Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-08

They soon reached Santa Rosa. Capt.
Dick had to stop there a short time on bust
ness with the blacksmith and the harness
maker the two were one in Santa Rosa, and
So riding up in front of the Maverick Inn,
be dismounted. His new friend called after
him:
Il reckon I'll just nachally wait round till
you come out, an look over the sights
A half hour later Dick walked out to his
horse, drawing on his gloves preparatory to
mounting, and then discovered that his new
companion had a weakness. In the language
of Governor Walker, "he was gellorious"
He had employed his half hour well, and he
stood at that moment leaning heavily against
post and singing in lugubrious and waver-
ing tones;
Touched with n sympathy within,
How weak our feeble frame"
Dick was puzzled at first to know what TO
do with him. He had previously determined
to take him TO the ranch, for he did need
cook there, yet when he saw his condition he
hesitated. Not just because the man was
drunk, looking from moral standpoint, but
because, being drunk, he was difficult of
transportation. But Dick knew that a cow
boy can often ride when he cannot walk; so
with little assistance be rolled the stranger
into his saddle and the two started. For the
first few miles they proceeded on a walk;
then, as the stranger grew slightly sober, and
his seat in the saddle became more assured,
they broke into a trot and were riding at this
gait when, making sudden turn in the road,
around the point OF mesa, they came V1on
herd OF burros, driven by three Mexicans;
two boys and an old man. These hurriedly
scattered out of the way, and as the two
riders ratified by, the old man saluted them
with respectful: "Buenos dias, senoresr
They had passed them but a few yards
when Dicks companion pulled up, and turn
ing to him, said with drunken gravity:
did ye see tina greaser make face t met
He suit me, an rm goin' t. rebuke i'm" and
he unslung his rife
NO, mol he didn't make face at you,n
Dick said, endeavoring to quiet him; ''that
was at me"
''Thas' all ri, but amt you goin' t'ave
sas'fasihunfn
NO, not now; tomorrow, perhaps"
"Thas' all ri, but you're my frien' an goo
Tier, an I'll ave sasfas'hun for you" and
before Dick could stop him the stranger
threw his rife to his shoulder and fired. 1t
was chance shot, of course, but it was
true one, and down went the old man and the
6nrro he was riding, both apparently dead.
ne avenger OF his honor looked smilingly at
D'ek' and then at his victims, lying in the
dust, and said pleasantly: ''Th' man t. wont
DO that fur fren amt worth name o man.
How's that fur shot. ehT'
DICK was seriously alarmed, for not only
dld ne reailze the sin of killing an unarmed
man, even in New Mexico, but he knew the
fellow countrymen of the victim would work
reprisals on him by stealing his stock and
annoying his men in every possible way.
And he was still more disturbed when he saw
ms companion preparing to shoot again
Hold onp he cried; you've killed him;
thats enough. You'd better get out of here
now, as quick as you can"
KILLED him all ri, only he amt tn one.
mere goes fur 'nuther-wash tn ill fler
jump" And Dick had just time to strike
up the muzzie of the rife when il was dis
charged again. Then, in desperation, he
seized MS COMPANIONS bride, and facing him
down the road, laid his ''cuertn smartfy oven
tne horses back and in another moment
they had ratified out of sight around a turr
IN the road 1t afterwards turned out tina
the burro was killed, but the Mexican wa
unhurt beyond very bad fright. .
mat evening the men sat around the fir
In the bunk room at the ranch house, talkin
and passing the time as usual. The ne,