Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-11-24

Bill, said the day marshal Of Durango
In persuasive sort Of a key, resting
his arms on the edge Of the box ant
drawing a fine bead with both of his
guns on McShane's torso-and before
! Aiken had got the words out the
greaser driver, rightly apprehendine
that there'd be some action In thai
neighborhood presently, suddenly
, dropped backward off his seat and
squatted for protection behind the far
side Of the box.
"McShane, assuming the obedient
air Of the man who knows that he is
bulged, stuck his left arm up. and
made a move as II to point upward
with his right, too. But he didn't
stick the right up. He went, instead,
for his right-hand gun-and 1t was a
lightning movement, at that, But 1t
wasn't lightning enough, notwith-
standing
NAT broke McShane's right shoulder
with ball before the man from the
Santa Anita country could get his
right-hand gun cleared for action.
Aiken vaulted with one hand over the
side Of the box, and In something less
than two seconds he had McShane dis.
armed.
Couldn't help 1t, nohow, BILL
Aiken explained to the wounded man
as he and the greaser loaded him into
the dray to take him for treatment to
the Office of the sawbones down the
street, an so you don't want t. take
1t to heart none whatever. I'd ha'
given you better chanst, only just
nachully don't like t stand t git
sleved up hull heap by boys full O.
cactus medicine f'r tn wages I'm
a-gittin', an that's fac'.'
Three days later Jim Munson, the
foreman of a bunch Of shafts to the
south OF the camp, got a letter from one
Of his eastern wives that touched him on
the raw. jun jumped the reservation
over the receipt Of that letter, and Jim
was sure enough bad when he got busy
with the dreanlings Of the coils.
1.-TWO hours after he'd come in from
the claims and descended upon the
camp Jim was jumping on his hat In the
middle OF the street, with both guns out,
and yelling that the flock Of grizzlies that
had the gizzard to tackle him would
have to have their claws ground to
razor edge with alligator files, and that
even then he would tear their teeth out
Of their Jaws with his naked hands.
Then Jim constituted himself sort
Of battery of light artillery parked at
the head Of the street, for he took up his
position on a sandmound and swept the
with both Of his guns every
time he saw a careless or unsuspecting
man emerge from GROCERY.
Jim had kept the street deserted for
lbout half an hour from his coign Of
vantage on the mound, and he was In
'orming the baking breeze that was
blowing that he, James Munson, esq.,,
vas a gray desert wolf that preferred
o lap strongly impregnated alkali water
o slipping the cool, sweet product of the
reshest spring when pair of knobbed
md freckled hands holding couple of
,lue steel guns and cowlicky red head,
IL belonging to man lying close to
he edge of the roof of the Morning Star
were seen by some of us
itting in the barber shop across the |
treet Nat had got into the place from
he rear and climbed to the roof. We
we're waiting for Jim to go away from 4
hat mound before we ventured into the
treet I
Mats position, lying fiat there on the 6
oof and overlooking Jim's mound, was
pretty good one. t
"'Oh, Jim!' Nat called softly down to d
he painting Munson. q
"Jim looked up with an expression of
Justification in the direction whence q
3 had heard the voice, and, shading O
Is eyes with his hands, he saw Mats 8
ands and head. o
Don't wan t. shatter you all up none, Q
M remarked Aiken In kindly tone, b
nut what want T. know Is air you a. (,
,in' t. be good now?' q
For reply Mr.. Munson announced Il
lat he was double-fanged sand moe u
sin, and that the pizen was bilin' in o.
m, at the Same time snatching for his
eapons.
NAT let Jim down easy. He knocked
m over with flesh wounds In both Of his X
ighs, and then he sprang through the OF
of scuttle, raced down the steps. and IN
hen he got to Munson Jim wss sitting at
the mound feeling Of his wounds, with q
s guns lying alongside him. ~
THE real Durangoites were willing "
let Nat have It after that, and the sr
ly people he had to trim from that 10
ne were outsiders that drlfted into the "a
mp."-Washington Star, ga