Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1902-10-02
Reddy'S Fake.
BY w. CALYER MOORE.

! Copyright 1902. by Daily Story Pub. Coz
Reddy was not popular. A little
wiZened, sour-looking runt, who could
not drink, had but a poor chance of
being we'll received in a Western
boom town. He had come over the
trail from Laramie a few weeks be-
fore, looking for a likely RANCH"
and that was about all that was
known of his past history, but in
those days man seldom brought
reputation with him; he generally
acquired it during his stay in any
particular place. His fiery head and
florid features and little brown eyes
made him the butt of some not very
friendly or gentle chatting. He was
sworn at, pushed around, almost
walked over, but no one could draw
him into a fight. These things were
all against him, But Reddy had one
redeeming feature, he was a gambler,
and what pleased better, an unlucky
one. When there was a tarantula
fight Reddy was sure to bet on the
wrong spider; if he sat down to a
game of draw, some other player
was sure to have a better hand, and
Reddy suffered accordingly. He took
it all coolly and made a good loser,
but the boys did not like him, and so
he was marked man.
Another stranger had come to town;
a big rough man, who was ready to
drink, gamble or quarrel with any
one, and who Joined the others in an
noying Reddy till it looked as if the
little fellow would have shot him if
he had dared.
1t was pay day and the cowboys
were coming in from all the nearby
ranches to buy whiskey and gamble;
that meant drunken revelry, shooting
ARRAYS, and last but not least-races,
and the right material for good race
seemed to have come into their midst
that morning. Reddy's chief tor
menter was the central figure of
group around a mare whose owner
had just arrived riding on a mustang
and carefully leading her with lar
lat.
She was as sleek and nice a little
beast as the boys had seen in years.
Her owner had stepped into the store
for a drink, leaving her tethered to a
post. Reddy's tormenter was fond
ling her and she nosed around him
and rubbed against him just as if they
were old friends, but it was noticea-
BILE that she seemed to be less affec-
tionately inclined toward her other
admirers.
Looks like she might know you"
said a short, dark man who was
known as Good Graham.
Know me? Course she Does" an
swered the big fellow, why 1 saw
this here little girl break the crowd
last week over in Big Medicine"
"What?" shouted Good Graham,
"Is this the animal you were telling
US about yesterday? The one that
beat Sharp's big grey for a cold hun
dred?"
Eyes, and done it neat, too. She's
a beaut, boys" Here he lowered his
voice so that only those nearest could
hear him, eff he lets her run here,
you know how to bet your dust"
whats your expert opinion, Red
dy?" asked one.
whats the ''perfesser" got to say
about herr" asked another.
Not much" answered Reddy.
Say, give me a tip, pard. Do you
think she can run?" This with mock
solemnity from Good Graham.
Run? That critter? Don't believe
she can run worth a cuss."
"Glad you gave me the pointer.
See anything around here that can
beat her?"
Eyes. I'll take that there boss of
Jones's and beat her down to No. 40
and back, if you can find jockey for
the critter."
The big stranger who had been ex.
tolling the virtues of the mare.
seemed to lose control of himself
with excitement. He pulled a roll of
money out of his pocket and shook it
in Reddy's face while he shouted:
what do you think about it now,
hey? Can you talk to that?" tapping