Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 1938)
PA'flF TfiTTT LOVE Oil THE RANGE .ir nun c. in. E Chapter 30 Ripping Lead A WIDE grin broke over Hatch ford's face; his eyes began to glow. "Well, now I" he said with heavy pleasantry. "That's sure too bad poor fella. He shot a gloat ing look at Ankrom; tensed. Slowly Ms grin toox on a sicxiy iook ana faded. The hand holding his pistol drooped. A 1 . ..... t 1. ! 1 A lIlHiUlIlS KUfl WB9 lil (1S ututu, held rieid at his thich. How it had otten mere Kaicmora coma not ave told but there it most cer tainly was, Its muzzle covering the third button of the sheriff's vest. The alertness of his glance never strayed from the sheriff's mottled features. 'The responsibility for Trone's death is yours, Ratchford. It's the thing you ve Been strivin lo oring about for months perhaps for years. I reckon u s time you pam. Ratchford glared in silence. "Sheath vour Bun." Shadow-like, it was just a blur of motion. Yet Ankroms heavy pistol had been holstered. Ankrom's hand hung empty at his side. There was a shake to Ratchford's hand as he pouched his own. Or had AnKrom but imagined nr "Windy here'll count three," he said. "You can yank your gun any time you ve a mina to. i u nre wncn Windy hits the three." Ratchford's face appeared to pale. "You can't I won't be no party to it!" he muttered. "I I wouldn't stand a chance against your "What kind of a chance," asked Ankrom coldly, "do you think Trone had against you an' all your hirelings?" A tremor shook Ratchford's mas sive frame. "You can't make me do thisl I had nothing to do with his death! It was Claydell that got him drinkin'; Claydell that's been sup plyin' him with booze! I had nothin' to do with it, I tell you. It wasn't me." "It wasn't you what?" "It wasn't me that's been tryin' to smash him." He seemed to make an effort to pull himself together, as though his fears were partially allayed at Ankrom's continued in action. "Claydell's the man you want." "Yeah?" Ankrom's glance was sceptical. "What about that bed time story you was spinnin" me about how you was goin' to marry Lee Trone?" "I was only funnln'." Ankrom's lips grinned coldly. "Well, that may be so. Peel off that badge an' hand it over." . He watched narrowly while the sheriff did so. Then he pinned the bit of metal to his owr vest, using his left hand in the operation. "Now we'll stroll up front an' visit your office, " he said pleas antly. "Any time durin' these pro ceedin's you think you've got a break just make a pass at your gun an' find out for sure." As they traversed the narrow corridor Ankrom wondered what had become of the frail old jailor. He had not seen the man since he had left him at the entrance to the cells. And the fellow was not sit ting there now. Once the sheriff turned his head to cast a look behind him and An krom caw the smouldering fury in his eyes. It came to him that Ratch ford's momentary show of fear might well have been a sham de signed to catch him off his guard, even as he himself had turned the tables on the sheriff. He cast a fleeting glance at Windy as they gathered in the of fico and Ratchford closed the door. The puncher's face was stamped with an expression telling far more plainly than words that events were moving much too fast for his comprehension. Ankrom faced the sheriff and his jaw thrust forward grimly."Ratch ford sit down behind that desk an' get out some paper an' a pen. You re goin' to do some writin'." 'Your Resignation' "'EAH? What am I goin' to write?" "Your resignation from the sher iff's office. To take effect immedi ately." "Are you crazy?" "We won't argue that. Get busy writin'." "You're hitln' off considerable more'n you'll be able to chew." "You watch my dust." "This thing ain't over yet." "Stock phrase. Whyn't you think up a new one?" Ankrom jeered. His cold blue eyes bored rteadily into the long rmoky ones of Ratchford, who suddenly broke forth in a flood of invective. A gleam of derision entered An krom's glance. "Turn it off. You're wastin' slcam. Get busy an' add to that paper that you're recommend in' me to finish out your term." "You don't think that'll buy you anything, do you?" "You do as 1 say an' never mind what I think. There's a number of polecats still stinkin' 'ip this coun. try. That paper ought to cover me long enough to get 'cm extermi nated. Far as that goes, this office would make a line Ankrom broke off abruptly. A knock had sounded upon the of fice's outer door and Ankrom's back was toward It. Ho dared not turn his head for he was in a line between the sheriff and the doc. He raised his voice: "Who's there?" "Craig," there was Impatience In the answer. Ankrom looked at Ratchford. Ratchford grinned and his smooth, unwrinkled forehead expressed a mighty satisfaction. "My deputy," he chuckled. "Your garne t up, fella." The calm tranquillity of An krom's glance was disconcerting. His chuckle matched the sheriff's. 'Think so? Go ahead an' call him in." For the space of a dozen heart beats there was stillness in the of fice; a lack of sound that was tight with danger, wherein the clicking of clashing thoughts was almost audible; a silence strained and electric a thing to cock one's mus cles, to set one's teeth on edge. Across this hush the two men stared malignantly, each striving to eye the other down. Slowly Ratchford's face went purple. Ankrom was leaning a trifle forward. "Go on, Ratchford call him in," he purred. Ratchford choked. His lips worked several times before words came, and when they did his voice was shaken by the repression with which they were uttered: "Go back to the men, Craig. m be with you in a minute." With a short laugh, Ankrom straightened. "Shucks, Windy," he drawled, "this Ratchford's just a whizzer. There ain't no bottom to him ain't no sand In his craw." He crossed to the desk and picked up the paper Ratchford had written and tucked t in his pocket, while Ratchford hung there tense with anger, his eyes blazing. Ankrom sent a contemptuous ? lance across the sheriffs burning eatures. "You're not sheriff any longer, Ratchford," he said evenly, "you're just an ordinary man. As such I'm warnin' you. Never set foot again on Rafter T territory. He backed to the door with Windy; opened it. "If you do," he finished, 'Til see that you're planted there." The Sheriff's Stat A LARGE moon, aided by the lamp on the telephone pole across the street, made the space before the sheriff's office fairly bright. The two machines which had been parked beneath the light had disappeared. But the group of horsemen were still gathered. Most of them were in saddle, but two or three stood beside their mounts engaged in a low-voiced conversa tion. These looked up as Ankrom and Windy emerged from Ratch ford's office. "What's holdin' Ratchford?" called one of the group. He a winaln up one or two mat ters. Ankrom said. "He 11 be with you boys in a jiffy, I shouldn't won der. He knew these men would not recognize him for he had not ap peared in town since the day he had driven the phony Struthers in from El Paso, nut some oi tne posse could and probably did rec ognize Windy. "Better git in the car with me," the puncher muttered. "Somethin tells me we better hump our selves." 1 'Don t out on like vou re in a hurry," Ankrom cautioned softly. He caught the glint of the sheriff's star where he'd pinned it on his vest; with the sight came inspira tion. He raised his voice so that the posse might overhear: "All right, fella," he said. "Don't try any of those gags on me I've been in this sherifiin' game since who laid the chunk an' I reckon to know all the tricks.Thls your car?" 'Huh? My sosh. you oughta know " 'Get It started then. You heard what Ratchford said. I've just about got time to get there. How're your tires?" he asked. "Ain't ex nectin' any blowouts, are you?" .Windy's shin got a heavy kick. "Them tires are all right, ir they're good enough for Rafter T, they're eood enoush for the likes of you. Windy grunted, and jammed his foot down on the starter. With a roar the engine came awake. Ankrom thanked his gods he'd thought to borrow Ratch ford s star, tt was mat gum oi metal on his vest which so far had held the )osso silent. Without that star their natural curiosity might have spelled disaster. windy let out tne ciutcn ana tne car began to roll. Just as he shoved it into second, the door of the sher iff's office banged open and Ratch ford appeared with a rifle. He did not seem to pause, but dropped at once to a knee and whipped the long gun to his shoulder. Ankrom swore. "Here's Ratch ford on the prod. Duck low an' give this can the juice!" Windy ducked and his foot slapped hard. - Zciiib-b-o! Zang-g-g! The motor's roar as the car leaped forward Into high drowned the reports of Ratchford's rifle, but it could not obliterate the omi nous sound of lead ripping through sheet metal nor the pinfip-pffl of bullets knocking splintered holes in the windshield's shatter-proof glass! Windy's foot on the a:celerator went down to the floor and stayed there! fC.i. I'.'l. .Viliem C. .Vyi) Tomorrow: Escape. PRINCE IN LOVE DEFIES POVERTY OXFORD. EnRlsnd. Aug. 37.; Aa imperious mrtLMRo from hit m tan brother fnttNl toriy to weaken the (ptrmlntlnn of it ;iO-rrirma Malay princ to marry a young en Hah chiropodist, Prlnre Ma h in ixl. hrotjjcr of thi ruler nf rrcnjtRnmi In thn unfeder uteri Malay atate. was warned by tho Bultm he could "expect nothing from rrenftganir unleu he returned home "Immediately and unmarried " The youth declared, however. he had "no intention of "Oinji home without J re" 20-rar-o!; Miss Joyc Bleucowv, an Oxford tailor daughter with whom he fell In !cvr while studying at Oxford utilveraitv. Almost penntle.vi since crown agent for Malay stopped hla allowance Prince Man mud aatd he would take any Job and added he and "Joyce r determine that nothing ahull nund in the way of our marriage." STRANGE AS IT SEEMS By JOHN HIX Tot farther proof address the author, tnelosln a (tamped envelope for reply. Keg. U. 8. Fat Off. -m i i i lUMiiii ni.ai.--, PflemttMy living: ons Toe on wen foot... INStDS A DSNNtSBALLl (found ba Herbert tieh. . Vr.3ss!'A SCUADOR UrVJ ft 2000-MILE COrVSTUHfc, vet euftYAfluiu, it cmet hpirso 'a30N' J0$?SP INTO THSfilK AT THE a -r. t An 1. iuii e iimtn winiku S7AHDINA ON Ul2 . UcJUutfit SmtflCW. lot "-27-35 Pigeon Buster. "Bang I Bangl Bang!" Not Redskins, but three more pige ons "bit the dust" for Fred Solason. Hastings, Pa., sharpshooter, who was standing on his heaU at the ttme. Master of any trick shot you can think up, Solsson's upside-down pttjt- on-btutlng with a shotgun la one of the most amazing 'eats of his repertoire. Last year, Solason, standing rlght- slda up. broke 111 clay pigeons In succession and established the high est score ever made In the Allegheny Skeet league. It waa the third tints be had ever tried his hand at the sport. 1 Solfson ahoota Just aa consistently sitting or lying down as he d-.es standing. Catch htm flat on n's back, and he can break five pigeon thrown Into the air at onoe. Throw a block of wood into the air and Solason will keep It bouncing by shooting at It with a pistol as long as the bullets bold out. Paste a piece of adhesive plaster over the hole in an Iron washer, then throw It into the air. SoUson will ahoot a rifle bullet through Its center. Most difficult feat In Solsson's own opinion is to throw three clay uigeors over his shoulder, whirl around, and hit all three before they touch the ground. Solsson trains like an athlete to keep his faculties sharp; he attributes much of his aklll to an ability to "snap focus' his eyes from a nar object to a distant one. or vice varsa. claims Mrs. Vitus was in the act ot removing from the premises. On hte appearance she grabbed the rifle an 3 pointing It at him, ordered him to go away. e) Labor Larking on Rand JOHANNESBURG (UP) A Short- sga of native labor Is threatening a crlBls tn the South African gold min ing Industry. The Mine Workers Un ion Is perturbel because curtailing of operatlona on the Rand through lack of native labor wJuld mean a reduc tion In the number of European miners. I REUNION IN JAIL OLYMPIA, Aug. 27. (P) rt WM "old homo week" tn the Thurston county Jail for the Turpln family Friday night. Orandmothor Ellen Turpln, 77, wr held In S500 boll for aasault. Bon Jack. 38. was held for auto theft, un der $500 ball. Grandson James. 10. was under S250 ball, charged with using obscene language. DIFFICULT DECISIONS By GLUYAS WILLIAMS WHPftfER 1b KEEP OA Oft -fdRU BftCK WHEN) . " IK SPITE OF VOUR, PASSENGER ADtflCE VOU PASSED UP A GftS STATION PiVE MILES BACK BECAUSE VOU DIDN'T LIKE TriE LOOKS OF If. AND MOW FMD TrtE C0UN1WS1DE GEfflN& MORE ANT MORE DESOLATE AND'-faE 6AS 6A06E I I f 11- K t J y'fcKM I.,, 1 1 ikMC 3 MATTER POi Bv 0 M PAYNE Iin TtrRuiLi'L Jy teed t4e.ni . Boat "Swims" Upstream SANTA CRUZ, Cal.- (UP) Frank O u&ijiau, ouui.ll oe UllOt. OB3 per- ) fected the model of a boat tfiat will j "swim" upstream llko a fish. The ' boat la equipped with fins, as Its . sole motor power, In such a way to take advantage of every zephyr and current, either of wind or waves, ' regardless of the direction from which It comes. , y (Co'i?vrirtt, im. by The B.11 SyndieU. Inc.) J TAILSPIN TOMMY Too Late Now I By HAL FORREST Retty-udu 13 "about to make a delayed parachute oump for the spectators at the miami air races. "Tommy is much concerned over . his sweetheart, . and conrdes to skeet3 that HE HAS A STPflGE peeling That something may GO WRONG. .JN ITWOULDNT HAVE DONE V VI ANY GOOD, SKCETSl 'CHUTE) BETTY-LOu'3 BLOOD . If ' r 'I J '-.Mil WAL. IF YOU HAD A HUNCH it's mn LATE HOW TO 6TOP V'ER, TAILSPIN XI 3213. -U: KEEP OUP. EYES ON THAT PLANET. I Amc.Q 1 1IL UEMILEMEN! IT'S GOING TO CLIMB TO TWENTY THOUSAND PEET ! cv PAPta, for u.doti runs of cousms p.st ftaME. BEN WEBSTER'S CAREER Jippem Plans! 1 MEANTIME, AS RUST? GOES JUBILANTLY ABOUT HIS BUSINESS OF BUYW6 CHICKENS, LET US tOOK INTO THE JIPPEM HEADQUARTERS WEBSTER SQUIRT HAS US STOPPED TEMPORARILY 7 ON TURKEYS, BUT 7i WE SHOULD WORRY IF WE LAND ALL THE. -uiriEKl AND 1- BUSINESS POP-J Ejl: &$mMWl AND EXACTLY.' AND THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, SON I'LL SPARE NO EXPENSE y r if? rr- i est ;klat,I"?.b'N L A K ' I f BAILOUT, MAKING A I I 0ELAY6D PARACHUTE Y ON THE WAY , up uv ririccrs Luwn onb I ' i THOUSAND PEET BEFORE; WILL RELEASE , M SHE PULLS THE RIP- A SACK OF V ' ll CORP yT FLOUR TO X J LlfHife .ij' 'wwiSw By EDWIN TSHALL I START VIaTONCE! CUT PRICES 1$V I 19 SETTIN' ORDERS I TO THE BONE! WE'LL E&3aSJ n H IN TOWN, POP P DRIVE OUT ALL F' m i' w ' THE NEBBS-Just a Little Time By SOL HKn Irked Eugene Wields, Rifle, Collector Says Et'OKNE. Auk 37. ArrcstM Prlrtty evenlnj by city police arts she had allegedly threatened a (in sure company employe with a load, ed title, Mrs. Zena Vitus. Eusenr pleadi'd not guilty to charges tll.1 ngnlnst her when artlned in Jusike court here. She Is belnit neld In ihi city Jail In lieu ot tl.ioo nail Mrs. Vitus allegedly turned a ii calibre rifle on L C. Klrch.i't llnnn company collects, when he t-i to her reslrt-nre to re-p j,.is household furnishings nich he WELLO, MV ' 60R3EOU5 ) ( WELLO, , Queers.' stevex. y Lw COULD MEVER BE . )- -J T'.Zi-' V.' V HAPPY WTHTUPM Z U i. V ( t Mm OLJK ll .- VE M X LITTLE TIME., NELLIE, OONJ'T F3LA.ME TV EM FOR MOT GO!M3 MAD OVER ME IM MOT MUCH iTD LOO AT BUT CilVE. ME A LITTLE , CTIMEH. AUD ILL CUDDLE IKJTO TVlElR APFE.CTIONJS o: cc Tcoo Ivor 52 ALOFR
