At the time Billy Norton was the
county sheriff and had his hands full. Rumor said that he had promised
himself to "get" a certain man; Engle admitted that that man was Jim
Galloway of the Casa Blanca. But either Galloway or a tool of
Galloway's or some other man had "gotten" Billy Norton, shooting him
down in his own cabin and from the back, putting a shotgun charge of
buckshot into his brain.
It had occurred shortly after Roderick Norton's return, shortly before
the expiration of Billy Norton's term of office. Rod Norton, putting
another man in his place on the ranch, had buried his father and then
had asked of the county his election to the place made empty by his
father's death. Though he was young, men believed in him. The
election returns gave him his place by a crushing majority.
"And he has done good work," concluded Engle thoughtfully. "Because of
what he has done, because he does not make an arrest until he has his
evidence and then drives hard to a certain conviction, he has come to
be called Dead-sure Norton and to be respected everywhere, and feared
more than a little. Until now it has become virtually a two-man fight.
Rod Norton against Jim Galloway. . . ."
"John," interposed Mrs. Engle, "aren't you giving Virginia rather a
sombre side of things?"
"Maybe I am," he agreed.
Pages:
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67