The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-23
SPIDER ) CHAPS.
By WoLcoTr LIE CLEAR BEARD.
Ecopyright. 1899. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VI
III WHICH THERE IS BATTLE WITH THE
THIEVES
We were none of us easily surprised
at anything Spider might do. but that
he, single handed, should have taken
fosr prisoners fairly amazed US all.
''It's some er them monkey shines er
yeurs again" said the Ballet Girl.
striding forward and catching Spider
by his collar. Whats you tcyin ter
make Us believe anyhow Spider
struggled to free himself
..It's right. l tell your he cried
indignantly ''D'you s'pose they give
me their guns an boots an horses jus
cause they loved me? Well, they did
not JUS when l struck that frs gang
that was a-comin down here 1 saw a
little spark of e fire way off on the des-
ert. The others hadn t seen it, [ reckon.
zone er them, an when lef' them 1
went over ter see what the FIRE was for.
Thefre was JUS goin out an them men
was layin roun It, All drunk. they
was, an all asleep
..What men:" asked.
.sHollis an them three what was
a-cavortin roun here yesterday. They
was a-sleepin on their saddles fer pill
lers, but their boots was off an their
guns lay by their sides. l crawled up
an then cut the picket lines er their
horses an led 'em Off One got away. l
pat the guns an 'hings inter my chaps
cause hadn TO other way of packin
'em. That's all there is to it. .
"You said they were prisoners
What's holding them prisoners7' in
eHired, much puzzled
1.-The cactus. replied Spider. with
look of scorn at my stupidity. Don't
you see got their boots? If they tried
to walk. they wouldn't have no feet
left in two minutes / didn't want ter
take their horses. kinder hated ter
take them,'' added Spider hesitatingly.
81 didn't min the other things.
..You needn't mind about the horses
either" remarked Hayward, who was
examining the animals in question.
ssThey're all mine-were, that is, IN
til they were stolen. What are we go
ing to do about those prisoners OF Spi-
der's7''
There was some discussion at first,
fer we had made no provision for the
taking nor for the maintenance of pris-
oners, but in common humanity we
could not leave them to die of thirst
where they were Six men, with Lee
at their head. were sent out to bring
them in The place where Spider had
left his capture was not far away. Fol-
lswing the boys tracks, the party dis
appeared. only to return shortly after
ward with the news that the prisoners
had saved us all trouble by taking
themselves out Of the way. The tracks
seemed to indicate that the horse that
escaped from Spider wandered back and
had been recaptured by the men, one of
whom had mounted him and then
fetched mounts fer the rest.
Spider was much mortified. He
blamed himself bitterly for not having
taken the brides as well rs the arms
and boots. and he wanted to start at
once in pursuit This was out of the
question for two reasons. In the first
place. we had decided to start before day
break. and therefore there would not be
time. and. further. we were heartily
glad to get rid of the prisoners anyway
Though much disappointed. Spider
resigned himself so gracefully to the
loss of his prisoners that the foreman
patted him on the back approvingly.
saying that after all he had seen worse
boys than Spider. who might. if he be-
haved himself and worked hard, make
a very decent COW puncher in the course
of 90 or 80 years In the meantime he
had better roll himself up in his blan-
kets and go to sleep. Spider obeyed. In
d very few minutes. with the exception
of the sentry. who kept solitary watch
OF the edge of the cliff, the camp was
eleepins
It still dark when this sentry
walked me
.4It only wants two hours er daylight
now" he said as sat up and began to
rub my eyes, ''Breakfas' is mos ready.
an got ter wake up the rest er these
here men. How wish had buglel
BE had no bugle. however, so he began
to roar the call of the reveille with the
words that the soldiers have put to it
The corp'rars worse than the private,
The sergeant's worse than the CORP raj.
The luffs are worse than the sergeant
An the captains the worst OF all
can't get EN- up.
can't get EN- UP.
Ican't get EN- up IN the mornln.
In moment the camp was astlr and
humming with voices. The men were
all dressed when they lay down, so that
their toilets We're completed when they
had rolled up in their blankets and. if
they felt inclined. washed their hands
and faces
The bacon and coffee served oct BY