Arizona republican., 1901-01-21

l uHOflSs. lnSy presented plcNureSque group. The fire, a creation of crooked scrub pine and spiral grapc- -vina
 branchrs, appeared holocaust of snakes, while the wrlthing. hissing
 flarCca expended marvellous inventive skill c. o5sequious sllhoustteis dancing and grimac.ng on the cnvironlng can vas of blarkness.
 Npmerous dogs. Of unvouchad pcdi- gree, lly between the men in longitul- inal grace, to all appearance dead un-
 til some foy>lgl fo.tstep attostcd their keen vigilance.
 Tire hoa unwelComa south wind. de.- ert-ladsn, swept un3idden by, cremat- ing the G' spcndynt grass. and laugh ing mirtn,essly over the gas-puffed corI5es of impoverished cattle.
 "1lhat settles l.. If that wind keeps
 up its temp'ture fer 'nuther twenty four hours this or earth II look like c s;nged cat-wont be huff weeds lefu to bait q burro. Nsv'r see such weather s.rge2 Neb'kanezZer Gisd. Ain't rained nuff fin six months to water a snall'
 It was our old frieri Randall who spolae-RanGnl Hawkins. He was short anl fat and jolly-like a goiHnandized dwarf. His neck was stubby anu Sws,ling at ihe back like a Jersey bulls, w.hllc his huge blonde mustache and 'lisht-gray eyes. together with u l grotssque scar over his right temple, gave relief to an otherwise conmon- place Wsage.
 His cOaversat.2n, like his actions, 1 was staccatord and peremptory. His fog-horn voice was particularly Ater- rorri:lns to a nov1tiate. but terror was soon absorbed by mirth at h.s speedy acquiescence to statements, whether congsnial or otherwise, advanced by any dlmlnutive though belligersnt an | tagonist.
 such weather ia henough to boil ha i hegs," wisely remarked Horahana Arry. as he drew his shirt sleeve across | his iu6lcund chops
 | "ls' your range play.l out. too? I 1 thought you had the best range that | lay out doors" said Jack. | "SSo I ave; no better this side the i 'appy uniting ground, but hive got | somc bulhocks now as'l ave to ave f another set of legs to k ep thom stand- ing much longer. Hive got ,someat amt got slurm!ck enough,t) hold ha ! cud."
 "I saw some coming over" said Jack, "uhat didn't have strength enough 10 draw their last breath"
 That ssttlss it,H chucklcd Randall. yociferously. Best l ever heard. Fla! Ha Hal"
 How many calv you gcin' to git , this year?" asked Rlrlal of Hocahana Arry.
 "'Ow do hi llri1w-ain't got through , bTaHdin' yet" answered Hogahan a Arry, smNing in annoyed grimace. [ "Prob'ly not less'n a thousnnd; they do say thas old stser O yourn breeds like q carp suggested aaot,er speaker.
 "Ho, why don't you fellrrs git someat new. H!f you'd kerp your moutSs shut your tongues wouldn't give you haNay SO tli," replied Ho.a- haGl hrry, sarcastlcaily. Its good thing your tongue aint as handy as your brandln' ir,n. or you'G be wussn n-bee," retortrd another.
 At this momEnt the vigilant dogs voiced grave suspicion of unwelcome intrusion. and anphatically protested by difant canine inyective and gym nastiss.
 A t;rJtsSque appart,on cut the cur taiNIlg darkness and developed under tne ilickering light into the s-nblance cf rap.
 "Hell>. It's gent, man John," ex- claimed Jack, rising ard pushing an empty soap box toward the stranger
 "Have a sat"
 Don't keer if I do. Haow be you all? He pughsj his way close to the fire, where he s,oCl rubbing his horny hands as though it was the c-ldtst nigEIt Of wintcr.m
 He was of medium he.ghtanidressed in garments of pelts, roughly fashioned His cap was the skin of a skunk, tanned with all featur's intact, the pointed srout serving for beak, while the up- right ears and glass eyes gave a wild, canElilAEstic appearance that was not boGed by closer insp ct,ol. HfseyeSand nose were alone visible, all other fea- ture being absolutely hidden beneath luxur.hnt reddisii-gqay hair The hlr- sLte covering for his head was rank, | and bughy as a fox tail, reaching all most to his knees He had used naith- CT razor nor shears for more than tn years, having fore sworn both until a republican governor was elected fin South Carolina.
 He had left that state imm5 d,ately | after the war. emphasizing his deter animation by copious and inteliigently | se,ectel oIths. Since thyn he had lived | the life of q hunter and trappsr, though | 1t wa1 q matter of serious speculation how he made so much money from such a pT'carous occupation.
 A Dsrg navy rrvolver stuck into his | cartridge filled belt on each side, knife and an a1c!eAt rife completed !, his ara.ral.
 Jest tux a passel O pslts down to | tn tradeTs, he voluntee."d. Invested | fin N;tle red-eye, o' coorse. Hey | some?" He pulled loag, flat bottle i from his boot leg ana handed it to Jack.
 'Nc, thanks; n1ver indulgp," said | Jack, passing 1t on.
 "Yar1 Ga1n't sny. By tn snarln' wolf, but you miss tn essence o Twin" calculated the stranger. It was mys- tery to him how man could want to live without whiskey straight.
 Mighty good way to drown troubles" remarked a cowboy as he glanced heavrrward along the glistcning sides of tho bottle.