Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-11-21
THINGs undoubtedly looked squal.

THINGS undoubtedly looked squal
ly for Jim. He realized II. as h
paced up and down the narrow ee1
In the Mesquite Jail. The seedy-look
ing young lawyer the court had ap
pointed TO defend him on the eharg'
of murder also told him 80. and II
lieu Of clearing him on the charge Of
fered to write his will for him free
Jim mournfully declined
81 amt got nothin' TO will away" h,
said. "All ] had was stole from IN,
thatnight when the trouble happened.
"Well, l reckon you had better pray
some, for you're about as good as &
gone goslin'. Shall send the prizes,
TO your"
"Naw, darn the prayin'. Is Inc,
bound TO swear against me?"
"Sure. You see, when you shot Rafe
Mendoza you shot her feller. She was
goin' TO marry him. and naturally she
don't feel kindly TO you. lie was the
best-hxed greaser In this whole coun-
try. And you know how these greasers
are. anyway. They just naturally hate
white man. They will make n big
fiesta of the day when you are hung,
and eat tamales and drink pulque, and
enjoy themselves hugely"
~ don't mind entertainin' folks gen
orally, but swear hate 70 do 30 at
the end Of rope. Wish I'd left that
girl alone"
ut would have been better for you.
That girl is the only witness against
you, and her testimony will hang you
sure. II she wasn't a greaser. l might
be able TO persuade her 10 skip out,
but nowhere amt bit OF a chance"
II don't see why she's 40 bent on
havin' me hanged. I've been nice TO
her, and she liked me. That's the
reason l had to kill Rafe Mendoza-he
was Jealous as he could be. and tried
to slip knife In my ribs that night
when ! came TO see her"
"But jim, Inez says she didn't see
him with any knife. and when they
picked him up, after you had gone out,
those greasers say he didn't even have
q pocketknife. What do you make OF
that2 1nez says the first thing she
saw was you drawing your gun, and
that you proceeded TO pump him full
OF lead without any warning.
II know IL looks bad, colonel, but
that greaser did certainly try to knife
me. saw II In his hand, and IL looked
as big rs sword. Those friends OF
his made way with tin knife when
they came to pick him up"
well. I'll see you tomorrow In
court. Your case will come the firs,
on the docket, and II won't take long
to hear the evidence against you. |
am sorry, but can't make testimony.
and what that girl will swear will hang
you, surely. Good-by." The young
lawyer left the dreary little jail think
ing deeply.
Jim went TO the small window and
looked out across the waste OF SHIN
mering sand and buffalo grass, re-
lieved here and there by a few stunted
mesquite bushes. The heat radiated
In wavy rig-zags, and seemed to stine
him In his cell. lie longed TO be on
his broncho, Looping across the range
after the cattle. and Il panied him 20
think that such pleasure would never
again be his. He knew that he had
acted foolishly In going about liner
donrales-he had been warned that he
would have trouble with Rafe Men
dora u he did. Mendoza was a well-to.
do ranchero. and the favorite with
the parents OF the girl They were
urging her to marry him. but she had
been putting him OF as long as she
could.
Old Gonzales, an evil-looking Mex
lean with one eye. regarded Jim with
distinct disfayor. go did his wife. They
tried In every way TO show him that
his presence was unwelcome. Jim
saw their game, but was unrufiied by
H. He was as polite as he knew how 10
De, and even tried TO be friendly with
Rafc Mendoza. But one night after
he was leaving the adobe OF tho Con.
tales, Winchester cracked from be-
iind q clump OF mesquite bushes, and
ball clipped piece out OF his hat.
Then lie knew that hencetorth II was
war b tween him and Mendoza.
liner was the prettiest girl In the
country, She was small. and had 40.
ire as 1.-THE and graceful as that Of
iger' Her eyes were as bright ns
itars, and large, and fun OF expression.
Ter complexion was the purcst olive,
md she wore her great mass ~ hair
braided down her back. She was
'oung, too, and she did not like To be
orced into n marriage with Mendoza. |
'ut her parents were insisting. She |
ould not forget Jim, and his evident
of her. She did not un.
Ierstand all he said to her, but she
nderstood enough TO know that he
owed her, aud the thought made her
cry, very happv indeed. Aud when