The Argosy, January 1906 — page 95: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

JIM DEXTER—CATTLEMAN. sary for him to have recourse to prom- ises to pay. An hour after Jenkins left, the cat- tleman was conducted to the jail office and there met the coroner and the men he had chosen to assist him in fixing the blame for Nate Kalispel’s taking off. McKibben was with the party, and so was the city marshal of Lamark. Dexter was not put under oath, but was questioned at length regarding his actions Monday afternoon and Monday night. The coroner and every man on the jury were friends of the prisoner’s; it would have been difficult, in fact, to pick up a set of men anywhere in that part of the country who would not have been inclined to give Jim Dexter the benefit of any reasonable doubt. Dexter rehearsed the events of his afternoon at the O. D. K. ranch, placing particular stress on the wanton attack made by young Kalispel, and on the words the young man had used on leav- ing the scene. % After riding away from the O. D. K. ranch, where did you go?” asked the coroner. “ T turned off the trail and went south into the hills,” replied Jim. “Did you go directly back to your ranch ? ” “No; I stopped at a deserted cabin.” “ And stayed there all night? ” “ A few hours only. Thinking Kalis- pel and his men had left the trail clear, I took another start for Siwash City and met young Kalispel on the road.” “Where ? ” “ About two miles north of the Bad- ys et “ What happened? ” “Tt was a bright night, and we rec- ognized each other at once. He shot at me, and I drew and fired in return. He fell, and his horse galloped on.” Dexter’s voice was steady, but his face paled under the searching eyes ~ that were bent upon him. “Why did you take the pay-roll money? ” “T refuse to answer that question,” said Dexter after a nervous pause. “Tt is immaterial,” said the coroner. “Did you have a struggle with Nate Kalispel ? ” “ No.” 277 “You did not lay hands on him at all?” Dexter closed his eyes. The ordeal was trying him more than he had thought possible. “No,” he answered slowly. “Jim,” said the coroner, stepping over to the cattleman and laying a kind- ly hand on his shoulder, “ you have ac- quitted yourself.” Dexter sprang erect, as though by a galvanic shock. “What do you mean?” he demanded harshly. “ How can I acquit myself when I acknowledge the crime? ” “T mean that your generous attempt to shieid Burnham at your own expense has proved a failure. Young Kalispel had two revolvers with him, but there was not an empty shell in either of them. So he could not have fired at you as you say he did.” Dexter wavered for a moment, then smiled grimly. “You are bound to take the theory of self-defense out of my hands,” he an- swered. “ He did not fire, but—but I wanted it to appear so.” “No,” continued the — coroner, “voung Kalispel did not fire, and you did not fire either. Nate was not killed by a bullet, but by a blow on the heaa given by some sharp instrument whose exact nature is unknown.” Dexter sank back in his chair and covered his face with his hands. He had failed—miserably failed. His bungling attempt to save Roy had only resulted in forging the fetters more firmly. CHAPTER IX. THE COWARDS PART. Jim Dexter reproached himself for not having questioned McKibben for further particulars of the crime. Now, when it was too late, he remembered the sheriff had said that the ground showed evidence of a struggle. As to the rest of it, Dexter had jumped to the conclusion that a bullet had been the vehicle of the deed, and had not thought it necessary to verify the conviction. In the work of the coroner Dexter be- lieved he could see the shrewd hand of Judge Givins. EComicboo (9) €o m