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Show &!fALAN LE MAY ?a , L 'X-,.., r.-M v 4 ,. a v i c ft I .HAPTER XH-Contlnued i ' 16 it the case worse scattered ! than ,o'H trv to tie it together , ,.,r0's where we tackle Hill j ;,, ifS the turn, It's the 1 J n hoar me? I've K"t to l Are you backing me ot iyl e the that killed S:.n- j Hopper obeyed, ami Ken-:,o:;,.s Ken-:,o:;,.s smck It in his walst--1 conio 0" 1" " I n,irs of eyes turned upon I 'Xv Jones and Floyd Hopper :'tV.ie into the kitchen. In i .'-j from which they had I ,i four men had been armed ; ; J aceustomed had they be- w the sagging Rim belts as -j equipment in the last few :it here it was Ted Baylor Kl McCord, who were un- i ho looked unusual and "rjs now. Floyd Hopper was j -j jtii sharp-eyed ; but though s to Hopper the eyes of the - waiting men turned, it was -:;Sj Jones who spoke, his . is unpleasantly cold and ugly ; an broken rock. : aimed Bill McCord the gun i, had killed Sanders the gun ( had been in Sanders' hand as Shop fonnd him dead. ira't suppose," he said to Mc-you Mc-you ever saw this gun be- i ;' i :: McCord seemed to consider i long moment. "Maybe I have," laid at last; "and maybe I on'd yon care to say where It I then you saw it last?" jilomoroDS grin twisted one side J ford's face. "Ton go to h 1," lowered. r-iiceky Jones eyed him sorrow-1 sorrow-1 "Is that final?" he said, po bet your life it's final 1" 13 sorry for this," Kentucky I. 1 swear to heaven, I believe going to be an injustice I- 1 was afraid of this ! But ji ilcCord is a man who means I ke says, Floyd ; If he won't I ie won't talk. I guess there's I to do but follow up what I : says don't It look that way li?" ;d Hopper had no more Idea hat Jones was talking about I did McCord. But he was a r player, and a good one; and M been In office for a long J 'It sure looks that way," he I stocky Jones said,- "You're un-pest, un-pest, McCord." J ' moment no one spoke. A f fleam came Into Bill MeCord's f "Who says so?" he demanded I f! more the sheriff, completely complete-ly the dark as he was, backed t-Nky's play gamely. "I gay so." j J McCord. ' f inally," sali Kentucky, "I I tk Jon're guilty, BUI. I'll I ' was kind of hoping that I J closed In on bigger game, t suppose we onght to be pat we can hang this on any-I any-I at alL I pjesg wg better te I at anything you say will be "gainst you, McCord." f ' IcCord 8pat ,nt0 the woQd , "hat am I charged with?" r'fflanded. rkBurder Lee Bishop," said j cm's face hardened, but he Z J the makInS of his I e- In the first place," he aSn't anywhere near It. 1 the second place It wasn't no I t,' r BIshop was kll'ed in a I iand-up fight." I Kent,!!.! '3 Plumb nseless," pmtticky contemptuously, "be- Wiled. Bishop was knocked "an hidden In the rocks three ( tilled M aWay: and the slS I ed him was poured into him : I L down and helpless. :y torva7y,ns hlm t0 cover' hr B S , proved by the na- f'lThf. PSWOUn3s- Falr fight, Lbf 8ta;ed t Jones, his face rWi;r last he sho15 his he n,"1 ta,ie 811 that to h v,,My ns' If you wa3 th k r0Ua knw that I wasn't PlZtot from cover' 1 te Li y, Mld' "J dlan't see Nth'm d never have named hwDIf Bb EI1,ot hadn't plllotj 'til K'oru r.,UIm '"se his guts?" Kahrndeii Incredulously. t,. nt one!" x,i miriro shrugged. "1 .l;.Ty," he said signifl to ,;r-,ord' lf you've got any. 'or yourseJf you mire bettor talk. I tell you. lClllot's Sone out from under you, you fool 1" r.ill McCord stnrod again ie,. tatod. Then he laughed shortly 'lliat s n lie," he decided. "Thnt n lie from the ground up! Neither mo nor Klllot had anything to do with any of this." "So be It," said Kentucky.' "Floyd bring In KlUot. Or, hero I'll br!n him myself." He Unshed a mall-"ant mall-"ant grin at McCord, and went out. liohlml him Hopper said to hl deputy, "Watch this guy, Willie 1" lie followed Kentucky .Tones. Kentucky nnd the sherilT paused for a whispered conference beyond the door, "By C d, Jones," said the sheriff "I believe that guy knows some-' thing." "Of course he knows something,' Kentucky said irritably. .. "But be got through the loop on you," Hopper said. "He's too cool and tough to stampede. You've played your ace, and never took a trick. What are you going to do now?" "Lead the jack." said Kentucky, j unperturbed. As he moved on to tlie room where Campo wis holding Bob Elliot he no longer believed that he could lose. A dissension was beginning In the little room where Campo was presiding over the now conscious Elliot. Jean and Campo did not appear to have moved; but the boss of SS was sitting np In a chair. He leaned forward, his hands srrinnln!. the arms, nnd glowered at Ragland with eyes that seemed not quite able to focus accurately. "Put down that gun," he was saying. "There's no d n " He checked as Kentucky and the sheriff appeared. "Tell him." Kentucky whispered sidelong to Hopper, "he's under arrest." ar-rest." "You're under arrest, Elliot," said the sheriff. "Tell him," Kentucky prompted. " 'McCord has spilled the beans.' " "McCord has spilled the beans." the sheriff repeated to Elliot with convincing emphasis. Eob Elliot stared at them vaguely vague-ly for a full quarter of a minute. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said finally. Kentucky nudged Hopper, but this time the sheriff didn't wait for his whispered instructions. For the first time, Hopper seemed ready to go forward under his own power. "You're charged with murder, Elliot," El-liot," he said. "McCord has told It all." Elliot stared at the sheriff for a long moment more. "I'll talk to Mr. McCord," he said at last, his voice harsh. "Let me talk to McCord." "I should say not," said the sheriff. "I should say yes," said Kentucky Ken-tucky Jones. "MeCord's in the kitchen, kitch-en, Elliot Just step this way." He pushed the sheriff ahead of him. Bob Elliot followed. Campo trailed along; but Jean stayed where she was. "Here's your friend, McCord," said Kentucky. "Look him over and ask yourself what you've been depending on, all this time." In the doorway Bob Elliot stood, swaying on his legs like a drunken man. The muscles about his mouth twitched and his eyes were red In a bloodless face. "Look each other over," said Kentucky Ken-tucky Jones. "A fine pair to draw to or to build a hanging, around." Bill McCord cried out, "Bob what the h 1 you been telling theses ?" "What the devil you talking about?" said Elliot, "I" Kentucky Jones otTered Elliot the butt of the gun that had killed Sanders. San-ders. "Here's your gun, Elliot. They've matched It with the bullets bul-lets that killed Zack." A light flared up in Bob Elliots eyes and he turned on Bill McCord. "If McCord says this Is my gun," he exploded, "he lies." "Ask Ted Baylor," Kentucky said. "Ted, tell the gentlemen where you last saw this gun after you won it at craps from Joe St. Marie. Ted Baylor glanced at the gun again, and he hesitated. Kentucky Jones waited, balanced in suspense. He believed that one of the two McCord or Elliot-would break under un-der the one last straw that Baylor might perhaps provide. But he had not talked to Ted Baylor-had foun.3 no chance to talk to hlm-and hlm-and he did not know what this man would say. "I guess you can remember when I saw this gun last, yourself, Bob, said Ted Baylor at last. "You're crazy," said Elliot. "I won that gun from Joe St Marie, in a crap game, one night last fall," Ted Baylor said; but didn't have it an hour before I sold B''l'0 SO (In 1 , "'"''"''.v. 0tl Z .ted;!'"1 ",e Snid:;iu-K,T;!,'n or v'"rs" Cord t J' t0 throw Bill Mc- FUiot h!fr"'11 t""li " s,cp toward 0 rt Bis,10P k,,,e, 11IulIatsr,:rt PKk a fight with Bishop for that Hetn I!Ut,,t "en" thro Jn n f,l fi'w e!i,Ile" I!isl'P himself n fair fight. If rd k ""'"""-"ndfcodS win- i W,th0l,t fl"ht' rd have " Iked out on him the minute that 1 knew !" Hob Elliot's voice rose violently. on fool, win y0U slmt d' mouth before" "I suppose," said Kentucky to Bill McCord, "you didn't even know that Boh Elliot killed Mason." "Xo, I never " "What did you suppose he wanted Bishop killed for? You didn't know he hired you to kill nishop )C(.!lllse Bishop saw him at the Bar Hook the day Mason died?" Boh Elliot began "Bill don't you let these " "You d n streak of yellow," Bill McCord snarled nt him, "I see It now! I don't wonder you disown your d n gun ! If I'd known when you killed l.ee Bishop that yon lay off nnd plugged him with a rifle '" "It's a d n lie!" said Bob Elliot again. "Is It?" McCord snarled at him, "I supposes it's a lie that you strapped on that gun and rode after Mason, that day when he laughed In your face " "By G d. McCord" Elliot shouted. shout-ed. "Put It off on me. will you?" McCord Mc-Cord shouted back at him. "I thought maybe you killed Mason, when you told me you knew he was killed with Campo's rifle. Why. you dirty side-winder " Bob Elliot's voice broke Into something almost like a squeal. "You d d " Suddenly he turned, lurched crazily at the door behind him, and was gone from the room. Willie Helmar cried, "Shall I get him? Shall I get him?" "McCord," roared Sheriff Hopper, "is this true?" "Sure It's true!" McCord frothed. "I can see it now and I can prove It on him every step of the way. nang me in his place, will he? Why, that" Suddenly Bill MeCord's face changed as if It had been struck with a whip. He whirled like a cat, snatched at the bolstered gun of Willie Helmar; and though Helmar seized MeCord's arm as the gun came out, McCord wrenched free. In that Instant Jean, In the next room, screamed, "Kentucky, look out!" And Bob Elliot's first shot spoke from the door. The next moment was one of those which witnesses afterward describe confllctingly, so that it is difficult to know the truth. Kentucky Jones shiuted."Jean, get out of line!" and though he fired In the direction of Bob Elliot, he seemed to fire at the floor. Elliot dropped to one knee. Kentucky Instantly In-stantly fired again, his second shot smashing Bill MeCord's gun wrist, so that McCord was spun half about. Almost in accord with Kentucky's Ken-tucky's second shot Bob Elliot fired again. Kentucky Jones stepped sideways as he once more fired on Bob Eillot. This time Bob went forward onto his face; and his gun, slamming from his relaxed hand, skidded half way across the lloor toward Kentucky Jones. Then gun and man lay still, and the room was still, heavy with the peculiar unforgettable unfor-gettable smell of smokeless powder. CHAPTER XIII LrENTDCKT'" sald Sheriff Hop-IV Hop-IV per, "what's happened here?" The debris had been cleared away, by now Elliot, not as seriously hit as under the circumstances, he mMit himself have wished, was of-, flcially In custody, as was Bill McCord; Mc-Cord; and Floyd Hopper was four miles up in the air. "You don't need to watch Bill McCord so close." Kentucky said; "he's ready to tell you enough to convict Elliot before any Wolf Bench jury, without '7"; ble Your case was clinched the minute you found out that Sanders was killed with the gun that was fonnd m his hand. It's been plain all along that Sanders was killed because he witnessed the ki l.ng of Mason; and you've heard McCord Sty the gun that killed San- de"But look here." Hopper insisted. -Up to the time that you got Elliot and McCord all crossed up. ynn hadn't even talked to Ted I avion -I didn't have time to get hold of him" Kentucky explained. "In the ,,ttle time after I found out from St Marie that the gun had Psed , rm-lnr's hands. But then through bay lor s n.mu that wasn't necessary, hard ;. J-ot J-ot had to have full Information before be-fore he dared to flood the Bar l ane. And be couldn't have got all CUe cattle on tbe move as quirk as e did unless he had sta-ed wo,!; lug them ,,e m,xf ,,., pr,(M Mason was killed. He could t.nnlh have got such Information so quick -unless he had killed Mason him self." "But you didn't know how manv hands that gun passed through he sides Ted Baylor's. Ted Bavin, might have passed It on to almost anybody. You couldn't count on him toname the gun as Elliot's gun." "Sure not. But that didn't matter. It's MeCord's Identification that counts. Of course, It might have been that the gun had wound up at the Bar Hook, and that Elliot walked in and borrowed It, the same as he did Campo's rifle. In that case, of course, there wouldn't have been any tangible evidence against Eillot, nnd we'd have lost out all around. But I figured that the killer would have shot quick with his own gun. In Zack's case; and then shoved the same gun into Zack's hand. He would have been in a hurry to get out of there about then." "But how did you know that the gun in Sanders' hand wasn't Zack's own gun? Now there that was the turning point of the whole thing." "You didn't see that that wasn't Zack's gun?" "Can I know every gun In the rim-rock? rim-rock? How could any man guess It wasn't his?" "You mean you thought Zack rode all over Wolf Bench carrying that gun In his hand?" "In his hand? What you driving at?" "He would have had to carry It in his hand. Sanders had no gun belt," Kentucky reminded him "he wasn't even wearing boots. And there wasn't a single pocket In his clothes that that gun would go in!" Within an hour after the showdown show-down which had thrown Elliot into the sheriff's hands. Hopper had forgotten for-gotten his gratification over the solution In his alarm over the storm which he was sure would follow. fol-low. Tomorrow word of the charge against Elliot would have swept the rimrock. Already Floyd Hopper could see himself facing the mob which he now supposed would wish to take the law Into their own hands mobs made difficult by the un-noisy un-noisy but peculiarly efficient pur-posefulness pur-posefulness of cowmen, who have made up their minds. If the sheriff uiaue up meir minus, ir tne sheritl knew his brush poppers and he thought he did unpleasantness was going to come down on him in sheets ; and he was already more Interested In-terested In plans to smuggle Elliot to some far safe confinement than he was in what had already been accomplished. With only a few hours' margin for the completion of preventive measures meas-ures the sheriff barged off to Waterman. Water-man. With him went his brother. Doc Hopper, who had been rushed out meantime to administer first aid; and Bill McCord. Late afternoon found the Bar Hook locked In that restive, exhausted ex-hausted quiet which follows any kind of explosion. Somewhere In the house Willie Helmar sat watchfully watch-fully beside the wounded Elliot, who propped himself up In bed and smoked interminably, saying nothing at all. Ted Baylor had left, and Campo had drawn off by himself and Into himself, in what mood no one knew. Kentucky Jones sat alone In the big kitchen. He wanted to talk to Jean knew that he must talk to Jean; and he dreaded it, for he had no remotest notion of what he would be able to say. Now that the war of the 88 upon Bar Hook was killed at the source, and the death of Mason no longer was a mystery which hung over Campo Ragland, Kentucky Jones found himself comprehending, as lf for the first time, the full weight of the burden which Jean had chosen to bear alone. At one time, he thought, Jean must have believed her father guilty ot the murder of Mason. For him she had smothered the evidence at once concealing her father's supposed involvement in-volvement and concealing her knowledge from Campo himself. To her Lee Bishop had told story which he himselt aid not understand under-stand ; she had known the exact status of St. Marie and Kentucky Jones, and the truth about the missing miss-ing rille ami the picture that was gone from Its frame. What Kentucky Ken-tucky had said was true that every one had confided in her. and she had confided in none. And through every hour of those days she most certainly cer-tainly had known that she was carrying car-rying In her own hands the lives of men who meant more to her than any others In the world. (TO BE CONTINUED) |