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About The Bonneville Dam chronicle. (Bonneville, Or.) 1934-1939 | View Entire Issue (May 29, 1936)
FOURTEEN T »I K HO X N K V 1 I. I K I» ' '• »’ 11 11 ° N 1 * “ A frame up on Stuart!" mut f,,r 11 “ tered Young. “ Good God, West's hand Is In this. Why. unless we by l»eat ’em to It. they're going to “ "M Of make the rottenest kind o f trouble ' “ » “ •"I. Thar, „hY* H the fl r ' for B ftltr r Xu • WNU Servir* The thing which hurt him with © By Harold T lt u i Illustrations by IR W IN MYERS 11 *• for the acuteneea of physical pain was • • • ».n. ¿N this: lo a frac» Before sundown. Nan fViwner pried carefully C H A P T E R XI S] what: I’ ve got to drag along home. Beseechingly, ltluejay let drop something he had held In one hand was to see her lover led awny t»» I might hear somethin' there. I'll — 11 — .. ' 1 ; ” • * § n? M O W Nat Bridger, the sheriff, be waitin' when you and Butch and grasped Young's wrists jail as a suspect in the murder of • I " f ’ *• *Tk»n’ !" he mouned. 'T>on'. her father. though a man large In stature, show up." They may was small In heart and souL "And they’ ve gone!" Errs rasped we go!” "And that’ll be as quick as I can Young! I . . . I did*»’ . . Ills knees were sagging, hut •‘They crossed th’ wagon bridge He was alone In his office when get hold of him. I’ll try it by tel lie Kerry held the man half erect by just as 1 made the turn: Bridger came out la wooj»iH West entered the corridor. Tod phone. . . ." «■Nfiu J l glanced around at the barred door nd Butch, hie deputy. *nd Tod Votile of « h|, So it was that when Ezra Adams, his throat. “ You lie!" he growled. “ Too He. W est! They're hound for the cabin In the t to the bullpen straight ahead with rusty black bag In his hund, mount • : - * :| a man standing against it, holding ed the Jail steps to make a call Bluejay! You’re guilty as hell And surr as you’re born srol—" hand* suddenly one bandaged hand in the other gin on his patient there, he heard the what you're going to do Is this! "Get out of that seul !" snapped K/r> I fs T îi? . gerly. “ You're going out of this coun story the prisoner had heard. Young. ’I ^ V • i • • • • • • • “ Hullo, D ick !" West said to the try as fast as the good God will Itoughly. he shoved the old man ,,u ?u *’ ' ’ *ath { » : H prisoner. “ Heard you drank tot» Kerry Young, dog at his heels. let you! And If you ever show up fr»m t»eneath the wheck and •d. and not it eaawTt much o f your own hooch! What crossed the trestle toward West's again." — shaking him slowly — "If ste|'lM"| In to his place. 1 ' ' J->: if TcH l ails the hand?" you show your face here so long a* Landing. “ Hang o n !" said Kerry as T « h’n bo*** “ Blood poison’," the man growled. A car stood before Tod West's I'm here I'll strangle you to death throwing In the clutch, he spun thr tere«l ; and . • “ Most drives me cra zy ! Doc Adams house. A group lounged before the as sure as water runs down hill' car about, headed down-atream. Ills voire frail« aays It’s better, but it don’t seem store. Now . . . ii" .'"ii — doritai i ' lurched Into the ruta trailing to •* Kerry p u g * „ •o to me.” With a sideways fling, he let the the wagon bridge and shot arroa* Tod West, within, had his hack the e v e r \\ , ■ , The voices had attracted the to the sheriff and his deputy. They man go. Bluejay sprawled on the with a roar. *’* " ! ' pot s»t all sheriff who came to the doorway. had not seen Young's passing but floor, but before he came to r«*st Up-stream. then, past Nan's mill ' ■ *! “ Oh hul-lo, T o d !" he cried. West had and for a moment the he was scrambling to hi* feet, clr behind headquarters and Into thr M U ;-v so fort*J “ Good lord, what happened to man felt panic come again Into pos cling to be away from Young To road the sheriffs car had followed 1 ’ ■' ■ ' ?*'•- •*<* f,c„ J y o u !“ he demanded as West fo l session of his faculties. ward the door he scuttled and Young's brow» were drawn. He and Ezra's low a»«s y j lowed him In to where the light Young, alive and In town? . . . down the atej»s he ran. . . . divided this attention between the •’»uod of a s*iftij ¿Z was better. “ Why, Tod, you're all And when he returned from Shoe As Kerry stopped to pick op that theory forming In his mind and the car. swoll u p !” string at noon Bluejay had been which the "breed had dropj»ed. the treacherous ruta and chock boles “O fir t> v? - He aid He was, in truth, badly swollen. waiting for him with word that sputter aad roar of a motor could of the road. “ T r .- f . » His face was lop-sided and even Young was forever removed from be heard and when he smoothed "Listen. Ezra!" be said, “ we’ve Thu-. ’ •'! ! »» t j* the left eye slightly puflTed. the Mad Woman! The 'breed had out the bill and searched its crisi got to get to that cabin before they "And the rest of g “ Dam’ hornets got me yesterday," collected his money, too — two surface for the serial number do. hold 'em off. see what's been yond—" he said. “ Was fishin up Big Bea twenties and a ten. gears whined and a battered fllr planted there, keep Stuart from ar "N ’o f fcif »fire' TV*f X ver and kicked 'em out o f a stump. Frank Bluejay had been so sure: ver stirred the dust of the wirr-vt at rest." re»!« ■ Ilcij ps; up, They sure are good at their jo b !" had told Tod West of how Young Bluejay started for somewhere els. Their way was n«»w through an h e re to j n t* ** rbtng «a B<1 “ I’ll say s o ! But what brings had gone down into the deep waters with all the speed he could wrin,- old burning where the ruta ran —s c ru tin iz in g the Nn§-- you here?” he asked. “ Anything I of Townline lake; of bow his dog from the ancient contraption. straight and the chock b o le s w ere the pr<q*T nutnf*n Th»i had swum round and round the can do for you. T od?" Mel Knight came from behind few. With foot throttle down to is cached somewhere t*c “ Well, not for me, mebby," Tod drifting canoe and finally struck the counter. Men who had been the floor boards, Kerry shoved tbe "And here they said “ but I heard somethin’ the out for shore. outside were entering, curiosity little car. For a mile they trav 1%# motor swung kgs A shaking rage gripped him. The aroused by Bloejay’s flight other night that I kind of figure it» t.. ,• • : sad i eled at high speed and then, brakes Indian had lied, then! you ought to know.” “ My g<»sh. Kerry, you sure pot on. stirrer] vast dust rlouda a s they sharply : “ We’d ought to be gone, T od !’’ a crimp In that Injun!" Knight said “ Yeah?" “ What th' hell!" skidded for a left turn Into a dim “ Yes." You know Bluejay, don’t So, Bridger, breaking in on his <»i ' f v ■ * « .:d*t M[ trail. you? Thought so. Kind of scum. swift train o f speculation and “ Here! Where y oo—that’s the rt «-n ti.<-! ... 4.-: tie «{(Hi Frank is. He’s worked for me off doubt and suspicion. “ He might bus . . only w ay!" and on ’nd I don’t trust him much, light out. . . .” 'What'll we do SOtf li “ It was. Ezra. ontU a few weeks “ Beady soon," he said thickly. for there's things about him . . . ago I>aver dams out. I c a m e man whispered. Young was now out of Tod For Instance, he's always snoopin’, "Stand pat!" Kerry through here on foot this morning." West’s sight, but in full view of always sees things. <!•»■•« • •• ’ • x ; f 1 ^ fisrf Ix»w n grade they went; down “ He’s been camped out north of Frank Bluejay, sitting in a chair ping ti e c ■ er t.;> •**-* (MM into a cattail bottom. us pickin’ berries and comes in tilted against the store wall. »•are a’ , t •• •• n r!«I He slower] as they reached the Kerry had been In full sight of most every night. Well, night be i -¡s*r c ^ creek bed. eased the front Wheel* . nd g fore last he came to me to get a the man for, perhaps, ten seconds, \ curio .* • . < • of trtsstid gingerly up on the water bleacher] bis eyes as he railed th !t little he had cornin’, and I got vis standing there in the doorway, sur ! corduroy, held his breath aa the iting and he told me something veying the dozen people in the es “ E na. it » is yonr is»«* car's weight slowly went on the tablishment. This his gaze came kind of suspicious. structure sod then, as It gave and Don t let • get their utti to rest on the 'breed. “ He says he’d been lookin’ for crackled beneath them, gave the piece of this evidence Bluejay’s one foot had been It was Nat Hrtd|*r. berries north o f Townline lake motor everything It would take. swinging idly. On Young's appear Thursday and long about sundown through the door. The spinning wheels found pur ance the arc it made diminished. "\V| d i « if heft" *| swung past that Downer cabin on ?ha»e. They crawler) forward More and more slowly it sw ung un hL way back to camp. He says slewed sideways and Anally, with »landed and stopptd, tit it came to rest and during that he heard something that sounded interval the man’s Jaw sagged. a bump and a bounce, were away Althln th»- r--frow alag like poundin’ inside." IB* rnt! ] from the culvert, roaring for the You. Ezra!" He sat so, gaping, unmoving, and A little draft through the open then his chair came down to all Jro p p c 1 f r ' hip high land beyond. transom above fluttered his gray four legs with a thud while the “ Made her!" Kerry yelled, “ and e h r ing hair and the lone prisoner in heritage of the Indian In him, all “ Yes." the coroner well have most s half hour before the bull-pen leaned closer against the superstition and regard for leg lacle*. "1«. E j they can get to tbe cabin by the •ip h » the bars, straining to listen. afternoon! II«>w«iy. BsUi end, swirled upward to possess him gor»d road." “ He peeked through the window completely. the «leputy ap{<eared. They were ahead of Bridger and and, Nat, he says he saw young Bridger turned No one else had noticed this; did his companions, for certain, but Holt Stuart on his knees in a cor not until Young spoke, easily nate and then looked they had not gainer] a whole half ner takin’ money out o f a tin box enough: hour. The one tire, frayed by Its T.«l Went W ' nproscX His Hard Fingers Grasped the he’s got burled under the floor!" “ Are you surprised, Bluejay?" tussle on the culvert, went down as If. perhaps, he mfrf , 'Breed's Throat. He watched the look of amaze He laughed, then, and the laugh and they made the last two miles a u re of how to condoctj*^ “ Well, this Is • Mn>rJt with a queer grin. “ I’d like to bet ment spread swiftly over the sher ter was hard, menacing laugher. of sand trail through the timber sheriff growled. "Bow co*r Slowly, Bluejay rose to his feet, he won’t be seen here again. iff's face. on a flat “ Stuart?" he asked in surprise. hands behind him, shoving on the My gosh, what made him look so . Young was out of the car before here. Ezra?" “ Official business. >•»- •Stuart, takin’ money out of a tin chair back to aid his weakened leg scared afore you made a move?" the motor stopj»ed spinning. box buried under the floor? . . muscles. A luminous fear danced “ Dam’ right be won’t come He strode to the door, threw It tip this afternoon tii’- there'd be somethin' of l«*T) back!" said another. My God, T o d ! . . . Why . . . ’Nd in the black eyes. open and pa user). “ Surprised, eh?" Kerry began to the coroner of this CoMff he was in that cabin the night “ Did yuh see him grab him?" a “ See that dirt?" he ask-d. point advance. “ That's what I came for, third asked at large. “ I thought Ing to the trickle of dust across enmp ’Nd I g « « * Cash was sh ot!” “ Of course, Nat, you’re not dumb! Bluejay, to see who’d be sur he was a goln’ to squeeze his wlz the floor. wasn’t *<> f»r wron*’ . zen In tw lxt!" “ Ezra was so damned sure that prised !" At that point Tod W The doctor’s old eyes followed The man was retreating, now, Yoi/ng gave no heed to these obser his pointing Anger, traced the himself In the that ankle had been sprained the . night Cash was killed and that the hands spread against the wall, sid vations or questions. He knew cer stringer of fine lumps and gran there and hi* kid couldn’t ’ve gotten out . . . Oh, ling along, making for the rear. He tain serial numbers by heart This ul«*s across to the far corner. slant on the old phF»«** , w e ll! The best of us’ll make mis did not speak, though his lips was one; a twenty dollar bill of a "That’s where It’d ’ ve been." he ns If he force«! hlrn* ' worked. certain series, crisp, unused. takes." ^ mattered, glancing nt the one win deal, they swung Kerry moved faster and as the Bridger’s face was gray with ex For a moment he was impelled dow. * “ Bluejay said he looked If he expect«*«! to ^ citement. “ Nobody else knows ’breed turned, left off his touch on to tell what had happened this through the window. It’s the only accusation on Youog* the painted boards and, half stag morning on Townline lake, but as this?” wrong. _ , T( j * i corner he could see handy." gering, lurched down the room, was he drew breath to speak car brakes “ Not a soul, far’s I know. I told “They heard It t00' t “ And he said he saw Holt In here upon him. Bluejay to keep his mouth shut." squealed outside and Ezra Adams' about sun down. Thursday T* Bridger and In his T°|r'’ “ I didn’t !" Bluejay gasped as voice, curiously strained, called Bridger began to pace the floor peal for guidance, “ As I recollect It." Young’s hand fastened on his shirt sharply; In agitation. But West’s mind wJJ “A plant for sure! I was In “ It won’t do to go alone. Takin’ at the shoulders, spinning him “ Has anybody happened to see here about then, Thursday. He was thinking ^ The a roan as a murder suspect ain't a around. “ I . . . I dldn’ . . . " he Kerry Young?" things, trying. In hi* ■ floor was clean. Ezra. But today simple matter. As a matter of moaned. Kerry looked through the door- . . . tills stuff was here. I>»t’s g o !" Ing. to encompa* « ' ‘ “ Didn’t what?*’ Kerry’s voice was wuy at Ezra’s face. duty, I’d ought to have my deputy .*( He was on Ills knees beside the ,„.,i.lhlc to (hi* S * like the crack o f a whip. “ Didn’t "HI, Ezra!" he called, starting two short sections of flooring, eye “ Frank probnMy with me." what?"—Insistently when no reply forward. “ What’s up?” “ Yes, and then some, maybe." story.” West n*\& f}0 ing them closely. was forthcoming. As quickly and as clearly as he “ Would you go along, Tod?" Bridger now mo ^ “ See? Here’s where they were He let go an arm and his hard fin could, Ezra told the story that the “ Anything I can do I’d feel It my Pried up with something." he said Young and M duty ttt do." He rose. “Tell you gers grasped the ’breed's throat. prisoner had told him. excitedly. "Then they dug a hole FLAME IN THE FOREST Harold Titus