. The Incredibly general prompt and bold decisions of Bob Elliot's threatened 88 now promised to make the Bar Hook the focal point of the sequel. Whatever could be said against Bob Elliot be was proving now that he could make a decision that popped like a blacksnake whip. The 88's first drive of cattle was already spread all over the middle of the Bar Hook range, cutting heavily Into the feed that the Bar Hook Hereford would need long before the spring. Yet now, of all times In his career. Campo Ragland chose this to go Into what appeared to be a black and hopeless funk. The boss of the Bar Hook was habitnow, and the curve of ually bis forehead was no longer a bland majestic sweep. He looked as If be might at any moment spit red hot pebbles. Campo's unaccountable vacillation was breaking the morale of bis riders. The day after the Inquest Kentucky Jones got back from the morning's work before the rest He found Jean In the kitchen. Her eye quickened instantly as Kentucky Jones came In, "Are the others back?" "Not yet" "Come here," she commanded. "1 have to talk to you." "Just a second." Ha went to the phone and belled the gunsmith at Waterman. Old Mark Ferris, Wolf Bench gunsmith for. more than twenty years, knew most of the guns In the Waterman rimrock ; and Kentucky bad talked to bim the day before in an effort to trace the ownership of the gun found In Zack Sanders' hand. It had seemed to him odd that Zack, who owned no gun belt, should have been carrying a gun ; and he bad been led to wonder If Zack could have been forewarned, and had perhaps borrowed the weapon. If this were true, he wanted to know whose gun Zack had borrowed. Therefore he had , set Ferris searching through his records for the serial number of the questioned gun, in the hope that the old gunsmith could recall to whom the gun had been sold. Presently Mark Ferris' voice came over the wire, querulous and faint "I can't find any record of that gun," he said. "I don't believe I ever sold that gun, Kentuck." "You must have sold It," Kentucky Insisted. "Look here, Ferris this is no Joke! Look again, will you?" "All right." Kentucky hung up and went to sit opposite Jean at the table where she was at work. "I suppose by this time," 6he began, "you have no end of theories about what happened here." "I used to know an old Hon hunter, name of Old Man Coffee," Kentucky told her. "Whenever a killing or something had everybody else balled up, they used to send for Old Man Coffee. He didn't always unravel the trail ; but he seemed to see through a lot of things that fooled other folks. And once I asked him how he did it "He said he made things easy for himself by never having a theory he Just kept hunting up facts, and when he had enough to give him the answer, there wasn't any teory about It he knew. Me, I think Old Man Coffee's i way was a good way." She stopped work and studied him. "I can't make you out" she said at last "You mean you have no Idea of your own who killed Mason or Zack Sanders or why?" "Child," he said, "how long Is it going to be before you tell somebody anybody what you know?" She looked at him suddenly as she answered; and he knew that she lied to him, bravely, and with open eyes. "I haven't the least Idea what you mean," she said. "All right But I ought to tell you this If I stay here much longer, I'll know who killed Mason and why." "You you're sure of that?" "The facts I have are very few," he said. "I don't know where they lead. But already I know they lead a clear straight trail. The facts are too distinct and clear to be pointing more than one way. Those two men killed at the same time, but by two different calibers of guns; this house being searched; the fact that the two were killed at almost the same time, but were found lying nearly sixty yards apart each thing stands out sharp as the slot of a deer In the snow. When those facts are Anally fitted together nobody will ever be able to blur them so that there's any doubt." "If you're going to turn yourself into a spy" Jean began hotly. She stopped, checked by the steadiness of his regard. Kentucky Jones said gently, "Who are you shielding, Jean?" She straightened and stood looking out through the clear space In the middle of the frosted pane. Her face was passive, but her head was up with a fine proud carriage, and her hair was smoky flame. 'Tm glad It's over with," she said at last. "Sooner or later you were bound to ask that of course." "Of course," he repeated. He could not see that there was any sign of faltering In this glrL It was as If she could expect her whole world to come down around her In a rattling avalanche If ever she lost her grip. She drew a deep unsteady breath. "I I was trying to talk to you about something else." red-eye- W.N.U. stnvict breath. "Yes I expect It was. You'd better keep this to yourself, Joe, If you know what's good for you." She added, CHAPTER V Continued 8t Marie did not answer ; he bad re- treated Into the stolidity possible to Ms darker forbears. Kentucky, stepping to the edge of Ike bank, smoothly lifted thp from St Marie's side and tossed It Into another bunk. The music stopped Short six-gu- Kentucky said, "Now you talk !" Joe St Marie slid his high heels nder him, bunched himself as If he sjrere going to start bis music again; p&n the harmonica dropped to the ftoor as be uncoiled and sprang. Kentucky dropped into a crunch and laced out with a long uppercuttlng wallop. Two seconds later St Marie ras on his back between the stove and the wall, while Kentucky held him Howd with a knee on the btunc rider's sbest "Now you be good." he said. By O d, you fool with me, I'll snap yvu like a whlpl" St Marie made a desperate effort to lPf "Both of you." She sent Kentucky Jones a glance that might have been an appeal; then suddenly turned and let herself out the door. Kentucky Jones hesitated and opened bis mouth to ask Joe St Marie a question ; then, changing bis mind, he followed her. At the sound of the door Jean turned and waited; he fell In beside her and walked with her to the house. "Miss Ragland," he said, "who, besides yourself, knows what Joe St Marie saw tonight?" She turned on him quickly. "Listen," she said. "Listen. I've got to tell you this: When I when I gave you that bullet I swear I didn't know you had been here the day the day Mason was killed. If I'd thought there was the least chance of your getting bogged down in this thing " "Am I bogged down?" "Can't you see what Floyd Hopper means to do? Right or wrong he'll see somebody roped. And that means more than Just the sheriff against the man he picks. All Wolf Bench will rise up to back the sheriff's play, without Justice, without mercy" "We won't worry about that. Just yet" "But I tell you, Kentucky, if I'd only known Is It true that he can show you had a reason to kill Mason?" He considered. "Yes," be said. "What can I say?" Her whisper came to him brokenly. "What can I say?" "How did you first know that Mason was murdered?" he asked. She said In a smothered voice, "I can't tell you now." "Did you know that Zack Sanders was dead?" "No I I didn't; know! I never guessed " "Then" 6t Marl "Don't! Don't ask me any more. 1 can't I can't" "Child," he said gently, "you don't need to tell me anything yon don't feei like telling me, now or any other time. If there's anything I can do to make things go any easier for you, I want to do it And I don't blame you for wishing I was out of this. But " Made a Desperate Effort to Rise. vise. "Jones, there's somebody com4 ing!" ; c i "I dont care if there's a regiment coming. You're going to sit quiet and pretty until we talk this over." "Then take my gun I Take my gun yourself," Joe St Marie urged him. "You want to die?" The honest fear In Joe St Marie was not for Kentucky, he now recognized ; undoubtedly it was for the approach beyond the door. "All right" said disgustedly. He left the bronc rider, recovered St Marie's gun, and tuck it negligently In his waistband. There was a low tapping at the door. - Ken-tock- y "No," she said In a small voice, "no, I want you to stay here." He said to himself, "Good Lord, she means to use me yet I" Aloud he said, "Then that's all right" She spoke with difficulty. "This this is the meanest thing I ever did in my life." "What Is?" She did not answer him ; but Instead she unexpectedly crooked an elbow around his neck, pulled down his head, and kissed his mouth. When she was gone he stood for a moment or two In the snow, considering. Far off somewhere a timber wolf howled, the first be had heard in half a dozen years. d . "Come In I" The door opened quickly, but not wide, and Jean Ragland slid in. She CHAPTER VI , hut the door and leaned against it her hands behind her upon the latch. Had It stood alone, the shooting of She wore no coat. "What's the matter Zack Sanders, a crippled ranch cook, here 7" she demanded. might have passed with little notice. "Joe and I were wrestling," said But the obvious and at the same time Kentucky. "What's broke loose, Miss extremely elusive connection between Kagland?" the killing of Sanders and the death of "Nothing's broke loose." Her blue John Mason stirred new war talk yes looked almost black, but the yel- throughout the length of the rimrock. low lamp light turned her hair into a Even while, it was generally supflowing smolder, as If there were Are posed that Mason had died by the .In It "All right Joe I can't stay here accidental discharge of his own gun, forever; what happened tonight?" the temper of the rimrock cattlemen Joe St Marie dropped his eyes and had been stormy and Insecure. Now wayed from side to side like a steer suddenly they were asked to accept baffled by a fence. "Aw, Miss " the news that Mason's death had been no accident; that the redoubtable Old "Come out with It now!" Ironsides had been murdered by parJoe St Marie squirmed. "You ties unknown. rwouldn't believe " Twenty-fou- r hours after Lee Bishop "Never mind that" discovered the body of Zack Sanders 1 "1 seen a ghost Miss Ragland, I under the snow, the whole rimrock wear to heaven," I seen the ghost of knew both the discovery and Its meanjjohn Mason, as plain as I see you ing. Fully as many people swarmed stand there now I" Into Waterman for the inquest upon The girl was silent a moment, the shooting of Zack Sanders as had astounded by St Marie's Idiotic answer. gathered for the Mason inquest. But "For heaven's sake, Joe, pull yourself this time the people showed a different (together! If some rider has been Into mood. The death of Mason had left the cattle people irritable, but dazed 'jthls layout I want to know".,, "Miss Ragland," St Marie Insisted, and uncertain. The proof of murder ' PTie got good eyes. I don't forget turned them ugly. Sheriff Hopper had lYoo think I don't remember how Old expected this revelation to arouse a Ironsides used to set, half crooked In certain amount of criticism and disthe saddle with his shoulders hunched pute; but he had d the r yon think I. wouldn't know him out difficulty of his position at least 75 jsf a thousand men" per cent It was Jean Ragland that Kentucky And there had sprung up among the jjones was watching; and now he saw cattlemen themselves an even more unpat comprehension had come to her. certain situation. The circumstances fjhe seemed to stiffen, and her eyes of Mason's murder had already made looked even darker than before. "I saw it twice," Joe St Marie was THE STORY FROM THE OPENING CHAPTER rushing on now. "The first time sitting out there on the hump ; and again At the inquest into the death of John Mason, banker, Jean, daughter of when I ' went out to feed my horse, Campo Kagland, owner of the Bar Hook ranch, where Mason met death, surfarther out going down the tralL I reptitiously passe to Kentucky Jones the bullet which had killed Mason. KenThe Mason verdict is accidental tucky goes to work on the Bar Hook ranch. fired at It and it disappeared." Bob Elliot, owner of the adjoining- - range, drives his cattle on the Bar "All right Joe. Was that all you death. Hook land. Lee Bishop, Ragland's ranch boss, expostulates, and Bill McCord, saw?" Elliot's foreman. Insults him. Bishop and Jones are astounded at Ragland's into Elliot's action. Bishop urges Kentucky to try to influence Jean to "Gid G d, Miss Ragland, wasn't difference arouse her father. He does so, unwillingly, and her reaction mystifies him. Zack hat enought" Bar Hook cook, is found dead, murdered. Sheriff Hopper, investigating ) Jean Ragland drew a deep unsteady Sanders, Sanders' death, announces his knowledge that Masoa also was murdered. Rag-land- ! under-estimate- ' "I'm sorry, Jean." She looked at him hard. "It's nearly the noon," she said. "In a few minutes me this, Tell In. be will coming riders Kentucky: If you were boss of thenar brand?" Hook, could you save the "I only know one way. It's a way that most men would hesitate to take. "And what is that?" "To feed Elliot his own medicine. It would mean more riders; all of them men. It wouia tough, trouble-huntin83 brand those run to be their Job cattle back where they came from ; and run them again next week, and the come week after, and every time they run them till their bones rattle, and In the half of them are muzzle-dow- n snow. But If a man thinks he might sadbe squeamish about seeing empty hesdles come in then he might better way." that takes he before itate some, "Would your she asked him. "Would you hesitate?" "If It was my brand no." "Listen." She leaned toward bim, her hands on the table. "My father isn't going to fight" "Not now, you mean?" "Not now, nor later, nor ever." "Jean," said Kentucky, "Is it you that's keeping him from making his fight?" She hesitated, as if she truly did not know how to answer. "Yes," she said mouncertainly at last Then after a ment she changed It "No," she said. "I kept Campo out of a fight once; maybe it was a fight that he should have made. But It's out of my hands now, Kentuck." "You sure don't give me much to go on," Kentucky said. "But 111 say this: if ever he's going to make his fight now is the time; every day that he puts it off makes it harder in every way. If he puts it off long enough Elliot will have every chance to win." A look of forlorn desperation came into her face. "If the Bar Hook was in your hands do you think you could make a fight that would stand Elliot White Sheers Keynote Summer CM( By CHERIE NICHOLAS g ' t Ik-- ' A' f0 v' off?" "Are you trying to sell me the Bar Hook?" "What good would that do? There isn't a cattleman In the world who cal of smartest midsummer trends. At the top to the left a cape and a ruche of crisp white net, which is really more note in summer of a tulle than a net with two THE forthstanding is the increased interest lend enchantment to a camelias, in femininity. Wherefore ths glory of gown of the same tulle posed over diaphanous materials of rapturous white moire. A cluster of camelias loveliness once more, as In the pictursnuggle in among the tulle flounces esque days of old, hold sway in the of the skirt. realm of pretty summery apparel. EvThe young girl seated below Is wearerywhere dotted Swisses, embroidered a darling ingenue gown. For this ing or plain crgandies and nets, chiffons frock Chanel uses yards and dainty and dainty sheers of multi-typ- e flatter of ruffles edged with fine val yards the summer landscape. The call for lace on the cape and skirt of white white Is insistent In these weaves of mousseline de soie. elusive ethereal beauty with new and The pretty creature sitting opposite delectable colors putting forth rival is gowned in finest of cotton net The claims. bodice top is modishly shirred. The First and foremost among the new bolero of matching net ties with a big sheers is mousseline de sole. The imcasual bow at the throat. The volportant message about these voguish uminous skirt is the very picture of moussellnes is that modern science has or sitting succeeded in producing a washable grace, walking, dancing Is a belt trimmed with There down. type comes from a tubbing as fresh kid leaves with garland to match and lovely as ever was. Every woman gold In her hair. who heretofore lamented the fact of Speaking of embroidered net, for a the of the exquisite which goes formal, who moussellnes which are so dear to her party frock of think could anything more entrancheart will rejoice at the good tidings ensemble worn by the the than ing that there is a new mousseline de soie charming girl standing to the right In which actually can be laundered. I Dots embroidered in delAnd here's some more good news a the group icate bonbon colors, pink blue and yelmousseline de sole which is shadow-patterne- d on their sheer look confetti-lik- e in You'll love it! low, satin ribbons Pink white background. Makes up adorably over a taffeta founIn the waist the and tie the throat dation. Comes in white or pastels, full cape with wrap tvlth first honors going, however, to graceful matching revives the "fascMalnbocher sleeves, white, since white keynotes to summer Is making a big :hic. For that "one more" party frock inator fashion" which season. The to add to your summer collection, why hit with debutantes this face with the frames tulle hood dainty not choose plain or shadow-patterneruffles. It little an aureole of crisp uousseline de sole? head with The lovely, white frothy, filmy, va- can be thrown back off the perfect ease. porous frocks In the picture are typi Western Newspaper Union. wax-whi- "Are You Trying to Sell Me the Bar Hook?" would be fool enough to buy the outfit now. But even If we did sell it that would be almost as bad as to lose it altogether. Campo Is rooted too deep in Wolf Bench cattle. If he loses the Bar Hook he'll never amount to anything again. You can't understand that, for you've never taken root But Campo I'd almost as soon see him dead." "Then?" "Listen," she said intensely. She dropped her elbows to the table, bringing her face nearer his ; and her words came tumbling out In an Intense whisper. "I own a fifth share of the Bar Hook, in my own name. There's no question of selling the brand. But I could sell you my fifth share. Take it In the form of so many hundred trade steers you to make the cut ; or in any iorm you want, would you take It? He stalled for time, mizzled. "How much are you asking?" he said. "One dollar," Jean answered. He stared at her. "And a strine to it?" "This: delivery will not be until next spring; and the cut will be based upon tne valuation of the cattle on the ranee at that time." He rolled a cigarette, considering. "See If I get this straight," he said. "You're offering me your share of the Bar Hook to make the fight that your father won't make or can't make. Is self-colo- r. d FROG FASTENINGS FOR GARDEN PARTY USED EXTENSIVELY By CHERIE NICHOLAS that it?" "Yes." she said. She was very pale. "Lee Bishop can't do anything he's Just a hired foreman and can only carry out Campo's orders. But If you own part of the cattle, with winter grazing rights on the Bar Hook range then you're Justified in protecting your own interests, even though Campo doesn't Quaint, old timey frocks are new defend his. I don't think Bob Elliot will fight; I think he'll let his cattle fashion for garden party wear. This drift back to their home range. But 3ne is of white mousseline de soie (a first he has to know he's up against a favorite fabric this summer). It is man that will fight him clear Into the piped with mulberry. The violet colored bally buntl hat ground." Kentucky sat studying the slow is flowered In violet shades matching It Is a very blue tendrils of smoke from his cig- the corsage bouquet pretty custom which has been revived arette. that of wearing flowers to match the "The deal won't be questioned," Jean said. "You're known to have enough posies on one's hat. Imagine a soft money to buy into a brand If you want Aiiite straw encircled with a wreath to. And nobody can look at you with)f real African daisies with a necklace out knowing that whatever you set if the same daisies about your neck your hand to you'll fight through some mounted on a velvet ribbon or a stiff way maybe Just for the love of fightbouquet posed at the front of a navy straw sailor, with a ing, for all I know." Hatching boutonniere In your button-'iole- . (TO BE COjVTi., i ED) And here Is the real thrill to ihis story the very fashionable set Rouses Lagging Mind s wearing real flowers In this way, Pituitary gland extract fed to a small child has been found to rouse a lagging :"resh plucked from the garden or the florist shop. mind. broad-brimme- d Frogs have hopped into the middle of the fashion swim this season. Frog fastenings are used on everything from evening gowns to summer suits, and lend an opportunity for original color contrasts and a new casral air for more or less formal costumes. Time was when the field of the frog fastenings was limited to pajamas, but that time is no more. You'll be seeing them on the newest shirtwaist frocks this season, on suits of wool and linen, on blouses and summer coats, on beach frocks and evening gowns. Schiaparelli uses gold frog fastenings down the front of a green dinner gown, In a manner both decorative and military. one Evening gowns often employ and neckline, the at huge frog fastening lightweight woolen coats for summer are shown with frogs all the way down the front London Fashions of 1910 Influencing U. S. Style Fashions of 1910, arriving via London and the silver Jubilee, are influencing the styles of 1935 in the United States. Flowers, feathers, silk ribbons, laces, In lingerie touches, are being wornoutfor the 1910 manner. The vogue door dining has transformed the afternoon dress and garden party frock of 1910 Into the daylight dining ensemble of 1935. of reminiscent Cartwheel hats, dainaccompany Widow" "Merry days, most ty printed silk suits, with the feminine of blouses. Black silk taffeta slips rustle under cream-colorelace daytime coats and dinner gowns. Accordion pleated silks In the manner of Fortuny make hostess gowns to be worn against tufted sofas and modern Victorian Interiors. d |