Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-07-04
rays Of the setting sun Redeemed them.

ing herd, to let us know at once if any
were found, and to report by midnight
in any case. Delighted at the prospect
of action, the men trooped out of my
tent. Some of them spread their blan>
kets out to dry. Others offered needless
help to the men who were preparing to
set out. The rest, Spider among them,
lounged about the cook wagon and
"joshed" the Ballet Girl, to use their
own phrase, because he could not start
his fire. For some minutes the foreman
stood in the door of my tent rubbing
his chin thoughtfully. Then he called
to Spider.
"Look = here. you kid" said he.
"You heard what we said bout sendin
down the river ter get more men. Well.
I want you ter saddle up fresh pony an
be ready ter start in five minutes. Heart
The boss, here, he'll write note fer
you ter take. Get wiggle on, now"
The laugh that Spider brought with
him faded from his face. This was
business, and without word he nodded
and strobe away.
~ reckon he's about the bes' one ter
sem" continued the foreman, turning
to me. "He'll do what he sets out ter
do every time. Then it amt likely
theirs any danger down that way, an
you can't tell what II turn up here. It'll
| keep the kid outer mischief fer awhile. /"
While the foreman was speaking
had torn leaf out of an account book
and had written the note. Suddenly /
became aware that the laughter and
talk of the men had hushed A second
later Spider, his face working with
rage, dashed into the tent, caught up
rifle and vanished.
"StopP' roared the foreman, lifting
the flap that closed the tent door.
Through the opening I could see that
Spider had dropped on one knee and
was taking careful aim at something
that was out of my view.
"What you doinf Come herel" COM
manded the foreman sternly. Lowering
the rifle, Spider rose slowly to his feet,
keeping his eyes fixed on the point to-
ward which he had been aiming. Run
ming to the door. followed his gaze
with my eyes.
On a ridge of sand, half mile away,
three men were galloping up and down,
waving their hats and firing pistols.
They were shouting, too, for the faint
echoes of their shouts reached us.
"Look therel' cried Spider. "See
them men3 Hollis is enc of 'em, an
THAT greaser what shot at me las night.
They re givin us the laugh, that's what
they're doin, cause we los our cattle
an they got EN-. Are you fellers"-
"Come herel Hear me 2" commanded
the foreman again. "Look here, young
man." he continued as Spider came re-
luctantly forward. SIT amt good bust
ness lettin your mad get up 80 bad you
lose yer head. not for nc one what
works roun horses an cattle. You had
orders too. Nobody what won't obey
orders works in my gang. Their wasn't
no shootin called for. Besides, I" he add
ed as an afterthought, ''you a-knowed
II you'd had any sense that you could
not hit nothin at that range" Spider
glanced al the foreman, and his face
fell.
"That's right. I los my head clean.
know did. won't do it again an,
say, I'm awful sorry" he said penitent-
ly. Carefully lowering the hammer, he
placed the rifle. apparently as sort Of
token Of surrender, in the foreman
hands. Then, without another look at
the men who were still capering about
on the ridge, he went away to saddle q
horse.
1.-THE boy got the hes eyes Of any.
body in the outfit, all right enough,
said the foreman. setting down the
rifle. 81 alwus knowed that, but yet ]
don't believe he en- tell who those mer
are not SO far away as that"
It certainly seemed impossible that
Spider could distinguish any one at Sc
great distance. I ran into the tent tt
get pair of fieldglasses, but when
returned the men had disappeared.
"Jus' give one yell an then wallopei
off benin the ridge thar as you went
in" said the foreman. 'They was lef
benin by the res er Their gang SOS tel
watch US. reckon. an see what weir.
a-gonter do.
"Well, they won't watch nothin, >
commented Lee, who had strolled up t
us. They're drunk an they'll gel
drunken, specially If Hollis is there
He's ben sober SO long now that b,
won't stop soon once he gets started.
"Meekness an sobriety an the rest O
1t amt his style enough ter hurt, >
agreed the foreman. "But maybe Hol
lis wasn't there. Look here you kid, >
he called as Spider rode up on the big
gest and, next to his own, the uglies
horse had brought from the ranch.
forgot ter tell yen before that your,
likely ter steer up agains' heap e.
trouble one er these times if you g.
shootin at men what you don't know
specially when they're so fur off yor
can't hit 'em. 1t amt perlite.
So earnest was Spider that he failed
for the moment to see that the foreman
was joking.
~ did know 'em-two Of 'em-Hol
lis an that there greaser, he cried
II saw 'em. Deed did. Honest"
"So9" replied the foreman. with as
sumed gravity. "Well, if that's tn,
case, JUS you climb down often tina,
ther horse an go an get yer supper for,
you start"
.'Don't need ter. Got some grub her,
in my cerones (saddlebags). The Ball,
Girl give 1t to me JUS now. Mayn't
got" The foreman waved HE hand ant
smiled. With an answering grin Spide,
galloped away.
In view Of the distance that must BIZ
travelled we hardly expected to Sc,
Spider again before daylight. Making
allowance for delays. we hoped to ge
away on the following evening. To mi
the wait of "a hours seemed fata
waste Of time. The cattle would prob
ably be we'll into Mexico before that.
"Prawb'ly they WILL" agreed tn
foreman. "Then all we got ter do is te
get EN- outer Mexico again, that
al. This was de1ightfu11y simple II
theory. The practice. l feared, would
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