The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-02-25

PAIR FROM PAL0 PINTO

the home range after a stampede. 1t was
rieced together and Gained into reason
able narrative by Nip Fowler, who IS the
Palo Pine correspondent for al Existing
Newspapers. Here are the facts:
There was Ditsey FOrncrook. prospector;
there was ''Fire-pox.' q stranger burden
ed with many devils; and there was Frek
Muldoon, the Second. a master OF men,
guns and trails. These three carried out
drama of a few words.
Ditsey was down to the rinds and griste
of his last stake and looking for ''pard-
ner" TO go up the Mammon with him for
the gold cure No one offered until
'.Fire-poz'' drifted into Palo Pinto. Fol-
lowing Is Nip Fowler's description of the
stranger:
He had no word to say about who or
what he was. but he looked bad to us
bad and tvitchy and suspicious. a quick
step behind and he'd leap about like a cat
caught snoopin' what knows better. He
was pocked Oh yes. h. was pocked-
deep and red as harvest moons. SO we
named him. His eyes were busy and
small and shiny black. and the whites
were yellow. His ears were pointed like
his teeth and his lips were paper-thin-
that didn't lay easy but Ditsey was look
ing for pardner and didn't stipulate
a sky-blue past. He wanted man to do
his half and when 'Fire-box said he'd 20,
Ditsey said 'buen' Two days after they
pulled up the canon with three burros.
The stranger didn't prove entertaining,
but he could work ard travel and handle
packs. lie used q bivouac for eating and
sleeping purposes only. but he knew all
about the creepinss and hidings Of the
yellow virgin who makes har!equins of the
many Ditsey was pleased. He figured
that their joint capacity would start a
rush up the canon. And he was right.
one dawn when Palo Pinto was three
weeks behind. Ditsey opened his eyes to
find that his paTGner was beyond the
camp-circle and that 40 breakfast was in
progress. a few minutes afterward. Fire
pox'' crawled in. His eyes were as big as
walnuts. bright as fire, ard mad as poison
He jerked up when he saw that the other
was awake.
Couldn't sleep he croaked. sun must
s-whacked me wistiday. Take the packs
on. III rest a spell an ketch up long
towards nightfaI."
Ditsey believed in letting a good man
have his little peculiarities. He swallowed
somec hackers and icIked beef and set out
with the burros, asking no questions.
He may have determined upon d peeled
eye policy. In Connection with "F'ire-poX.
He may have deemed IT peculiar that a
sun-mad buddle should have turned up in
the gray morning with his pick in his
hands, limestone dust upon his boots.
sweat upon his face. and an unholy light
IN his eyes But this is conjecture and
the facts are not Yet spent.
II was in the middle of the afternoon
and Ditsey was pushing on alone. There
had been no sound from behind for nine
solid hours. The sun struck the east wall
of the canon and showcred down. hot as
cinders. The man and the burros clattered
around a swerve of the gorge, and all
beheld ahead an untethered buekskin pony
an da little man sitting upon a rock plac-
idly smoking d cigarette. 1t was Frek
kIuldoon, II.
His real name is forgotten. He called
himself after tire greatest trailer of them
all. the man who stopped the lone war of
Crooked Knife. Apache. Like the first .
Muldoon he worked alone, shot from the
hip. brought back his man, and drank .
himself still in duh seasons. Moreover. !
he Wa sof the same jockey build. and, /
like the first Frek, could bide his thirst. (
camel-fahsion. In short, man would be I
just a safe running with a can of nitro +.
glycerine through a damned freighthouse +.
IN the dark as TO have the second Frek /
on his trail
''HuHo sheriff" Ditsey called pleasant
Iy Say" Muldoen questioned, squirting
up at the other, whore you hitched to
this trip?
Ditsey grew wise. looking at the little
SCARED. gritty face below. He scrutinized
the canon ana the sky, and answered mild
Is, Pears / me. I'm hittin' it Up alone
sheriff
Muldoon was quiet Tor half-minute.
then volunteered: I'm out fur "A sneak,
Ditsey. that's too mean fur shoOtin.
That's why III take him back alive-al-
lus exceptin the chance that he squirms.
II he squirms. ! ride back to Campinas
alone. ana l guess the populace VIII take
my word for his funeral. I crossed the
canon two DAYS ago back at the Mutton
tran The trail said thay was two of you.
Ditsey. quit lynn.
rs the chap You want a young feller
asked craftily, after pause.
i reckon you couldn't miss it wider
Muldoon remarked. His squinty black
eyes were storming the other intelii-
gence
What did he do over your way-this +
feler."' Forncrook faltered.
Among other trifieS he killed a man
fur money! decent man, He's clean
loco when there : money in sight" ;
There was another pause. i'm which the
proSpector struggled with primary laws
and a memory of the morning; while /
Muldon listened intenny, Ms ear close TO f.
the limestone wall of the canon. The lat
ter raised his head finally with smile as
hard aud cold as ice.
I've Known YOU fur years. Ditsey." he .
said slowly You amt no trailin arbur-
tus I'd sicken an die il the props was
knocked frunl under There amt no bet
ter ma min these parts. but if you've hap
pened onto prick-eareG, dirtycyed, poX /
branded pardncr then I'm going 10 take .
him back To Campinas CT leave here FUR /.
the pure vultures. Somebody's COM I
fn'"'
Muldoon read all that he cared 20 know .
IN the face OF the other. ne bent forward .
70 listen = second time: and just at this .
instant Ditsey leaped upon him. The
weapons Of the little sheriff were taken .
away without tenderness
4 want L return III compliment, sher- .
Fl. the man on top painted Thar amt .
a better man than you in these parts
but he my pardner, So fur es / knows. :
he's be- r,Sei5.s r,-fiOno his DAYS work E